AMD Ryzen 7 3800X vs Intel Core i5-13500T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison between the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X and the Intel Core i5-13500T produces a lopsided result in favor of the AMD part, which claims 14 of the 19 recorded benchmark wins. The margin of victory in several of these tests is substantial, not marginal. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Ryzen 7 3800X scores 19,588 against the Intel chip’s 11,028, a gap of 77.6%. That is the single largest delta in the entire head-to-head set. The Ryzen also dominates in Cinebench R23 singlecore, posting 2,765 versus 1,754, a 57.6% advantage. These are not close contests; they indicate a fundamental difference in how each processor handles rendering workloads.

The AMD processor’s lead extends across most PassMark subsystems. In data compression, it scores 304,853 to 271,348, a 12.3% edge. Data encryption shows a 24.4% advantage, with 19,337 versus 15,543. Extended instructions favor AMD by 20.7%, at 20,037 against 16,599. Prime number finding, a classic integer-heavy test, sees AMD ahead by 41.1% (103 versus 73). Random string sorting goes to AMD by 13.8%, with 32,869 versus 28,893. Physics simulation, another multithreaded workload, favors AMD by 10.3%, at 1,226 versus 1,112. Even the PassMark multithread aggregate score, which combines many of these tests, gives AMD a 1.7% win, 23,046 versus 22,654.

The Intel Core i5-13500T does have its victories, but they are concentrated in fewer areas. The most notable is Geekbench singlecore, where Intel scores 2,279 against AMD’s 1,675, a 26.5% reversal. PassMark single-thread also goes to Intel by 24.2%, at 3,580 versus 2,712. In floating-point math, Intel is decisively ahead with 61,640 versus 39,759, a 35.5% margin. Integer math also favors Intel, 84,427 versus 67,725, a 19.8% edge. These wins show where the newer Intel architecture excels: raw per-thread throughput and certain math-heavy operations. However, they do not offset the breadth of AMD’s wins in rendering, encryption, and mixed workloads.

Looking at the Cinebench R15 and R20 results, AMD leads by narrower margins. In R15 multicore, AMD wins 1,974 to 1,945, a 1.5% edge. R15 singlecore sees AMD ahead 278 to 247, a 12.6% advantage. R20 multicore is a 2.7% win for AMD, 8,226 versus 8,011, and R20 singlecore is another 2.7% win, 1,161 versus 1,130. Geekbench multicore favors AMD by 6.3%, at 9,446 versus 8,888. The overall average benchmark score for the AMD processor is 29,447, while the Intel chip sits at 28,670, a difference of roughly 2.7%. The AMD part also holds a higher percentile ranking against all CPUs, at 81, versus Intel’s 80.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and use fundamentally different design approaches. The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is built on the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Matisse, and belongs to the 3000 series. It uses an 8-core, 16-thread configuration. The process node is 7 nm, fabbed at TSMC, with a die size of 74 mm² and 3,800 million transistors. The Intel Core i5-13500T, by contrast, is a Raptor Lake part from the Core 13th Gen lineup, using the Raptor Lake-S design. It offers 14 cores and 20 threads, which reflects a hybrid architecture with performance and efficiency cores, though the database does not break out the core types. Intel’s process node is 10 nm, fabbed in-house, with a die size of 215 mm².

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The AMD chip provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip offers more L1 per core at 80 KB, more L2 per core at 1.25 MB, but less total L3 at 24 MB shared. The larger L3 on the AMD side likely contributes to its strong performance in the multi-threaded and data-heavy tests. The Intel part compensates with a higher per-core cache allocation, which helps its single-threaded scores.

Clock speeds tell a mixed story. The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The Intel Core i5-13500T has a much lower base clock of 1.60 GHz but a higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The low base clock on the Intel part is typical of a T-series low-power variant, and it has a 35 W TDP compared to AMD’s 105 W TDP. That power envelope difference is significant, but the benchmark results show that the AMD chip still wins most tests despite drawing more power. The Intel part’s boost clock is only 0.10 GHz higher, which is not enough to overcome AMD’s higher sustained clocks in many workloads.

