AMD Ryzen 5 3501U vs Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents a lopsided comparison. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus wins every single head-to-head benchmark in the database, 11 out of 11 tests. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not record a single victory in any measured workload. The magnitude of the Intel processor's advantage, however, varies significantly by test type, and that variance defines the analytical picture.

The largest relative gap appears in the passmark_find_prime_numbers test. The Intel part scores 482 against the AMD's 21, a delta of -95.6% for the AMD processor. This means the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U trails by more than 95% in this specific calculation, indicating a fundamental throughput disadvantage in this integer-heavy algorithm. Similarly, the passmark_floating_point_math test shows the Intel chip at 163,567 versus 12,707 for the AMD chip, a delta of -92.2%. The passmark_extended_instructions test shows a -91.7% delta, with scores of 39,283 and 3,274 respectively.

The passmark_physics test shows a delta of -87.4%, with the Intel part scoring 3,843 and the AMD part scoring 483. The passmark_multithread test, often a representative aggregate measure of parallel workload capability, shows the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus at 48,270 versus 7,071 for the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U, a delta of -85.4%. The passmark_data_encryption test shows a -85.2% delta, with scores of 37,813 and 5,580. The passmark_random_string_sorting test shows a -82.6% delta, with scores of 60,020 and 10,414.

The passmark_data_compression test shows the Intel part scoring 493,179 versus 87,380 for the AMD part, a delta of -82.3%. The passmark_integer_math test shows a -78.5% delta, with scores of 122,449 and 26,321. The narrowest margin comes in the single-threaded tests. Both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread record identical scores of 4,764 for the Intel part and 2,136 for the AMD part, a delta of -55.2%. While still a decisive loss for the AMD processor, this single-thread gap is substantially smaller than the multi-threaded and specialized workload gaps, suggesting the architectural per-core efficiency difference is less extreme than the raw core-count difference.

Where Each One Wins

The data does not present a use case where the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U wins outright. Every benchmark in the head-to-head set favors the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The Intel processor's advantage is most pronounced in parallel, multi-threaded, and mathematically intensive workloads. The passmark_find_prime_numbers, passmark_floating_point_math, and passmark_extended_instructions tests show the largest deltas, all above -91%. These workloads typically scale with core count, thread count, and memory bandwidth, all areas where the Intel part holds a structural advantage. The passmark_multithread score of 48,270 versus 7,071 confirms this pattern; the Intel processor delivers roughly 6.8 times the multithreaded performance of the AMD processor.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U shows its closest relative performance in single-threaded tests. The -55.2% delta in passmark_single_thread is its best result across the entire benchmark suite. This indicates that for lightly threaded tasks, the gap narrows considerably, though it does not close. The AMD processor's 2,136 single-thread score remains well below the Intel processor's 4,764, so even in single-thread scenarios, the Intel part holds a clear lead. In workloads that are neither heavily parallel nor single-thread dependent, such as data compression and random string sorting, the Intel part maintains a consistent advantage around -82% to -83%, reflecting its broader overall capability.

The passmark_data_encryption test, which often stresses cryptographic instruction throughput, shows a -85.2% delta. This suggests the Intel part's dedicated instruction support and higher core count provide a substantial edge in encryption workloads as well. In no category does the data show the AMD part winning, so the analysis is one of degree rather than direction: the question is not which processor wins, but by how much in each workload class.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between the two processors explains the benchmark results. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U is a 4-core, 4-thread processor built on the Zen+ (Picasso) architecture. It uses a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries and contains 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. Its cache hierarchy includes 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The base clock is 2.10 GHz with a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, and the TDP is 15 watts. It supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s and uses PCIe Gen 3. The integrated graphics are Radeon Vega 8.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is a 20-core, 20-thread processor built on the Arrow Lake-HX architecture. It uses a 3 nm process node from TSMC and contains 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. Its cache hierarchy includes 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The base clock is 2.40 GHz with a boost clock of 5.30 GHz, and the TDP is 55 watts. It supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s and uses PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics are Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

The core count difference is the most obvious architectural differentiator. The Intel part has 5 times the cores and 5 times the threads of the AMD part. The process node difference, 3 nm versus 12 nm, allows the Intel part to pack far more transistors, 17,800 million versus 4,940 million, into a modestly larger die, 243 mm² versus 210 mm². The L3 cache difference is particularly notable: 30 MB shared versus 4 MB shared, a 7.5 times difference that directly impacts workloads with large working sets. The L2 cache per core also differs significantly, 3 MB versus 512 KB.

Memory support differs by generation. The Intel part uses DDR5 with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, while the AMD part uses DDR4 with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. This 2.7 times bandwidth advantage contributes to the Intel part's dominance in memory-sensitive benchmarks. PCIe generation also differs, with the Intel part supporting Gen 5 and the AMD part supporting Gen 3. The Intel part carries an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD part does not. The release dates differ as well, with the AMD part released on 2026-05-31 and the Intel part released on 2026-03-16.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has an average benchmark score of 61,834, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has an average benchmark score of 14,320.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded performance?

A: In the passmark_single_thread test, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus scores 4,764, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3501U scores 2,136. This represents a -55.2% delta for the AMD part, the closest margin in the entire head-to-head comparison.

Q: What is the core and thread configuration of each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 20 cores and 20 threads.

Q: How do the cache sizes differ between the two processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus has 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3.

Q: What memory types do the two processors support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus supports dual-channel DDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s.

Q: How do the processors rank among all CPUs in the database?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U sits at the 69th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus sits at the 93rd percentile.

The Verdict

The data shows a complete dominance by the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus across every recorded benchmark. The AMD Ryzen 5 3501U does not win a single head-to-head test, and its best relative performance comes in single-threaded workloads, where it trails by -55.2%. In multi-threaded and specialized workloads, the Intel part leads by margins ranging from -78.5% to -95.6%. The Intel part's 93rd percentile ranking versus the AMD part's 69th percentile ranking places them in entirely different performance tiers. The nearest rivals for the Intel part are the Intel Core i9-13900KF, i9-13900K, i9-13900T, and Intel Xeon 636, with delta percentages between 0% and 0.8%. The nearest rivals for the AMD part are the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2546, AMD Ryzen 3 7320C, Intel Core 7 160UL, and Intel Core i5-10400F, with delta percentages between -0.1% and 1%. These rival groupings confirm the performance stratification. The Intel part competes with desktop-class flagship processors, while the AMD part competes with embedded and low-power mobile chips. For any workload represented in the recorded data, the Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus is the clear choice.