AMD Ryzen 7 5700U vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between the Intel Core 5 330 and the AMD Ryzen 7 5700U is nearly even, with AMD taking 8 wins and Intel taking 7. But the nature of those wins tells a clear story about workload division.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U dominates in integer-heavy and data-processing tasks. Its data compression score of 218,853 versus Intel's 145,287 is a 33.6% advantage. Integer math shows an even larger gap: 60,037 versus 33,258, a 44.6% lead. Random string sorting also favors AMD at 23,608 against 17,771, a 24.7% difference. These are workloads that scale with thread count and memory parallelism, and the Ryzen 7's 16 threads and dual-channel memory bus give it a structural edge.

The Intel Core 5 330 wins where single-thread speed and specialized instruction execution matter. Its single-thread Passmark score of 4,088 versus 2,560 is a 59.7% lead. Floating-point math goes to Intel at 43,885 against 33,151, a 32.4% advantage. The most extreme delta is in prime number finding: Intel scores 114 versus AMD's 29, a 293.1% difference. Physics simulation also heavily favors Intel at 1,201 versus 622, a 93.1% lead. These results point to a processor with much higher per-core efficiency and a more capable instruction pipeline.

Cinebench results are split by generation and thread loading. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, AMD wins 1,480 to 1,325, a 10.5% margin. The single-core R15 test is nearly tied, with AMD ahead by just 1.1% (188 versus 186). But in Cinebench R23, the picture reverses dramatically: Intel wins multi-core 13,150 versus 8,650, a 52% margin, and single-core 1,856 versus 1,258, a 47.5% lead. The R15 test likely favors AMD's higher core count, while R23 exposes Intel's superior per-thread performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras and philosophies. The Intel Core 5 330 uses Wildcat Lake architecture on a 3 nm process from Intel's own foundry. It has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning no hyperthreading. The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U uses Zen 2 architecture on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with 8 cores and 16 threads thanks to simultaneous multithreading.

Cache layouts differ significantly. Intel provides 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. AMD offers 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The AMD design has more total L3, but the Intel design's L2 is distributed differently across fewer cores.

Memory support is another major split. Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel memory bus, achieving 59.7 GB/s bandwidth. AMD supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus, achieving 51.2 GB/s. Despite the bandwidth advantage, Intel's single-channel configuration may bottleneck certain multi-threaded workloads, which could explain some of AMD's wins in data-heavy tests.

PCIe connectivity also differs. Intel offers Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes, while AMD offers Gen 3 with 12 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are distinct as well: Intel uses Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores, while AMD uses Radeon Graphics with 512 shader processors. Both are mobile processors with 15 W TDP, but their sockets are incompatible: Intel BGA 1516 versus AMD Socket FP6.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where Intel leads by 52% (13,150 versus 8,650). This is a massive swing for a processor with fewer cores and threads. The single-core R23 result is nearly as dramatic: Intel leads by 47.5% (1,856 versus 1,258). These two results alone establish Intel's per-core dominance.

Prime number finding is the single largest delta in the entire comparison. Intel scores 114 versus AMD's 29, a 293.1% advantage. This workload is highly sensitive to branch prediction, integer division, and single-thread efficiency, all areas where the newer Intel design excels.

Physics simulation follows a similar pattern. Intel's 1,201 score beats AMD's 622 by 93.1%. Physics engines often rely on floating-point throughput and low-latency single-thread execution, which aligns with Intel's strengths.

AMD's counterattacks come in integer-heavy tasks. The 44.6% integer math lead (60,037 versus 33,258) and 33.6% data compression lead (218,853 versus 145,287) are substantial. These workloads scale with thread count and memory bandwidth, and AMD's 16 threads plus dual-channel DDR4 allow it to process more data in parallel.

The intermediate results show a mixed picture. Passmark multi-thread is nearly identical: AMD edges Intel 15,623 versus 15,471, a 1% difference. Data encryption favors AMD by 11.7% (12,549 versus 11,076). Extended instructions go to AMD by 5.3% (13,519 versus 12,808). Single-thread Passmark goes to Intel by 59.7% (4,088 versus 2,560), reinforcing the Cinebench single-core results.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear use-case split. The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U is the better choice for workloads that leverage many threads and high memory parallelism: data compression, integer math, sorting, encryption. Its 16 threads and dual-channel memory bus deliver tangible advantages in these areas, with the largest wins being 44.6% in integer math and 33.6% in data compression.

The Intel Core 5 330 is the better choice for single-threaded and floating-point intensive workloads. Its 59.7% single-thread Passmark lead, 47.5% Cinebench R23 single-core lead, and 93.1% physics simulation lead are decisive. The 293.1% prime number advantage is exceptional and suggests Intel's integer division and branch handling are in a different class.

For general productivity, the Passmark multi-thread result of 15,471 versus 15,623 suggests near-parity. The average benchmark scores are also close: Intel's 18,345 versus AMD's 18,176, a difference of less than 1%. Both processors sit at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs in the database.

The choice comes down to software. If the daily workload involves compression, data manipulation, or heavily threaded rendering, AMD's core count wins. If it involves simulation, scientific floating-point math, or single-threaded legacy applications, Intel's per-core performance wins. The database shows no universal winner, only a workload-dependent one.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 5700U has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: What is the biggest single benchmark difference between the two?

A: The largest delta is in Passmark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 114 versus AMD's 29, a 293.1% advantage for Intel.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression?

A: AMD wins decisively in data compression with a score of 218,853 versus Intel's 145,287, a 33.6% lead.

Q: How do the processors compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: Intel wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 52%, scoring 13,150 versus AMD's 8,650.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: Intel supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a single-channel bus. AMD supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus.

Q: Are the average benchmark scores similar?

A: Yes, Intel's average benchmark score is 18,345 and AMD's is 18,176, a difference of about 0.9% in Intel's favor.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core 5 330 | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 8 |

| Threads | 6 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 1.50 GHz | 1.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.60 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| Process Node | 3 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not listed | 9,800 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 156 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB | 64 KB per core |

| L2 Cache | 2.5 MB | 512 KB per core |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB shared | 8 MB shared |

| Memory Support | DDR5, LPDDR5X | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Single-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 59.7 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 6 lanes | Gen 3, 12 lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel Xe3 (2 Xe) | Radeon 512SP |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1516 | AMD Socket FP6 |

| Release Date | 2026-04-15 | 2021-01-11 |

| Launch MSRP | $309 | Not listed |