AMD EPYC 4244P vs Intel Core i7-12800HX Comparison

The Verdict

The data splits these two processors into distinct roles. The AMD EPYC 4244P is the single-thread specialist and the pick for lightly-threaded, latency-sensitive workloads, while the Intel Core i7-12800HX is the throughput king for heavily threaded tasks. The benchmark results show Intel winning 12 of 17 head-to-head tests, with its largest margins coming in floating-point math (44.5% ahead) and Cinebench R15 multi-core (31.2% ahead). However, the AMD part counters with a massive 79.9% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and a 73.1% advantage in prime number finding. For a server/workstation buyer prioritizing per-core responsiveness and ECC memory, the EPYC 4244P is the clear choice. For mobile users running parallel workloads like video encoding or data compression, the i7-12800HX delivers substantially more aggregate throughput. Both parts sit at the 84th percentile versus all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are close (34220 vs 33875), but the workload profile determines the winner.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD EPYC 4244P wins in scenarios that reward high clock speeds and efficient instruction execution on few threads. Its single-core results are consistently superior: 26.2% ahead in Cinebench R15 single-core, 79.9% ahead in Cinebench R23 single-core, and a 73.1% edge in PassMark find prime numbers. It also wins PassMark physics by 13.7%, suggesting better per-thread performance in simulation and physics calculations that scale poorly across cores. The EPYC's 5.10 GHz boost clock versus the Intel's 4.80 GHz partially explains this pattern, as does the newer Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm process.

The Intel Core i7-12800HX dominates multi-threaded and data- intensive workloads. It wins all four PassMark math and data tests except prime numbers, including floating-point math by 44.5% and integer math by 28.4%. Data compression shows a 21.9% lead, and data encryption is 17% ahead. In Cinebench, Intel wins R15 multi-core by 31.2% and R20 multi-core by 12.7%, though AMD reclaims R23 multi-core by 2.8%. The Intel part also edges out PassMark multi-thread by 15.2% and random string sorting by 10.4%. These wins stem from its 16 cores and 24 threads versus the AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads, plus a larger die (215 mm² vs 71 mm²) packed with more execution resources.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD EPYC 4244P uses the Zen 4 architecture (codenamed Raphael) built on a TSMC 5 nm process with 6,570 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and boost of 5.10 GHz. The cache layout is 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 32 MB shared L3. It supports DDR5 memory on a dual-channel bus with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, includes ECC memory support, and features Radeon Graphics integrated. It runs on AMD Socket AM5 with 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CPU only). The multiplier is locked, and its launch MSRP is $229.

The Intel Core i7-12800HX uses the Alder Lake architecture (Alder Lake-HX) on an Intel 10 nm process with a 215 mm² die size. It has 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2000.00 MHz and boost of 4.80 GHz. Cache is 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 25 MB shared L3. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 on a dual-channel bus (no memory bandwidth figure listed), lacks ECC memory support, and integrates UHD Graphics 770. It uses Intel BGA 1964 socket with 20 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CPU only). The multiplier is unlocked, and its launch MSRP is $457. Notably, the Intel part has a lower TDP (55 W vs 65 W) despite having more than twice the cores, which reflects its mobile-oriented design. The AMD part is marked for Server/Workstation while Intel targets Mobile, and the release dates differ by roughly two years (AMD 2024-05-20, Intel 2022-05-09).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-thread performance?

A: The AMD EPYC 4244P is decisively ahead. It wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 26.2% (328 vs 260) and Cinebench R23 single-core by 79.9% (3259 vs 1812). PassMark single-thread scores are nearly identical (3710 vs 3711), but the Cinebench results show a clear AMD advantage.

Q: How do they compare in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-12800HX generally wins. It leads Cinebench R15 multi-core by 31.2% (3383 vs 2327) and R20 multi-core by 12.7% (11111 vs 9697). PassMark multi-thread favors Intel by 15.2% (31585 vs 26797). However, AMD wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by 2.8% (23089 vs 22456), showing the AMD part is not entirely outclassed.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD EPYC 4244P supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-12800HX does not. This makes the AMD part more suitable for server and workstation environments where data integrity is critical.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD EPYC 4244P has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core i7-12800HX has 16 cores and 24 threads. Intel has 10 more cores and 12 more threads, which drives its multi-threaded wins.

Q: How does memory support differ?

A: The AMD EPYC 4244P supports DDR5 only with a dual-channel bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i7-12800HX supports both DDR4 and DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, though its bandwidth figure is not listed. This gives Intel more flexibility for platform cost optimization.

Q: Which part has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD EPYC 4244P boosts to 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-12800HX boosts to 4.80 GHz. AMD's 0.30 GHz higher boost clock helps explain its single-core dominance.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest Intel victory comes in PassMark floating-point math, where it scores 82122 versus AMD's 45546, a 44.5% margin. This is a massive gap reflecting Intel's wider vector and FP execution units across 16 cores. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows Intel ahead 3383 to 2327 (31.2%), and PassMark integer math gives Intel 109968 versus 78709 (28.4%). Data compression also favors Intel strongly: 387535 vs 302606, a 21.9% lead. Data encryption shows Intel up 21972 vs 18232 (17%), and PassMark multi-thread gives Intel 31585 vs 26797 (15.2%). Smaller Intel wins include extended instructions (23760 vs 22149, 6.8%), random string sorting (42453 vs 38048, 10.4%), and Cinebench R20 multi-core (11111 vs 9697, 12.7%). Intel also takes Cinebench R20 single-core 1568 vs 1368 (12.8%), which is notable given AMD's other single-core wins.

The AMD EPYC 4244P posts its defining victory in Cinebench R23 single-core: 3259 vs 1812, a 79.9% advantage. This is the largest delta in either direction. Prime number finding shows AMD up 187 vs 108 (73.1%), and Cinebench R15 single-core gives AMD 328 vs 260 (26.2%). PassMark physics favors AMD 1981 vs 1743 (13.7%). AMD also wins Cinebench R23 multi-core 23089 vs 22456 (2.8%), which is remarkable given Intel's core advantage — it suggests AMD's Zen 4 cores are far more efficient per thread. The only near-tie is PassMark single-thread: 3710 vs 3711, a 0% delta favoring Intel by a single point.

Specification Differences

The core configuration is the most dramatic difference: AMD offers 6 cores and 12 threads, while Intel offers 16 cores and 24 threads. Clock speeds favor AMD on boost (5.10 GHz vs 4.80 GHz) but Intel on base (2000.00 MHz vs 3.80 GHz — note the Intel base is listed in MHz, which appears to be a data representation difference). TDP differs: AMD at 65 W and Intel at 55 W, with Intel drawing less power despite more cores. Process node favors AMD at 5 nm vs Intel's 10 nm, and die size is drastically different: AMD 71 mm² vs Intel 215 mm². Transistor count is only listed for AMD at 6,570 million; Intel's is not provided.

Cache organization differs: AMD uses 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core with 32 MB shared L3, while Intel uses 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core with 25 MB shared L3. Memory support: AMD is DDR5-only with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support; Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 with no ECC and no bandwidth figure. PCIe lanes favor AMD: 28 Gen 5 lanes vs Intel's 20 Gen 5 lanes. Socket and platform differ completely: AMD Socket AM5 vs Intel BGA 1964. Integrated graphics differ: Radeon Graphics vs UHD Graphics 770. Market segment: Server/Workstation vs Mobile. The AMD multiplier is locked; Intel's is unlocked. Launch MSRP differs: $229 vs $457. Release dates are 2024-05-20 for AMD and 2022-05-09 for Intel. The AMD part has a part number of 100-000001480; Intel's is SRLGL.