Intel Core i5-8250U vs AMD Ryzen 5 3500U

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-8250U vs AMD Ryzen 5 3500U tests and see which is better for games or simple use for rendering, machine learning, streaming, video editing, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Handbrake, SuperPi, VeraCrypt, Furmark, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB, AIDA64, Prime95, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, WPrime, RealBench, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PassMark, 3DMark, Gears 5, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Valheim
Borderlands 3
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Watch Dogs Legion
Fortnite
DOOM: Eternal
Cyberpunk 2077
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Halo Infinite
Fallout 76
Apex Legends
Overwatch
Rainbow Six Siege
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Last Man Standing
Death Stranding
Red Dead Redemption 2
Grand Theft Auto V
Valorant

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 5 3500U or Intel Core i5-8250U.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-8250U

51%

Ryzen 5 3500U

52%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 5 3500U is 1% better than Core i5-8250U. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-8250U

52%

Ryzen 5 3500U

51%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Horizon Zero Dawn, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, NBA 2K20, DOTA 2A, Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Control, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.6	91.3
Valorant	104.0	103.7
Cyberpunk 2077	58.3	58.1
Apex Legends	97.8	97.5
Call of Duty Warzone	78.0	77.8
Overwatch	84.3	84.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.8	71.6
DOOM Eternal	52.0	51.9
Warzone	81.2	80.9
Assassin's Creed	87.4	87.1
Valheim	86.4	86.1

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-8250U

199%

Ryzen 5 3500U

209%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Ryzen 5 3500U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-8250U since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, programming, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-8250U	AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	157	141
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	549	620
Cinbench 20 Single-core	348	360
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1509	1483
Cinbench 23 Single-core	897	876
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3118	3544

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-8250U	AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
Single-Core	1990	2014
Multi-Core	6011	7199

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-8250U	AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
Single-Core	896	944
Multi-Core	3494	3231

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-8250U	AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
Announcement date	April 01, 2017	December 31, 1969
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FC-BGA1356	FP5
Core name	Kaby Lake R	Picasso
Architecture	x86	Zen+
Generation	8	2
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.7 MHz
Frequency	1.6 MHz	2.1 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	8
Bus rate	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	12 nm
Transistors count	1640 millions	4200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	32 Gb
Memory Frequency		2400
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache		384KB
L2 cache		2MB
L3 cache	6 MB	4MB
Overclocking	Yes	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		YM3500C4T4MFG n/a

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 5 3500U is 23% better than Core i5-8250U in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-8250U is better: 22
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 5 3500U is better: 13
However, it should be realized that all the number in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-8250U and AMD Ryzen 5 3500U before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-8250U specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 5 3500U specs and review.