AMD Ryzen 7 260 vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 and Intel Core 5 330 are both mobile processors aimed at thin and light laptops, but the recorded benchmark data shows they are built for different jobs. The AMD chip wins 11 of the 15 head-to-head tests, while the Intel chip wins 4. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is a clear leader in heavily threaded and data-intensive workloads, often by massive margins. The Intel Core 5 330 counters with wins in a few specific single-threaded and integer-heavy tasks, though its advantages are smaller in scale. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 43,717, placing it in the 88th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part scores an average of 18,345, sitting in the 72nd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 dominates in most productivity and content-creation scenarios. Its biggest wins come in integer math, where it scores 96,737 against 33,258 for the Intel chip, a 190.9% lead. Data compression also heavily favors AMD, with a score of 351,517 versus 145,287, a 141.9% difference. The AMD chip also leads in data encryption (20,267 vs 11,076, up 83%) and random string sorting (42,383 vs 17,771, up 138.5%). For users working with large datasets, compression archives, or encryption tasks, the Ryzen 7 260 is the stronger option by a wide margin.

The Intel Core 5 330 wins in passmark_find_prime_numbers, scoring 114 against AMD's 77, a 32.5% advantage. This test is a specific measure of prime number generation, which is a single-threaded, integer-heavy workload. The Intel chip also wins the passmark_single_thread test with a score of 4,088 versus 3,736 for AMD, an 8.6% lead. In cinebench_r23_singlecore, Intel edges ahead with 1,856 versus 1,770.5, a 4.6% margin. These wins suggest the Intel chip is slightly better at purely sequential tasks and light single-threaded applications, though the margins are modest compared to AMD's multi-core advantages.

Architecture Differences

The two processors use fundamentally different designs. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is built on TSMC's 4 nm process and uses the Zen 4 architecture with the Hawk Point codename. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Intel Core 5 330 uses Intel's 3 nm process with the Wildcat Lake codename. It has 6 cores and 6 threads, with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The AMD chip has a 45 W TDP, while the Intel chip has a 15 W TDP, indicating a substantial difference in power envelope.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD chip provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip provides 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip's larger L3 cache is shared across all cores, which helps in multi-threaded workloads. The Intel chip has a smaller total cache footprint but compensates with a different core layout.

Memory support also differs. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, providing 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, but over a single-channel bus, yielding 59.7 GB/s. The AMD chip's dual-channel interface gives it roughly 50% more memory bandwidth, which contributes to its performance in data-heavy tests. PCIe support also differs: AMD provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel provides Gen 4 with 6 lanes. Neither chip supports ECC memory. Integrated graphics differ as well, with AMD using the Radeon 780M and Intel using Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the AMD Ryzen 7 260 is in passmark_integer_math, where it scores 96,737 versus 33,258 for the Intel chip, a 190.9% lead. This test heavily favors the AMD chip's 8-core, 16-thread design. In cinebench_r15_multicore, AMD scores 2,747.5 against Intel's 1,325, a 107.4% advantage. The passmark_data_compression test shows AMD at 351,517 versus 145,287, a 141.9% lead. Random string sorting shows a 138.5% advantage for AMD (42,383 vs 17,771). Extended instructions also favor AMD heavily, with a 107.2% lead (26,544 vs 12,808).

The AMD chip also wins passmark_multithread with 28,078 against 15,471, an 81.5% lead. Data encryption shows AMD ahead by 83% (20,267 vs 11,076). Floating point math favors AMD by 35.5% (59,462 vs 43,885). In cinebench_r23_multicore, AMD leads 17,211.5 versus 13,150, a 30.9% margin. The passmark_physics test is nearly tied, with AMD at 1,218 and Intel at 1,201, a 1.4% difference. Cinebench_r15_singlecore shows AMD ahead by 48.7% (276.5 vs 186).

The Intel Core 5 330 wins passmark_find_prime_numbers with 114 versus 77 for AMD, a 32.5% lead. In passmark_single_thread, Intel scores 4,088 versus 3,736 for AMD, an 8.6% advantage. Cinebench_r23_singlecore also goes to Intel, with 1,856 versus 1,770.5, a 4.6% margin. These are the only tests where Intel comes out ahead, and they are all single-threaded or specific integer operations.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: How does the memory bandwidth compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 provides 89.6 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR5 bus. The Intel Core 5 330 provides 59.7 GB/s over a single-channel bus supporting DDR5 and LPDDR5X.

Q: What is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head tests?

A: The largest gap is in passmark_integer_math, where the AMD Ryzen 7 260 scores 96,737 versus 33,258 for the Intel Core 5 330, a 190.9% difference.

Q: In which tests does the Intel Core 5 330 beat the AMD Ryzen 7 260?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 wins passmark_find_prime_numbers, passmark_single_thread, passmark_singlethread, and cinebench_r23_singlecore. The single-thread tests show an 8.6% lead, and the prime number test shows a 32.5% lead.

Q: What are the power requirements for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 has a 45 W TDP. The Intel Core 5 330 has a 15 W TDP.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Intel Core 5 330 has a boost clock of 4.60 GHz.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 and Intel Core 5 330 differ across several key specifications. The AMD chip uses 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel chip uses 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks differ substantially: AMD runs at 3.80 GHz, Intel at 1.50 GHz. Boost clocks also differ: AMD at 5.10 GHz, Intel at 4.60 GHz. The TDP is 45 W for AMD and 15 W for Intel. The AMD chip uses the AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1516. The process nodes differ: AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC, Intel uses 3 nm from Intel. The AMD chip has a 178 mm² die size and 25,000 million transistors, while the Intel chip has no recorded die size or transistor count.

Cache layouts differ: AMD provides 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. Intel provides 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 for AMD, and DDR5 plus LPDDR5X for Intel. Memory bus width differs: dual-channel for AMD, single-channel for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD and 59.7 GB/s for Intel. PCIe support is Gen 4 with 20 lanes for AMD and Gen 4 with 6 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics differ: AMD uses the Radeon 780M, Intel uses Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores. The Intel chip has a launch MSRP of $309. Release dates differ, with AMD listed as 2025-01-05 and Intel as 2026-04-15. Both chips are unlocked multiplier false and target the mobile market segment.