AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS vs Intel Core 5 315 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits this comparison cleanly by workload type. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, and its dominance is overwhelming in multi-threaded and integer-heavy tasks. The Intel Core 5 315 takes 4 wins, all of them in narrow, specialized areas: prime number finding, physics simulation, and single-threaded PassMark tests. The AMD part sits at the 80th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Intel part sits at the 72nd percentile. The average benchmark score for the AMD processor is 28478, versus 18188 for the Intel processor, a gap of roughly 57%. For anyone running Cinebench-style rendering, data compression, encryption, or integer math, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is the clear choice. The Intel Core 5 315 only makes sense for workloads that mirror PassMark's single-thread test pattern or its physics simulation, where it posts a 10.3% advantage.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different foundries and process nodes. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel Core 5 315 uses a 3 nm process from Intel. Both are mobile parts, both are currently active in production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The AMD processor is built on Zen 4 architecture with the codename Hawk Point. It belongs to the 8000 series and the Ryzen 5 generation line. The chip packs 6 cores and 12 threads, which means simultaneous multithreading is enabled. Its base clock is 3.50 GHz and it boosts to 4.90 GHz. The thermal design power is 28 watts. It uses AMD Socket FP7. The die measures 178 mm² and contains 25,000 million transistors.

The Intel Core 5 315 uses the Wildcat Lake codename and belongs to the Core 5 generation. It also has 6 cores, but only 6 threads, so there is no multithreading. Its base clock is much lower at 1.50 GHz, with a boost of 4.40 GHz. The thermal design power is just 15 watts. It uses Intel BGA 1516. The database does not list a transistor count or die size for the Intel part.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip lists 192 KB of L1 total, 2.5 MB of L2 total, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support also diverges: AMD supports DDR5 with a dual-channel bus and 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth, plus ECC memory. Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, but only on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth, and no ECC. PCIe lanes differ as well: the AMD part provides Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while the Intel part provides Gen 4 with only 6 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon 760M on the AMD side and Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores on the Intel side.

The release dates are far apart. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS launched on 2024-04-15, while the Intel Core 5 315 launched on 2026-04-15. The Intel part carries a launch MSRP of $340.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are uniformly one-sided. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD scores 1824 against 1308, a 39.4% advantage. In R15 single-core, it scores 257 against 184, a 39.7% edge. Cinebench R20 multicore shows 7603 versus 5452, a 39.5% delta. R20 single-core shows 1073 versus 769, also 39.5%. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 18104 versus 12981, again 39.5%. R23 single-core shows 2555 versus 1832, again 39.5%. The consistency across all six Cinebench subtests suggests the AMD processor maintains a fixed performance margin regardless of render complexity or thread count.

PassMark results tell a more varied story. The largest AMD win is in integer math, where the Ryzen scores 69839 against 31690, a 120.4% advantage. This is the single biggest delta in the entire comparison. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 72.3%, with scores of 30235 versus 17551. Data compression goes to AMD by 68.6%, at 246446 versus 146143. Multi-thread performance goes to AMD by 40.6%, at 21465 versus 15272. Extended instructions go to AMD by 40.8%, at 18507 versus 13143. Data encryption goes to AMD by 34.6%, at 14962 versus 11119. Floating point math is nearly a tie: AMD scores 43019 against Intel's 42441, a slim 1.4% margin.

The Intel wins are concentrated in four tests. PassMark single-thread (listed twice in the database as passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, with identical scores) goes to Intel at 4021 versus 3561, an 11.4% margin. PassMark physics goes to Intel at 1163 versus 1043, a 10.3% margin. PassMark find prime numbers goes to Intel at 112 versus 71, a 36.6% margin. That prime number result is Intel's largest win, and it stands out because it is the only test where Intel exceeds AMD by more than 12 points.

The near-tie in floating point math is notable. A 1.4% delta means the two processors are effectively equivalent for FP-heavy workloads that resemble that PassMark subtest. The same cannot be said for integer math, where the AMD part is more than twice as fast. The data suggests the AMD processor's SMT implementation and larger cache hierarchy give it a decisive edge in parallel integer work, while the Intel processor's higher single-thread PassMark score hints at a different scheduling or instruction pipeline advantage.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification field. Core count is the same at 6, but thread count differs: 12 for AMD, 6 for Intel. Base clock differs by 2.00 GHz (3.50 versus 1.50). Boost clock differs by 0.50 GHz (4.90 versus 4.40). TDP differs by 13 watts (28 versus 15). Sockets differ: AMD Socket FP7 versus Intel BGA 1516. Process node differs: 4 nm TSMC versus 3 nm Intel. Foundry differs: TSMC versus Intel. The AMD part has listed transistors and die size; the Intel part has neither. L1 cache is per-core on AMD (64 KB per core) versus total on Intel (192 KB). L2 cache is per-core on AMD (1 MB per core) versus total on Intel (2.5 MB). L3 cache is 16 MB shared on AMD versus 6 MB shared on Intel. Memory support is DDR5 on AMD versus DDR5 and LPDDR5X on Intel. Memory bus is dual-channel on AMD versus single-channel on Intel. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s on AMD versus 59.7 GB/s on Intel. ECC is supported on AMD, not on Intel. PCIe lanes are 20 on AMD versus 6 on Intel. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 760M versus Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe). Release dates differ by two years. Part numbers differ: 100-000001354(FP7r2) and 100-000001382(FP7) for AMD, SAEFC for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS has 12 threads across 6 cores. The Intel Core 5 315 has 6 threads across 6 cores. AMD's SMT support doubles the thread count.

Q: How big is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD scores 18104, the Intel scores 12981. AMD leads by 39.5%. The same 39.5% delta appears in every Cinebench subtest in the database.

Q: Where does the Intel Core 5 315 beat the AMD processor?

A: Intel wins PassMark single-thread (4021 versus 3561, 11.4%), PassMark physics (1163 versus 1043, 10.3%), and PassMark find prime numbers (112 versus 71, 36.6%).

Q: What is the largest single benchmark margin between the two?

A: PassMark integer math. AMD scores 69839 versus Intel's 31690, a 120.4% advantage. No other test in the database comes close to that delta.

Q: Do the two processors support the same memory configurations?

A: No. AMD supports DDR5 on a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC. Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The AMD processor averages 28478, landing between the Intel Xeon E-2436 at 28530 and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U at 28379, with deltas of -0.2% and 0.3% respectively. The Intel Core 5 315 averages 18188, matching the AMD EPYC 9274F at 18189 and the Intel Core i7-9700 at 18180, with deltas of 0% for both.