AMD EPYC 4124P vs Intel Core i5-12500H Comparison

The AMD EPYC 4124P and Intel Core i5-12500H occupy different corners of the processor market, yet their benchmark scores place them within a narrow performance band. The EPYC 4124P is a 4-core, 8-thread server/workstation part built on TSMC's 5 nm process with Zen 4 architecture, while the i5-12500H is a 12-core, 16-thread mobile processor on Intel's 10 nm node with Alder Lake-H architecture. Both achieve a 76th percentile ranking among all CPUs, but their average benchmark scores diverge: the EPYC 4124P averages 23167, while the i5-12500H averages 22625, a difference of roughly 2.4%. The data shows a clear split in workload strengths, with the i5-12500H dominating multi-threaded and memory-intensive tasks, while the EPYC 4124P counters in specific single-thread and math workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD EPYC 4124P has a higher average benchmark score at 23167, compared to the Intel Core i5-12500H's 22625. This places the EPYC 4124P slightly ahead, though both share the same 76th percentile ranking among all CPUs.

Q: How do the core counts differ between the two?

A: The Intel Core i5-12500H has 12 cores and 16 threads, while the AMD EPYC 4124P has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-12500H's core advantage is 8 physical cores and 8 additional threads.

Q: What is the single-thread performance difference?

A: In PassMark single-thread testing, the AMD EPYC 4124P scores 3897, which is 14% higher than the Intel Core i5-12500H's 3418. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-12500H scores 2801 versus the EPYC's 2154, a 23.1% advantage for Intel.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD EPYC 4124P supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-12500H does not. This makes the EPYC 4124P more suitable for server and workstation reliability requirements.

Q: What are the memory bandwidth specifications?

A: The AMD EPYC 4124P has a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s with DDR5 support, while the Intel Core i5-12500H's memory bandwidth is not listed. The i5-12500H supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

Q: How many benchmark wins does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core i5-12500H wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks, while the AMD EPYC 4124P wins 5. The i5-12500H's wins are concentrated in multi-threaded and memory-heavy tests.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12500H is the clear winner for multi-threaded throughput. Across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests, the i5-12500H consistently outperforms the EPYC 4124P by 23.1%. In PassMark integer math, the i5-12500H scores 71714 versus 52855, a 26.3% advantage. Floating-point math shows an even larger gap: the i5-12500H scores 52227 against the EPYC's 31518, a 39.7% lead. Data compression also favors Intel, with the i5-12500H scoring 253431 versus 204926, a 19.1% edge. These results indicate the i5-12500H's 12-core, 16-thread configuration is substantially better for parallel processing workloads like rendering, scientific computation, and data manipulation.

The AMD EPYC 4124P wins in single-threaded and specific math operations. In PassMark single-thread testing, the EPYC scores 3897, which is 14% higher than the i5-12500H's 3418. The EPYC's biggest win comes in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 89 versus 57, a 56.1% advantage. It also edges out Intel in extended instructions (15049 versus 14965, a 0.6% lead) and PassMark physics (1087 versus 1018, a 6.8% win). These wins suggest the EPYC's Zen 4 architecture delivers superior per-core efficiency for integer-heavy and physics simulations, despite having far fewer cores.

For workloads that blend both, the passmark_multithread test shows the i5-12500H ahead at 20625 versus 18139, a 12.1% margin. The i5-12500H also leads in random string sorting (28099 versus 24259, a 13.7% edge) and data encryption (14749 versus 11630, a 21.1% lead). The EPYC 4124P's wins are narrower in most cases, but its single-thread advantage and prime number performance highlight scenarios where per-core strength trumps core count.

Architecture Differences

The AMD EPYC 4124P is built on Zen 4 architecture with the Raphael codename, fabricated on TSMC's 5 nm process. It contains 6,570 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-12500H uses Alder Lake-H architecture with a 10 nm process from Intel, and its die size is 217 mm². The EPYC's smaller, denser process node explains its higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz compared to the i5-12500H's 4.50 GHz.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The EPYC 4124P allocates 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core, with a shared 32 MB L3 cache. The i5-12500H uses 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but its shared L3 cache is only 18 MB. The EPYC's larger L3 cache (32 MB versus 18 MB) provides more shared capacity for multi-threaded data access, though the i5-12500H compensates with more physical cores.

