AMD Ryzen 3 7330U vs Intel Core i5-12400T Comparison

The benchmark data presents a decisive performance hierarchy between the Intel Core i5-12400T and the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U. Across all three shared head-to-head tests, the Intel part wins outright, with its advantage ranging from a solid 35% in single-core work to a staggering 112.4% in multi-core rendering. While both processors occupy the same 57th percentile among all CPUs, this parity in rank is misleading; the Intel chip’s average benchmark score of 4019 edges out the AMD’s 3958, but the real story is the scale of the Intel victory in every measured discipline. The Ryzen 3 7330U does not win a single direct comparison, making its appeal entirely dependent on its mobile pedigree and power characteristics, not on raw computing throughput.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12400T is the unequivocal winner in every benchmark category where the two overlap. Its most dominant showing is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 13,234 against the Ryzen’s 6,230—a 112.4% lead. This is a workload that scales with core count and cache, and the Intel’s six cores and twelve threads simply overwhelm the AMD’s four cores and eight threads. The Geekbench multi-core test tells a similar story, with the Intel part posting 7,144 versus 4,131, a 72.9% advantage. Even in single-core performance, where the Ryzen’s higher boost clock (4.30 GHz vs. 4.20 GHz) might suggest competitiveness, the Intel chip still leads by 35%, scoring 2,044 to 1,514 in Geekbench single-core.

The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U cannot claim a single benchmark win in this head-to-head. Its value proposition lies entirely outside the shared test suite. As a 15 W TDP mobile part, it is designed for efficiency and battery life, not for competing with desktop processors. The data shows no scenario where the AMD chip outperforms the Intel in raw compute. Its only potential advantage is its much lower power draw, which is a hardware characteristic, not a benchmark result. Consequently, the use-case split is stark: the Intel is for tasks demanding maximum throughput, while the AMD’s only logical win is in power-constrained, portable systems where the Intel desktop part cannot even be installed.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gulf between these two chips is vast, explaining the benchmark disparity. The Intel Core i5-12400T is built on Alder Lake architecture using a 10 nm process node at Intel’s foundry. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 1.80 GHz and a boost of 4.20 GHz. Its cache hierarchy is generous: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a substantial 18 MB shared L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and its PCIe interface is Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730. This is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700 with a 35 W TDP, and it includes ECC memory support as disabled (false).

The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U is a fundamentally different creature. It uses Zen 3 architecture (codenamed Barcelo-R) on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a higher base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost of 4.30 GHz. Its cache is far smaller: 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and only 8 MB shared L3. Memory support is limited to DDR4, though it does offer a rated memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, a figure absent for the Intel part. It uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only) and pairs with Radeon Graphics (Vega 4). This is a mobile chip on AMD Socket FP6 with a meager 15 W TDP, and it supports ECC memory (true). The process node difference alone—7 nm vs. 10 nm—suggests the AMD should have an efficiency advantage, but the Intel part’s sheer core and cache count overwhelms that consideration.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most extreme result is Cinebench R23 Multi-Core: Intel scores 13,234, AMD scores 6,230. The delta is 112.4%, meaning the Intel chip is more than twice as fast. This is the single largest win in the entire comparison and directly reflects the Intel’s 50% more cores and 125% more L3 cache. For any render or compilation workload that scales across threads, this is a decisive, no-contest victory.

In Geekbench Multi-Core, the Intel wins 7,144 to 4,131, a 72.9% lead. While not as extreme as the Cinebench result, this still represents a massive performance gap. The Intel’s six physical cores provide a clear advantage over the AMD’s four, and the larger cache hierarchy helps sustain multi-threaded workloads. The Ryzen’s higher boost clock does not compensate for the lack of raw core count.

The narrowest margin is in Geekbench Single-Core, where the Intel scores 2,044 and the AMD scores 1,514. The 35% delta is the smallest of the three, yet it is still a commanding lead. This is notable because the AMD chip has a higher boost clock (4.30 GHz vs. 4.20 GHz). The data indicates that Intel’s Alder Lake core architecture is significantly more efficient per clock than AMD’s Zen 3, or that the Intel’s larger L2 cache per core (1.25 MB vs. 512 KB) provides a decisive hit-rate advantage in single-threaded latency-sensitive tasks. The Intel part wins all three tests, and the margin of victory is substantial in every case.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: The Intel Core i5-12400T is the superior processor for any performance-driven task. It wins every shared benchmark by a minimum of 35% and by over 100% in multi-core rendering. Users who need maximum compute power for desktop workloads—content creation, software compilation, heavy multitasking—should choose the Intel part without hesitation. Its 57th percentile ranking and average score of 4019, while comparable to the AMD’s 3958, understate its dominance in the actual tests that matter for these two specific parts.

The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U is not a competitive alternative in raw performance, but it serves a different purpose entirely. As a 15 W mobile chip, its only rational justification is in a thin-and-light laptop where the 35 W Intel desktop processor is physically and thermally impossible to install. The AMD offers ECC memory support, which the Intel lacks, and its 7 nm process suggests better power efficiency, though no efficiency benchmark is provided. For a user who absolutely requires a low-power mobile platform, the Ryzen 3 7330U is the only choice of the two, but that choice comes with a massive performance penalty. For anyone building a desktop system, the Intel Core i5-12400T is the definitive answer, with a launch MSRP of $192.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core tasks?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400T is dramatically faster. It scores 13,234 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 112.4% higher than the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U’s 6,230. In Geekbench multi-core, the Intel leads 7,144 to 4,131, a 72.9% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U have any performance advantage over the Intel?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the AMD wins zero tests. The Intel leads by 35% in Geekbench single-core, 72.9% in Geekbench multi-core, and 112.4% in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400T has 6 cores and 12 threads. The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U has 4 cores and 8 threads. This core deficit is the primary reason for the AMD’s multi-core losses.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400T has a TDP of 35 W, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U has a TDP of 15 W. This means the AMD chip is designed for lower power consumption, but the data shows this comes at a very high performance cost.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U supports ECC memory (true), while the Intel Core i5-12400T does not (false). This is the only specification where the AMD part has a functional advantage over the Intel.

Q: What is the difference in their process nodes?

A: The Intel Core i5-12400T uses a 10 nm process at Intel, while the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U uses a 7 nm process at TSMC. Despite the smaller node, the AMD chip’s benchmark scores are far lower, indicating that architecture and core count matter more than process size in these tests.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-12400T | AMD Ryzen 3 7330U |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 4 |

| Threads | 12 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 1800.00 MHz | 2300.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.20 GHz | 4.30 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | AMD Socket FP6 |

| Architecture | Alder Lake | Zen 3 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 163 mm² | 180 mm² |

| Transistors | Not specified | 10,700 million |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 18 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not specified | 51.2 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 730 | Radeon Graphics (Vega 4) |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Part Number | SRL5X | 100-000000944 |