AMD Ryzen 3 1200 vs Intel Core i7-3612QM Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-3612QM and AMD Ryzen 3 1200 occupy different corners of the performance spectrum, and the benchmark data reflects a clear split. The Intel part claims victory in one recorded test: Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it posts a score of 3944 against AMD's 3013. That is a 30.9% advantage, and it comes from the Intel chip's 8 threads working together under a sustained multi-threaded load. The Ryzen 3 1200, by contrast, wins the other three head-to-head tests, including both single-core tests and the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test.

The Ryzen 3 1200 dominates in single-threaded performance. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 135 versus Intel's 55, a 59.3% gap. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part scores 834 against Intel's 556, a 33.3% margin. Those are enormous differences for same-generation architectures, and they indicate that the Zen core is far more efficient per clock than the older Ivy Bridge design. For workloads that rely on one or two threads, such as older games or lightly threaded productivity apps, the Ryzen 3 1200 is the clear pick.

The Intel chip's multi-thread win in Cinebench R23 is notable because it reverses the R15 result. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part wins 480 to 397, a 17.3% advantage. But in R23, the Intel part wins by 30.9%. The database shows that the Intel chip's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 1129, while the AMD part's average is 1116. The percentile rankings are nearly identical: Intel sits at the 32nd percentile of all CPUs, AMD at the 31st. These are both mid-pack processors by overall score, but their strengths are complementary. The Intel chip is a mobile part with 35W TDP and 8 threads, designed for laptops where sustained multi-core loads benefit from hyper-threading. The AMD part is a desktop chip with 65W TDP and 4 threads, built for raw per-core speed and overclocking. The data suggests: choose Intel for heavily threaded rendering or encoding workloads, choose AMD for single-thread responsiveness and older multi-core tests.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and different design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-3612QM is built on the Ivy Bridge architecture, a 22nm process from Intel. It packs 1,400 million transistors into a 160 mm² die. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 uses the Zen architecture, manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 14nm process, with 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die. That is over three times the transistor count on a larger die, reflecting Zen's more complex out-of-order execution engine and larger caches.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The Intel part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The AMD part has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip's larger per-core caches help explain its single-core dominance. The Intel chip compensates with simultaneous multi-threading: 4 cores and 8 threads versus AMD's 4 cores and 4 threads. That thread advantage is what drives the Intel win in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Memory support is another major split. The Ryzen 3 1200 supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The Intel part's memory support is not listed in the database, but its memory bus is also dual-channel. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, a feature the Intel part lacks. The Ryzen 3 1200 includes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part's PCIe configuration is not recorded. The AMD chip has no integrated graphics; the Intel part includes Intel HD 4000. The Ryzen 3 1200 has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel part does not. The Intel part uses the Intel Socket G2 (988B), while the AMD part uses AMD Socket AM4.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the recorded data is the Cinebench R15 single-core test. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 scores 135, the Intel Core i7-3612QM scores 55. That is a 59.3% deficit for Intel, the largest gap in any test. A score of 55 on this older benchmark is extremely low, reflecting the Ivy Bridge mobile chip's modest clock and older architecture. The Ryzen 3 1200's base clock of 3.10 GHz and boost of 3.40 GHz, combined with Zen's higher instructions per clock, produce a massive per-thread advantage.

In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part wins again, 834 to 556, a 33.3% margin. The Ryzen 3 1200's single-thread score of 834 is roughly 50% higher than the Intel part's 556. This test is more modern and more demanding, and the gap narrows from the R15 result but remains decisive.

The multi-core results tell a more complex story. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part wins 480 to 397, a 17.3% advantage. This is surprising given that the Intel chip has 8 threads to AMD's 4. But the Ryzen 3 1200's per-core strength is so large that even with half the thread count, it outruns the Intel part in this older test. The Intel chip's 397 score is dragged down by its weak single-thread performance, which matters even in multi-core workloads because each core's individual throughput limits the total.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the tables turn. The Intel chip scores 3944, the AMD part 3013, a 30.9% win for Intel. This test scales better with thread count, and the Intel chip's 8 threads overwhelm the AMD part's 4 threads despite the per-core deficit. The R23 multi-core result is the only test where the Intel part wins, and it is a substantial victory. The average benchmark score for the Intel chip across all tests is 1129, while the AMD chip averages 1116. The nearest rivals for the Intel chip include the Intel Core i5-4690T at 1129 (0% delta), the Intel Core i7-2720QM at 1128 (0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i3-4370 at 1130 (-0.1% delta). The AMD chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-7300 at 1115 (0.1% delta), the Intel Core i5-3550S at 1118 (-0.2% delta), and the Intel Core i3-4150 at 1119 (-0.2% delta). Both chips sit in a tight performance cluster, with their nearest rivals all within 0.3% of their average scores.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. The Intel Core i7-3612QM has 4 cores and 8 threads; the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel part's base clock is 2.10 GHz with a boost of 3.10 GHz; the AMD part's base clock is 3.10 GHz with a boost of 3.40 GHz. The Intel part has a 35W TDP, the AMD part has a 65W TDP. That TDP difference reflects the Intel part's mobile design versus the AMD part's desktop design.

The process nodes differ: Intel uses 22nm, AMD uses 14nm. Transistor counts are 1,400 million for Intel and 4,800 million for AMD. Die sizes are 160 mm² for Intel and 213 mm² for AMD. Cache sizes differ at every level: L1 is 64 KB per core for Intel versus 96 KB per core for AMD; L2 is 256 KB per core for Intel versus 512 KB per core for AMD; L3 is 6 MB shared for Intel versus 8 MB shared for AMD.

Memory support is a major differentiator. The AMD part supports DDR4 memory with a recorded bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s and ECC support. The Intel part's memory support is not listed in the database, but it does have a dual-channel memory bus. The AMD part has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU; the Intel part's PCIe configuration is not recorded. The Intel part includes integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics; the AMD part has no integrated graphics. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel part does not. The Intel part uses Socket G2 (988B); the AMD part uses Socket AM4. The Intel part was released in April 2012, the AMD part in July 2017. The AMD part's launch MSRP is $109; the Intel part has no recorded launch MSRP. The AMD part has an active production status; the Intel part's production status is not recorded.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 wins decisively. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 135 versus the Intel Core i7-3612QM's 55, a 59.3% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 834 versus 556, a 33.3% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core workloads?

A: It depends on the test. The Intel Core i7-3612QM wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 3944 versus 3013, a 30.9% margin. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 wins Cinebench R15 multi-core with 480 versus 397, a 17.3% margin.

Q: How do their thread counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-3612QM has 4 cores and 8 threads. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel part's hyper-threading gives it twice the thread count.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-3612QM does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i7-3612QM includes Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are their average benchmark scores?

A: The Intel Core i7-3612QM has an average benchmark score of 1129, placing it at the 32nd percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Ryzen 3 1200 has an average score of 1116, placing it at the 31st percentile.