Memory support diverges: the EPYC 4124P supports DDR5 only with dual-channel memory and ECC functionality, while the i5-12500H supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The EPYC's memory bandwidth is rated at 83.2 GB/s, but the i5-12500H's bandwidth is not specified. PCIe capabilities also differ, with the EPYC offering Gen 5 with 28 lanes, while the i5-12500H provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both: the EPYC has Radeon Graphics, while the i5-12500H uses Iris Xe 80EU.

The processors target different sockets and markets. The EPYC 4124P uses AMD Socket AM5 and is classified as Server/Workstation, while the i5-12500H uses Intel BGA 1744 and is a Mobile part. Both have locked multipliers, but the EPYC's part number is 100-000001570, while the i5-12500H's is SRLCY.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The EPYC 4124P has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-12500H has 12 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 3.80 GHz for the EPYC and 2.50 GHz for the i5-12500H, a 1.30 GHz difference. Boost clocks are 5.10 GHz versus 4.50 GHz, with the EPYC leading by 0.60 GHz. Thermal design power differs by 20 watts: the EPYC is rated at 65 W, while the i5-12500H is rated at 45 W.

Cache configurations are distinct. The EPYC has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 32 MB shared L3. The i5-12500H has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. Total L3 is 32 MB for the EPYC versus 18 MB for Intel, a 14 MB advantage for AMD. Neither processor uses 3D V-Cache.

Memory support shows the EPYC supporting only DDR5, while the i5-12500H supports DDR4 and DDR5. The EPYC's memory bus is dual-channel with a listed bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s; the i5-12500H's bandwidth is not listed. ECC memory is supported on the EPYC but not on the i5-12500H. PCIe lanes are 28 Gen 5 lanes for the EPYC versus 20 Gen 4 lanes for the i5-12500H.

Manufacturing details differ: the EPYC uses TSMC's 5 nm process with 6,570 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. The i5-12500H uses Intel's 10 nm process, with transistor count not listed, on a 217 mm² die. The EPYC has a launch MSRP of $149. The i5-12500H has no listed release date or launch MSRP, while the EPYC was released on 2024-05-20.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-12500H dominates the Cinebench suite with consistent 23.1% margins. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel scores 1999 versus 1538 for AMD, a 23.1% lead. R15 single-core shows Intel at 282 versus 216, a 23.4% edge. Cinebench R20 multicore has Intel at 8332 against 6410, another 23.1% win. R20 single-core is 1176 versus 904, also 23.1%. Cinebench R23 multicore sees Intel at 19840 versus 15264, and R23 single-core is 2801 versus 2154, both with the same 23.1% delta. These results show a uniform pattern: the i5-12500H is consistently better across all Cinebench versions and thread counts.

PassMark tests reveal a more varied picture. The i5-12500H wins data compression (253431 versus 204926, 19.1%), data encryption (14749 versus 11630, 21.1%), floating-point math (52227 versus 31518, 39.7%), integer math (71714 versus 52855, 26.3%), multithread (20625 versus 18139, 12.1%), and random string sorting (28099 versus 24259, 13.7%). The largest Intel win is floating-point math at 39.7%, indicating a substantial advantage in scientific and engineering workloads.

The AMD EPYC 4124P's wins are fewer but notable. PassMark find prime numbers is its biggest victory: 89 versus 57, a 56.1% lead. PassMark single-thread shows 3897 versus 3418, a 14% advantage. Extended instructions are nearly tied at 15049 versus 14965, a 0.6% win for AMD. PassMark physics has the EPYC at 1087 versus 1018, a 6.8% edge. The prime number test highlights the EPYC's strength in integer-heavy loops, while the single-thread win confirms its per-core advantage.

The overall win count is 12 for Intel and 5 for AMD. The i5-12500H's average benchmark score is 22625, while the EPYC's is 23167, meaning AMD's higher average comes from its strong single-thread and specific math wins despite losing most tests. The nearest rivals for each processor reinforce their positioning: the EPYC 4124P sits between the Intel Core Ultra 9 288V (23219, -0.2%) and Intel Core i9-11900F (23254, -0.4%), while the i5-12500H is nearly tied with the Intel Core Ultra 5 135U (22618, 0%) and sits close to the AMD Ryzen 5 7535U (22791, -0.7%).