Memory support varies. The AMD processor uses DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but the database does not list a bandwidth figure for it. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 24 lanes from the CPU, while Intel uses PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes. The Intel part includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD Graphics 770, while the AMD part has no integrated graphics listed. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, meaning it is overclockable, while the Intel part has a locked multiplier. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket AM4, and the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is the clear winner in rendering workloads. The Cinebench R23 multicore result, a 77.6% advantage, is the most striking, but the R15 and R20 multicore wins, though smaller, confirm the trend. For users running CPU-bound renderers, 3D scene builds, or video encoding that scales across cores, the recorded data shows the AMD part is substantially faster. The AMD chip also wins in data compression, encryption, extended instruction sets, and prime number finding, which suggests it handles mixed integer and encryption workloads with more efficiency. The PassMark multithread aggregate win, while only 1.7%, indicates a broader edge in general multi-threaded throughput.

The Intel Core i5-13500T wins decisively in single-threaded and math-heavy scenarios. The Geekbench singlecore score of 2,279 against 1,675 is a 26.5% margin, and PassMark single-thread shows a 24.2% lead. These results point to higher per-core performance, which matters for lightly threaded applications such as older games, certain simulation tools, or single-threaded scripts. The floating-point math win of 35.5% and integer math win of 19.8% are also notable. For workloads that are primarily number-crunching with high arithmetic intensity, the Intel chip is the better pick. The Intel part also has integrated graphics, which the AMD part lacks, so for a system without a discrete GPU, the Intel chip can provide display output and basic graphics acceleration.

It is worth remembering the Intel part’s wins are narrower in aggregate terms. Its average benchmark score is 28,670, which is 777 points lower than AMD’s 29,447. The Intel chip sits at the 80th percentile of all CPUs, while AMD sits at the 81st. In the head-to-head, the AMD part wins 14 tests and the Intel part wins 5. The Intel wins are concentrated in single-thread and math domains, while the AMD wins span rendering, compression, encryption, and physics.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload type. For multi-threaded rendering, data compression, encryption, and mixed productivity tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X is the stronger processor. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 19,588 versus 11,028 is a decisive margin that cannot be ignored. The 77.6% delta in that test alone should steer users toward AMD for any serious CPU rendering work. The AMD part also wins in PassMark multithread, physics, and random string sorting, which covers a broad range of real-world threaded workloads.

For single-threaded performance and math-heavy computation, the Intel Core i5-13500T is the better choice. Its Geekbench singlecore score of 2,279 and PassMark single-thread score of 3,580 both lead by over 24%. The floating-point math score of 61,640 versus 39,759 is a 35.5% advantage, and the integer math score of 84,427 versus 67,725 is a 19.8% advantage. Users who run applications that are poorly threaded or that rely heavily on arithmetic operations will see better results with the Intel part. The Intel chip also offers integrated graphics, which is a practical consideration for a system without a discrete GPU.

The AMD processor has a higher average benchmark score, 29,447 versus 28,670, and a higher percentile ranking at 81 versus 80. It also has an unlocked multiplier, which allows for overclocking, while the Intel part is locked. The AMD chip uses DDR4 memory with a specified bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but has no recorded bandwidth figure. The Intel part has a lower TDP of 35 W against AMD’s 105 W, which means it can be cooled more easily and used in compact systems. The AMD part has a larger L3 cache at 32 MB versus 24 MB, which likely contributes to its multi-threaded wins. The final choice depends on whether the priority is single-thread speed and math throughput, where Intel wins, or multi-threaded rendering and mixed workloads, where AMD dominates.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded rendering?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X wins all Cinebench multicore tests. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 19,588 versus 11,028, a 77.6% advantage. In R20 multicore, it leads 8,226 to 8,011, a 2.7% margin.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-13500T have any single-thread advantage?

A: Yes. The Intel part wins Geekbench singlecore with 2,279 versus 1,675, a 26.5% margin, and PassMark single-thread with 3,580 versus 2,712, a 24.2% margin. It also wins Cinebench R15 and R20 singlecore tests, but by smaller margins of 12.6% and 2.7% respectively.

Q: How do the two processors compare in floating-point math?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500T is significantly ahead in floating-point math, scoring 61,640 versus 39,759, a 35.5% advantage. It also leads in integer math with 84,427 versus 67,725, a 19.8% margin.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-13500T has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has 8 cores and 16 threads. Despite the core and thread deficit, the AMD part wins 14 of 19 head-to-head benchmarks.

Q: Do both processors support overclocking?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has an unlocked multiplier, which allows overclocking. The Intel Core i5-13500T has a locked multiplier, so it does not support overclocking.

Q: What are the power specifications for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3800X has a TDP of 105 W, while the Intel Core i5-13500T has a TDP of 35 W. The Intel part also has a lower base clock of 1.60 GHz versus 3.90 GHz for AMD, though its boost clock is slightly higher at 4.60 GHz versus 4.50 GHz.