Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Performance Spectrum

Core i3-8350K

4 / 4

6,911

0.0%

6,928

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-8350K

2017

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,911 vs 6,928).
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌506.7% higher power demand at 91W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 91W, a 76W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U better than Core i3-8350K?

Yes. Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i3-8350K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2017 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (27.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-8350K vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i3-8350K

The Core i3-8350K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 October 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 91 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 6,911 points. Launch price was $168.

Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U

The Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 6,928 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-8350K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i3-8350K versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Core i3-8350K (base: 4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-8350K uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses Picasso (2019−2022) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8350K scores 6,911 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U's 6,928 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i3-8350K vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U.

Feature	Core i3-8350K	Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+8%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+90%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Picasso (2019−2022)
PassMark	6,911	6,928

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8350K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.