AMD Ryzen 7 5700U vs Intel Core 5 315 Comparison

The Intel Core 5 315 and AMD Ryzen 7 5700U are two mobile processors that land within 0.1% of each other in average benchmark score, yet they achieve that parity through completely different strategies. The Intel chip, built on a modern 3 nm process, delivers exceptional single-thread performance, while the AMD chip, with its 8 cores and 16 threads, leans heavily on multi-threaded workloads. Both sit at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs, making them solid mid-range options for laptops.

Where Each One Wins

The data splits these two chips along clear architectural lines. The Intel Core 5 315 dominates in workloads that favor high clock speeds and modern instruction efficiency. Its single-core Cinebench R23 score of 1832 crushes the AMD’s 1258, a 45.6% advantage. PassMark single-thread results tell the same story: 4021 versus 2560, a 57.1% lead for Intel. The Intel chip also wins decisively in prime number finding (112 vs 29, a 286.2% gap) and physics calculations (1163 vs 622, an 87% lead). Floating-point math also favors Intel, with 42441 vs 33151, a 28% edge.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U wins in the other direction. Its 16 threads give it a massive advantage in integer math, scoring 60037 versus Intel’s 31690 — a 47.2% lead. Data compression also goes strongly to AMD, with 218853 vs 146143, a 33.2% margin. The AMD chip wins in data encryption (12549 vs 11119, an 11.4% edge), extended instructions (13519 vs 13143, a 2.8% edge), and random string sorting (23608 vs 17551, a 25.7% lead). The overall multithread PassMark score is nearly identical, with AMD just 2.2% ahead (15623 vs 15272).

The Cinebench results are particularly telling. In Cinebench R15 multicore, AMD wins 1480 vs 1308 (an 11.6% margin), but in Cinebench R23 multicore, Intel flips the script with 12981 vs 8650, a 50.1% victory. That inconsistency likely reflects how the two chips scale with different workload lengths and thermal behavior.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 5 315 uses the Wildcat Lake codename and is built on Intel’s 3 nm process. It has 6 cores and 6 threads — no hyperthreading — with a base clock of 1.50 GHz and a boost of 4.40 GHz. Cache is split as 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. It supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory on a single-channel bus, with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 with 2 Xe cores. PCIe is Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U belongs to the 5000 series and uses the Lucienne codename with Zen 2 architecture. It is built on TSMC’s 7 nm process and packs 8 cores and 16 threads — full SMT. Base clock is 1800.00 MHz (the data lists it with two decimal places, but it’s effectively 1.80 GHz) and boost is 4.30 GHz. Cache is organized per-core: 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with 8 MB shared L3. It uses DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth. The integrated Radeon Graphics have 512 SPs. PCIe is Gen 3 with 12 CPU lanes.

The process node difference is stark: 3 nm versus 7 nm. That explains much of Intel’s single-thread advantage. The AMD chip has more cores and threads, which drives its multithread wins. AMD also has a larger die at 156 mm² with 9,800 million transistors, while Intel does not disclose transistor count or die size in the data. Both are mobile parts with 15 W TDP, neither has unlocked multipliers, and neither supports ECC memory.

The Verdict

Choose the Intel Core 5 315 if your priority is responsiveness in everyday tasks, lightweight productivity, or any workload that is single-thread bound. The 57.1% lead in PassMark single-thread and 45.6% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core are decisive. The physics score advantage of 87% also suggests better performance in simulation or physics-based applications. Intel’s chip is the newer design, released in April 2026, and it shows in the benchmark deltas. Its launch MSRP is $340.

Choose the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U if your workload is heavily multithreaded and involves integer operations, compression, or encryption. The 47.2% lead in integer math and 33.2% lead in data compression are substantial. The 16 threads give it an edge in parallel throughput that shows in PassMark multithread (15623 vs 15272), even if the margin is slim. This chip also offers more PCIe lanes (12 vs 6) and dual-channel memory, which can matter for certain laptop designs. It has been on the market since January 2021, so it is an older but proven design.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has better single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core 5 315 wins every single-thread test. It leads Cinebench R23 single-core by 45.6% (1832 vs 1258) and PassMark single-thread by 57.1% (4021 vs 2560).

Q: Which CPU is better for multi-threaded workloads?

A: It depends on the test. The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U wins Cinebench R15 multicore (1480 vs 1308) and PassMark multithread (15623 vs 15272), but Intel wins Cinebench R23 multicore by a huge 50.1% margin (12981 vs 8650).

Q: How do their core counts compare?

A: The AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel has 6 cores and 6 threads. AMD’s SMT gives it twice as many threads as Intel.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. AMD supports DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which chip uses a more advanced manufacturing process?

A: Intel uses a 3 nm process, while AMD uses 7 nm. Intel’s process is the smaller of the two.

Q: Do both CPUs have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. Intel has Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, and AMD has Radeon Graphics with 512 SPs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest victory for Intel comes in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 112 versus AMD’s 29 — a massive 286.2% delta. This is a classic single-thread integer workload, and Intel’s modern architecture simply overwhelms the older Zen 2 design. The next biggest Intel win is PassMark single-thread at 57.1% (4021 vs 2560), followed by Cinebench R23 single-core at 45.6% (1832 vs 1258). Cinebench R23 multicore is Intel’s biggest multithread win at 50.1% (12981 vs 8650), which is surprising given AMD’s thread advantage. PassMark physics gives Intel an 87% win (1163 vs 622). Floating-point math is also Intel’s, at 28% (42441 vs 33151).

AMD’s biggest win is PassMark integer math at 47.2% (60037 vs 31690). This is a workload where the 16 threads of the Ryzen 7 5700U clearly shine. Data compression is AMD’s next largest win at 33.2% (218853 vs 146143). Random string sorting goes to AMD by 25.7% (23608 vs 17551). Cinebench R15 multicore favors AMD by 11.6% (1480 vs 1308), and data encryption favors AMD by 11.4% (12549 vs 11119). Extended instructions are nearly tied, with AMD ahead just 2.8% (13519 vs 13143). The overall PassMark multithread score is nearly identical, with AMD winning 15623 vs 15272, a 2.2% delta. The smallest margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where AMD wins 188 vs 184, just 2.1% apart.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ significantly: Intel has 6 cores and 6 threads, AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are listed as 1.50 GHz for Intel and 1800.00 MHz for AMD; boost clocks are 4.40 GHz for Intel and 4.30 GHz for AMD. The process node is 3 nm for Intel and 7 nm for AMD. Intel uses the Wildcat Lake codename with a BGA 1516 socket; AMD uses Lucienne with Socket FP6. Cache organization is completely different: Intel has 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3; AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR5/LPDDR5X for Intel versus DDR4 for AMD. Memory bus is single-channel for Intel, dual-channel for AMD. Memory bandwidth is 59.7 GB/s for Intel versus 51.2 GB/s for AMD. PCIe is Gen 4 with 6 lanes for Intel versus Gen 3 with 12 lanes for AMD. Integrated graphics are Intel Xe3 (2 Xe) versus Radeon Graphics 512SP. Transistor count and die size are only listed for AMD: 9,800 million transistors and 156 mm². Intel’s release date is April 2026; AMD’s is January 2021. Intel has a launch MSRP of $340; AMD has no listed launch MSRP.