Core i5-8500B vs Ryzen 5 7520U

Core i5-8500B vs Ryzen 5 7520U Performance Spectrum

Core i5-8500B

6 / 6

8,900

0.0%

9,063

+1.8%

Ryzen Threadripper 1950X

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

Ryzen 9 9950X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX

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 i5-8500B vs Ryzen 5 7520U 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 i5-8500B vs Ryzen 5 7520U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-8500B

2018

Why buy it

✅+125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).
✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7520U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,900 vs 9,063).
❌Launch MSRP is still $192 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7520U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on BGA1440 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7520U moves to FT6 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7520U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1440 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 9 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7520U better than Core i5-8500B?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7520U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.8% 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 7520U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.1% 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 7520U is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 7520U is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Ryzen 5 7520U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $192 MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-8500B only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 8.1% in the shared gaming data.

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

Ryzen 5 7520U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with FT6 and DDR5 instead of BGA1440, and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/6. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-8500B vs Ryzen 5 7520U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-8500B

The Core i5-8500B is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 8,900 points. Launch price was $192.

Ryzen 5 7520U

The Ryzen 5 7520U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Mendocino-U (Zen 2) (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FT6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 9,063 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-8500B packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7520U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-8500B has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-8500B versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7520U — a 4.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7520U (base: 3 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-8500B uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7520U uses Mendocino-U (Zen 2) (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8500B scores 8,900 against the Ryzen 5 7520U's 9,063 — a 1.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 7520U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,364 vs 797, a 52.5% lead for the Core i5-8500B that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-8500B vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7520U.

Feature	Core i5-8500B	Ryzen 5 7520U
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz	4.3 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3 GHz+7%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	9 MB (total)+125%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Mendocino-U (Zen 2) (2022)
PassMark	8,900	9,063+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	4,527
Geekbench 6 Single	1,364+71%	797
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	2,744

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8500B uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 7520U uses FT6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-8500B versus LPDDR5-5500 on the Ryzen 5 7520U — the Ryzen 5 7520U supports 106.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-8500B supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-8500B) vs 4 (Ryzen 5 7520U) — the Core i5-8500B offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H310,B360,H370,Z370,Q370 (Core i5-8500B) and FT6 (Ryzen 5 7520U).

Feature	Core i5-8500B	Ryzen 5 7520U
Socket	BGA1440	FT6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5-5500+106%
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+300%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+300%	4

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-8500B) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7520U). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-8500B) and Radeon 610M (Ryzen 5 7520U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8500B targets Mini PC/Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-8500B rivals Ryzen 5 2600.