AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS vs Intel Core 5 320 Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is the clear performance leader in this matchup, winning 12 of the 17 recorded benchmark comparisons against the Intel Core 5 320. Its average benchmark score of 28,478 places it in the 80th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 320 sits at 18,023 with a 72nd percentile ranking. The AMD part delivers multi-threaded performance that is roughly 58% higher on average, a gap driven by its 12 threads versus the Intel chip's 6 threads, plus a much larger L3 cache and higher clock speeds.

The Intel Core 5 320 does claim 5 benchmark wins, all in single-thread or specialized workloads. It leads in Cinebench R15 single-core, PassMark single-thread, PassMark physics, and PassMark prime number finding. These results indicate that the Intel chip has a genuine advantage in lightly-threaded tasks that depend on per-core efficiency, even though it trails badly in anything that scales with threads or cache capacity.

For a mobile workstation, content creation, or any multi-threaded productivity workload, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is the only rational choice from this data. For low-power devices where single-thread responsiveness and energy efficiency (15W TDP versus 28W) matter more than raw throughput, the Intel Core 5 320 has a narrower but real set of strengths. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not, which further tilts the AMD option toward reliability-focused deployments.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS dominates in all multi-threaded rendering and compute benchmarks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18,104 is 192.1% higher than the Intel chip's 6,197, an enormous margin that reflects the difference in thread count and cache design. The AMD part also wins Cinebench R20 multi-core by 39.2% (7,603 versus 5,462) and Cinebench R15 multi-core by 73.1% (1,824 versus 1,054). PassMark multi-thread shows a 38.9% lead (21,465 versus 15,450), and integer math performance is more than double, at 69,839 versus 32,323, a 116.1% advantage.

The Intel Core 5 320 wins the single-thread category in several tests. Its PassMark single-thread score of 4,045 beats the AMD part's 3,561 by 12%, and its Cinebench R15 single-core score of 276 beats 257 by 6.9%. The Intel chip also leads in PassMark physics (1,221 versus 1,043, a 14.6% edge) and PassMark find prime numbers (110 versus 71, a 35.5% advantage). These wins suggest the Intel architecture extracts more work per clock in certain integer and physics workloads, despite its lower boost clock of 4.60 GHz versus the AMD chip's 4.90 GHz.

The AMD part wins the remaining 12 benchmarks, including data compression (246,446 versus 148,779, up 65.6%), data encryption (14,962 versus 10,984, up 36.2%), extended instructions (18,507 versus 13,262, up 39.5%), random string sorting (30,235 versus 18,038, up 67.6%), and floating-point math (43,019 versus 42,440, a narrow 1.4% edge). The overall pattern is clear: the AMD chip wins wherever memory bandwidth, cache capacity, or thread parallelism matters, while the Intel chip wins in a small set of single-threaded or physics-oriented tasks.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, with a die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors. It is built on the Hawk Point codename and belongs to AMD's 8000 series. The Intel Core 5 320 uses the Wildcat Lake codename on Intel's 3 nm process, with no transistor count or die size recorded in the database. Both parts have 6 physical cores, but the AMD chip supports 12 threads through Simultaneous Multi-Threading, while the Intel chip has 6 threads with no hyper-threading.

Cache configuration differs substantially. The AMD chip provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 192 KB of total L1, 2.5 MB of total L2, and only 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD part's 16 MB L3 is more than 2.6 times larger than Intel's 6 MB, which explains much of its advantage in cache-sensitive workloads like data compression and random string sorting.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD chip uses dual-channel DDR5 with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s and supports ECC memory. The Intel chip supports both DDR5 and LPDDR5X but operates on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth and no ECC support. The AMD part's memory bandwidth advantage of nearly 50% is a major factor in its multi-threaded wins.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The AMD chip provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel chip provides Gen 4 with only 6 lanes (CPU only). This makes the AMD part substantially better suited for systems with multiple high-speed NVMe drives or discrete GPUs. The AMD chip's integrated graphics is the Radeon 760M, while the Intel chip uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores.

