AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U vs Intel Core i3-4360T Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data positions the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U as the clear performance leader in this comparison. In the single recorded head-to-head test, Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scored 624 against 282 for the Intel Core i3-4360T, a 121.3% advantage. That delta is substantial enough to define the entire relationship between these two processors for multi-threaded workloads.

The Intel Core i3-4360T, however, posts a slightly higher average benchmark score of 963 versus 947 for the AMD, and it sits in a marginally better percentile against all CPUs (26th versus 25th). This apparent contradiction stems from the fact that the two parts were measured across different benchmark suites. The Intel chip has recorded results in Cinebench R20 and R23, which are more modern and demanding tests, while the AMD chip's data comes from Cinebench R15 and Geekbench. The average score therefore reflects different test sets, not direct parity in capability.

For users choosing between them, the data points in one direction: the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U offers roughly double the multi-core throughput where they overlap, which makes it the pick for sustained parallel workloads. The Intel part, with its higher base clock of 3.20 GHz and no boost clock, remains a viable option for single-threaded responsiveness in legacy applications, but the evidence of its multi-core deficit is overwhelming. The AMD processor is the one to select for modern, threaded software. The Intel processor is the one to select only if its specific benchmark results in R20 and R23 matter more than the direct comparison, or if the platform requires a desktop-class Socket 1150 part.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design eras and philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is a mobile part built on the Zen+ architecture, codenamed Picasso, using a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It packs 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The Intel Core i3-4360T is a desktop chip built on the Haswell architecture, using Intel's 22 nm process. It offers 2 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.20 GHz and no boost clock capability listed.

The transistor counts reflect the generational gap. The AMD chip integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, while the Intel chip contains 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The AMD part's larger transistor budget enables its additional cores and threads, as well as its more modern feature set. The process node difference, 12 nm versus 22 nm, also contributes to the AMD part's efficiency profile, though the Intel chip's 35 W TDP is higher than the AMD part's 15 W TDP, which is notable given the AMD part's superior multi-core results.

Cache hierarchies differ as well. The AMD processor provides 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel processor provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. Both use dual-channel memory, but the AMD part supports DDR4 with a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Intel part supports DDR3 with no bandwidth figure recorded. Neither supports ECC memory. Both run PCIe Gen 3.

Integrated graphics differ: the AMD chip features Radeon Vega 8, while the Intel chip carries Intel HD 4600. The AMD part is classified as a mobile processor on AMD Socket FP5, whereas the Intel part is a desktop processor on Intel Socket 1150. The AMD chip was released in 2019, the Intel chip in 2014. Both remain in active production. The AMD part's part number is YM350BC4T4MFG; no part number is listed for the Intel chip.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U wins decisively in multi-threaded compute. Its Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 624 versus 282 for the Intel part represents a 121.3% lead, meaning it more than doubles the Intel chip's throughput in that test. This advantage comes from its 4 cores and 8 threads versus 2 cores and 4 threads, combined with a higher boost clock of 3.70 GHz that allows it to scale under load. For workloads like video encoding, 3D rendering, compiling, or any task that spawns many threads, the AMD part is the clear choice based on the recorded data.

The Intel Core i3-4360T wins in the domain of its own recorded benchmarks, though no direct head-to-head comparison exists for those tests. Its Cinebench R20 multi-core score is 1175, its R20 single-core score is 165, its R23 multi-core score is 2799, and its R23 single-core score is 395. These numbers indicate that the Intel chip is functional in modern test suites, but they do not establish superiority over the AMD part. The Intel chip's higher base clock of 3.20 GHz, compared to the AMD part's 2.10 GHz base, suggests an advantage in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive tasks where the processor stays at base frequencies without boosting. In that narrow scenario, the Intel part could feel more responsive.

The average benchmark scores tell a nuanced story. The Intel part records an average of 963, placing it at the 26th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD part records an average of 947, placing it at the 25th percentile. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the Intel Pentium Gold G5400T at 946 (a 0.1% delta), the Intel Xeon X5560 at 946 (0.1% delta), and the AMD Phenom II X6 1045T at 946 (0.1% delta). The Intel part's nearest rivals include the Intel Pentium Gold G5500T at 963 (0% delta), the AMD A8-9600 at 962 (0.1% delta), and the Intel Celeron N5100 at 966 (-0.4% delta). These proximity scores show both processors sit in a crowded mid-range band, but the AMD part's direct win in the head-to-head test is the more meaningful signal.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is significantly faster. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scored 624 versus 282 for the Intel Core i3-4360T, a 121.3% advantage.

Q: How many cores and threads does each processor have?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core i3-4360T has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What are the clock speeds of these two processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The Intel Core i3-4360T has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and no boost clock listed.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-4360T has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 963, compared to 947 for the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U. However, these averages are based on different benchmark suites, not direct comparisons.

Q: What memory types do these processors support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel access and a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel Core i3-4360T supports DDR3 memory with dual-channel access and no bandwidth figure recorded.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U has a TDP of 15 W. The Intel Core i3-4360T has a TDP of 35 W.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains a single direct comparison between these two processors, and it is a decisive one. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U scored 624, while the Intel Core i3-4360T scored 282. The AMD part won by a delta of 121.3%. This means the AMD chip delivered more than double the multi-threaded rendering performance of the Intel chip in that test.

The magnitude of this win is striking when contextualized against the rest of the data. The AMD part's 4 cores and 8 threads, running at a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, clearly outperformed the Intel part's 2 cores and 4 threads, running at a fixed 3.20 GHz. The Intel chip had no boost clock to call upon, which likely contributed to its lower score. The AMD part's Zen+ architecture, built on a 12 nm process with 4,940 million transistors, also gave it a structural advantage over the Haswell design with 1,400 million transistors on 22 nm.

This single result defines the comparison. The AMD part's win count stands at 1, while the Intel part's win count is 0. No other head-to-head tests were recorded, so there is no direct evidence of the Intel chip winning any benchmark against the AMD part. The Intel chip's separate results in Cinebench R20 and R23 are informative for its own profile, but they do not alter the outcome of the one matched test.

For a buyer or system builder, the head-to-head data is unambiguous: in the only test where both processors ran the same workload, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U outperformed the Intel Core i3-4360T by a wide margin. The AMD part also does this at a lower TDP of 15 W versus 35 W, which is a notable efficiency signal, though the database does not record power draw under load. The Intel part's higher average score comes from its participation in different, likely more modern, benchmarks, not from beating the AMD part in any shared test. When the recorded data is taken as a whole, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the stronger processor in the comparison that matters.