AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U vs Intel Core i3-8145U Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U and Intel Core i3-8145U are both 15-watt mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but the benchmark data reveals they are fundamentally different in character. The Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U delivers overwhelming multi-threaded performance thanks to its 4-core/8-thread configuration, while the Intel Core i3-8145U counters with a slight edge in single-core tasks. The data shows a clear trade-off: the AMD part is a multi-core workhorse, while the Intel chip plays a more specialized role in lightly-threaded scenarios.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head comparison is the Cinebench R15 multi-core test. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U scores 624, while the Intel Core i3-8145U manages only 322. That is a delta of 93.8% — the AMD processor nearly doubles the Intel chip's output in this workload. This is exactly what the core count would suggest: the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U has 4 cores and 8 threads, whereas the Core i3-8145U is limited to 2 cores and 4 threads. The multi-core advantage is not incremental; it is transformative. For any application that scales across cores, the AMD part is in a different league.

The single-core story, however, flips. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the Intel Core i3-8145U scores 148.5 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 142, a 4.4% difference. This is a modest win, but it is a consistent one given the Intel chip's higher boost clock. The Intel part boosts to 3.90 GHz, while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U tops out at 3.70 GHz. The 0.20 GHz boost advantage translates into a measurable, if small, lead in single-threaded workloads. It is notably the Intel chip's boost clock is its only clock-speed advantage; both processors have the same 2.10 GHz base clock.

Beyond the direct head-to-head, the broader benchmark picture reinforces this split. The Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U posts a Geekbench multi-core score of 2202, while its single-core score is 819. The Intel Core i3-8145U, for its part, has a Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 1342 and a single-core score of 189, plus a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 3196 and a single-core score of 451. These additional numbers are not directly comparable across the two chips because they are different test versions, but they do illustrate the Intel chip's balanced profile across newer benchmarks. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 947, versus 941 for the Intel part — a 0.6% difference that lands both in the 25th percentile of all CPUs. In other words, these are entry-level mobile processors by overall performance, but their strengths are highly polarized.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U wins decisively. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 624 versus the Intel Core i3-8145U's 322, a 93.8% advantage. The AMD chip's 4 cores and 8 threads are the primary reason.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-8145U have any performance advantage?

A: Yes, in single-core workloads. The Intel chip scores 148.5 in Cinebench R15 single-core, beating the AMD chip's 142 by 4.4%. This aligns with the Intel part's higher 3.90 GHz boost clock versus the AMD's 3.70 GHz.

Q: How do these processors compare in their overall benchmark averages?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U has an average benchmark score of 947, while the Intel Core i3-8145U averages 941. That is a 0.6% difference, placing both in the 25th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Are these processors in the same market segment?

A: Yes, both are listed as mobile processors with a 15 W TDP. They are designed for the same class of thin-and-light laptops, though the AMD part remains in active production while the Intel part is end-of-life.

Q: What integrated graphics do they offer?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U features Radeon Vega 8 graphics, while the Intel Core i3-8145U has UHD Graphics 620. The FACT PACK does not provide benchmark scores for the graphics, so a performance comparison cannot be made.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory configuration?

A: Yes, both support dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips is substantial. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is built on AMD's Zen+ architecture with the codename Picasso, fabricated on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It uses the AMD Socket FP5. The Intel Core i3-8145U, by contrast, uses Intel's Whiskey Lake architecture with the codename Whiskey Lake-U, fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel. It is mounted on Intel BGA 1528. The process node difference — 12 nm versus 10 nm — suggests Intel's design targets density, but the benchmark data shows that the AMD part's extra cores outweigh any architectural benefits for Intel.

The cache layouts also differ. The AMD chip has 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, also with 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part's larger per-core caches likely help feed its 8 threads, while the Intel part's smaller caches are sufficient for its 4 threads. The transistor count and die size for the AMD part are 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die; no such figures are available for the Intel part. The AMD chip's larger die and higher transistor count reflect its integrated Vega 8 graphics, which is a more substantial iGPU than Intel's UHD Graphics 620.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious specification split. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i3-8145U has 2 cores and 4 threads. This is the single most important difference for performance. The base clocks are identical at 2.10 GHz, but the boost clocks differ: the Intel chip boosts to 3.90 GHz, while the AMD chip reaches 3.70 GHz. The Intel part's 0.20 GHz higher boost is its only clock-speed advantage.

The manufacturing process differs, as noted: 12 nm for AMD versus 10 nm for Intel. The socket is different (AMD Socket FP5 versus Intel BGA 1528), and the foundry differs (GlobalFoundries versus Intel). The cache hierarchy is not identical either — the AMD part has 96 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, while the Intel part has 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core. Both share 4 MB of L3 cache. The integrated graphics differ, with the AMD part using Radeon Vega 8 and the Intel part using UHD Graphics 620. The Intel part supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD part supports PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count specified. The production status also differs: the AMD part is active, while the Intel part is end-of-life. The AMD part was released on 2019-04-07, while the Intel part was released on 2018-09-30. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $281; the AMD part has no launch MSRP listed.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the clear winner in any multi-threaded workload. The 93.8% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core is definitive. This makes it the better choice for content creation, compilation, rendering, or any task that can use more than 4 threads. The 8-thread configuration gives it a level of parallelism that the Intel chip simply cannot match. For users who run virtual machines, encode video, or work with large datasets, the AMD part is the only sensible option between these two.

The Intel Core i3-8145U wins in single-core scenarios. The 4.4% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core, while modest, is the only head-to-head benchmark it wins. This suggests it is better suited for older or poorly-threaded applications, web browsing, and office productivity where the workload is mostly single-threaded. The higher boost clock of 3.90 GHz is the driving factor. The Intel chip also has the advantage of being end-of-life, which means it may be found in deeply discounted older laptops, but the data does not support any performance-based reason to prefer it for modern multi-core workloads.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion: the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the superior processor for most users. Its 93.8% multi-core advantage is overwhelming, and its average benchmark score of 947 is slightly higher than the Intel part's 941. The only scenario where the Intel Core i3-8145U is preferable is when single-core performance is the absolute priority and the 4.4% lead — from 142 to 148.5 in Cinebench R15 single-core — makes a practical difference. That is a narrow use case.

For anyone buying a laptop today, the AMD chip's active production status is a practical consideration. The Intel part is end-of-life, meaning it is no longer manufactured, while the AMD part remains available. The AMD processor also offers more cache per core, a larger L1 and L2, which likely contributes to its multi-core efficiency. The Intel chip's only redeeming benchmark feature is its single-core score, and even that is a small margin. The verdict is clear: the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better buy for multi-threaded performance, and the Core i3-8145U is a niche pick for single-threaded tasks where the 0.20 GHz boost advantage matters.