The base clock difference is notable: the AMD chip runs at 3.50 GHz base and 4.90 GHz boost, while the Intel chip runs at 1.50 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost. The Intel chip's much lower base clock contributes to its 15W TDP, versus the AMD chip's 28W TDP. The AMD chip also uses the AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1516. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is far faster in multi-core rendering. It scores 18,104 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 6,197 for the Intel Core 5 320, a 192.1% advantage. The AMD chip also leads Cinebench R20 multi-core by 39.2% (7,603 versus 5,462) and Cinebench R15 multi-core by 73.1% (1,824 versus 1,054).

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 320 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, the Intel chip wins 5 of 17 recorded benchmarks. It leads in PassMark single-thread (4,045 versus 3,561, up 12%), Cinebench R15 single-core (276 versus 257, up 6.9%), PassMark physics (1,221 versus 1,043, up 14.6%), and PassMark find prime numbers (110 versus 71, up 35.5%).

Q: How do the memory systems compare?

A: The AMD chip uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. The Intel chip uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC support. The AMD part's bandwidth is about 50% higher.

Q: What is the thread count difference?

A: Both chips have 6 physical cores, but the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS supports 12 threads, while the Intel Core 5 320 supports only 6 threads. This directly explains the AMD chip's large multi-threaded benchmark leads.

Q: Which CPU is more power-efficient?

A: The Intel Core 5 320 has a 15W TDP, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS has a 28W TDP. The Intel chip's lower power draw aligns with its lower base clock of 1.50 GHz, but it also delivers much lower multi-threaded performance.

Q: What is the cache difference between the two?

A: The AMD chip has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Intel chip has 192 KB total L1, 2.5 MB total L2, and 6 MB shared L3. The AMD part's L3 cache is more than 2.6 times larger.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single benchmark gap in this comparison is Cinebench R23 multi-core. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS scores 18,104, while the Intel Core 5 320 scores 6,197, a 192.1% difference. This is the most dramatic result in the entire dataset and reflects the combined effect of 12 threads versus 6, a 16 MB L3 versus 6 MB, and dual-channel versus single-channel memory.

PassMark integer math shows the second-largest gap. The AMD chip scores 69,839 against Intel's 32,323, a 116.1% advantage. This workload is highly parallel and benefits from the AMD chip's additional threads and larger cache. Similarly, random string sorting favors the AMD chip by 67.6% (30,235 versus 18,038), and data compression favors it by 65.6% (246,446 versus 148,779).

The AMD chip's single-core wins are also substantial in the Cinebench series. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD chip scores 1,073 against Intel's 771, a 39.2% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD chip leads by 32.7% (2,555 versus 1,926). These results show that even in single-threaded rendering, the AMD chip's higher boost clock and architecture deliver more performance.

The Intel Core 5 320's biggest win is PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 110 versus 71, a 35.5% advantage. This is a highly specialized integer workload that apparently favors the Intel microarchitecture. The Intel chip also wins PassMark single-thread by 12% (4,045 versus 3,561) and PassMark physics by 14.6% (1,221 versus 1,043). Its Cinebench R15 single-core win is modest at 6.9% (276 versus 257).

The closest contest is PassMark floating-point math, where the AMD chip wins by just 1.4% (43,019 versus 42,440). This near-tie indicates that both architectures are roughly equivalent in raw floating-point throughput per thread, and the AMD chip's overall advantage in this test is small. The data encryption test shows a 36.2% AMD lead (14,962 versus 10,984), and extended instructions show a 39.5% AMD lead (18,507 versus 13,262).

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS and Intel Core 5 320 differ across nearly every specification field. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip has 6 cores and 6 threads. The AMD chip's base clock is 3.50 GHz versus 1.50 GHz for Intel, and its boost clock is 4.90 GHz versus 4.60 GHz. The AMD chip has a 28W TDP, while the Intel chip has a 15W TDP.

The process node differs: AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC, while Intel uses 3 nm from its own foundry. The AMD chip reports 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die; the Intel chip has no recorded transistor count or die size. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP7, and the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1516.

Cache configurations are markedly different. The AMD chip has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Intel chip has 192 KB total L1, 2.5 MB total L2, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support: AMD uses dual-channel DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s and ECC; Intel uses single-channel DDR5 or LPDDR5X with 59.7 GB/s and no ECC.

PCIe connectivity: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics: AMD uses Radeon 760M, Intel uses Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The AMD chip's release date is 2024-04-15, while the Intel chip's release date is 2026-04-15. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $340; no launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD chip. Both chips are active in production, target the mobile segment, and have locked multipliers.