AMD Ryzen 5 3500U

AMD Ryzen 5 3500U: The Balance of Performance and Battery Life in Budget Laptops

April 2025

Although the AMD Ryzen 5 3500U was introduced to the market back in 2019, it remains a popular choice for budget and mid-range laptops in 2025. This processor combines sufficient power for everyday tasks, energy efficiency, and affordability. Let's explore who it is suitable for today and what to pay attention to when purchasing a device with this processor.

Architecture and Process Technology: The Basics of Efficiency

Zen+ and Vega Under the Hood

The Ryzen 5 3500U is built on the Zen+ architecture and manufactured using a 12-nanometer process. This is the second generation of Zen, which brought improvements in power consumption and IPC (instructions per cycle) compared to the first.

- 4 cores and 8 threads: With its multithreading capabilities, the processor handles parallel tasks efficiently, such as document processing, video streaming, or light rendering.

- Base clock speed — 2.1 GHz, max turbo frequency — 3.7 GHz: Performance bursts are beneficial for short-term workloads like launching applications.

- Integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics: 8 compute units (CUs) running at up to 1200 MHz. This is sufficient for gaming at 720p on low settings and for working with graphic editors.

- Cache memory: 4 MB of L3 cache speeds up the processing of frequently used data.

Despite the 12 nm process being outdated (modern AMD and Intel chips use 5–7 nm), the 3500U remains relevant in 2025 due to driver optimization and the low cost of devices based on it.

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance Between Power and Battery Life

The processor's TDP (Thermal Design Power) is 15 W, allowing it to be used in thin laptops and ultrabooks. However, there are nuances:

- Actual power depends on cooling system: In compact laptops (e.g., Lenovo IdeaPad 3), the processor can only maintain clock speeds between 2.5–3 GHz for prolonged periods due to limited heat dissipation.

- Energy-saving technologies: AMD Cool’n’Quiet and Precision Boost 2 dynamically adjust frequencies and voltage, reducing energy consumption when idle. For instance, when working with text or browsing web pages, the chip consumes only 5–8 W.

This makes the 3500U a good choice for devices with 40–50 Wh batteries, which typically cost $400–$600 in 2025.

Performance: What Can Ryzen 5 3500U Do in 2025?

Office Work and Multimedia

- Documents, browser, video calls: The processor handles 10–15 tabs in Chrome, Microsoft Teams, and simultaneous use of Office without issues.

- Video editing: In programs like DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro, rendering a 1080p video will take 2–3 times longer than on a modern Ryzen 5 7640U, but it is acceptable for short clips.

Gaming

With Vega 8, it is capable of running:

- CS:GO — 40–60 FPS on low settings at 720p;

- Fortnite — 30–40 FPS (720p, low graphics);

- GTA V — 35–45 FPS (720p).

For gaming, dual-channel RAM (2×4 GB or 2×8 GB) is important. If the laptop is equipped with a single RAM module, graphics performance will drop by 20–30%.

Turbo Mode: Temporary Boost

Under load, the processor can boost to 3.7 GHz, but only for 10–20 seconds. In laptops with poor cooling (e.g., Acer Aspire 5), this leads to throttling, reducing frequencies to 2.5–2.8 GHz after a minute of operation.

Use Scenarios: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

1. Students and office workers — for studying, document work, and Zoom.

2. Users who value battery life — up to 8–10 hours of work with moderate use.

3. Budget gamers — for casual games or cloud gaming (GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud).

4. Owners of compact laptops — devices with the 3500U often weigh between 1.5–1.8 kg and have a screen size of 14–15.6 inches.

Not suitable for:

- Professional 4K video editing, 3D modeling;

- Modern AAA games (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty).

Battery Life: How Long Will It Last?

In 2025, laptops with the Ryzen 5 3500U are typically equipped with batteries ranging from 40 to 50 Wh. Actual usage times are approximately:

- Web browsing / video: 7–9 hours;

- Office tasks: 6–8 hours;

- Gaming: 1.5–2 hours.

Energy-saving technologies:

- Adaptive Brightness Control — automatic screen brightness adjustment.

- Windows "Battery Saver" mode — limits CPU frequency to 1.5 GHz.

Advice: Choose models with IPS displays and backlighting without PWM (e.g., HP Pavilion 15) to reduce eye strain and battery consumption.

Comparison with Competitors

AMD vs Intel

- Intel Core i5-1135G7 (2020): Better at single-threaded tasks (Geekbench 6 Single-Core — ~1350), but weaker in multi-threaded performance and graphics (Iris Xe is comparable to Vega 8 only with DDR4-3200). Laptops with i5-1135G7 cost $50–$100 more.

- Apple M1 (2020): Significantly outperforms the 3500U in power and battery life, but macOS may not be suitable for everyone, and devices start at $800.

Inside the AMD Lineup

- Ryzen 5 5500U (2021): 6 cores/12 threads, Zen 2 — 25–30% faster in multitasking. Laptops with 5500U currently cost $500–$700.

- Ryzen 3 7320U (2023): 4 cores/8 threads, Zen 4 — higher IPC, but more expensive ($600+).

Pros and Cons of Ryzen 5 3500U

Strengths:

- Low laptop prices ($400–$600);

- Good graphics for its class;

- Support for modern interfaces (USB-C, HDMI 2.0).

Weaknesses:

- Outdated process technology (12 nm);

- Limited upgrade potential (memory is often soldered to the board);

- Noisy coolers in budget models.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

1. Type of device:

- Ultrabook: ASUS Vivobook 14 — weighs 1.4 kg, 14″ IPS screen.

- Versatile laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad 5 — 15.6″, 512 GB SSD.

- Budget gaming: HP Pavilion Gaming 15 — features a discrete GTX 1650 graphics card.

2. What to pay attention to:

- RAM: at least 8 GB (preferably 16 GB) in dual-channel mode.

- Storage: Only SSD (NVMe preferred).

- Screen: IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920×1080.

- Ports: USB-C with charging support, HDMI for connecting a monitor.

3. Avoid:

- Laptops with HDD instead of SSD;

- Models with TN screens;

- Devices without warranty (by 2025, the 3500U has been discontinued, so look for new leftovers from official sellers).

Final Conclusion

The AMD Ryzen 5 3500U in 2025 is a choice for those looking for an affordable laptop for basic tasks. It is suitable for:

- Students for studies and entertainment;

- Office workers dealing with documents;

- Users who prioritize battery life.

Key benefits:

- Price-to-performance ratio;

- Capability to run light games;

- Portability.

If your budget is limited to $500, the Ryzen 5 3500U remains one of the best options. However, if you are ready to spend $700 or more, consider more modern processors — Ryzen 5 7535U or Intel Core i5-1335U.