AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 vs Intel Core i5-6500T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a remarkably consistent pattern across every Cinebench iteration. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the margins holding nearly steady across single-core and multi-core workloads. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 scores 480 against 408 for the Intel Core i5-6500T, a 17.6% advantage. The single-core R15 result mirrors this: 67 versus 57, a 17.5% lead.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the same story repeats. The AMD part posts 2002 multi-core points against 1702 for the Intel chip, again a 17.6% delta. In R20 single-core, 282 versus 240 yields a 17.5% lead. The R23 results maintain the trend with 4767 multi-core points versus 4054, a 17.6% gap, and 673 single-core points versus 572, the largest relative margin at 17.7%.

What stands out is the uniformity of the advantage. The delta percentage barely shifts between single-core and multi-core tests, which indicates the performance gap is structural rather than workload-dependent. The AMD processor does not merely win in heavily threaded scenarios; it wins by nearly the same proportion in lightly threaded ones. This consistency suggests the underlying architectural differences translate evenly across scaling scenarios.

The Intel Core i5-6500T does have additional Geekbench entries in the database, but those tests have no corresponding AMD results in the head-to-head set, so no direct comparison can be drawn from those numbers. Within the Cinebench family, however, the outcome is unambiguous: the Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 leads in every recorded metric.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear overall winner. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 outperforms the Intel Core i5-6500T by roughly 17.5% to 17.7% across all six Cinebench comparisons. Both processors sit at the 36th percentile among all CPUs tracked in the database, and their average benchmark scores are close (1379 for the AMD part, 1362 for the Intel part), but the direct head-to-head measurements favor AMD in every category.

The Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 is the choice for anyone prioritizing raw Cinebench rendering performance. The Intel Core i5-6500T, meanwhile, offers a much lower thermal envelope at 35 W TDP compared to 65 W, and it includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 530) while the AMD part has none. A system builder who needs an iGPU or who has strict power limits may still prefer the Intel chip despite its lower scores.

For pure compute throughput as measured by these benchmarks, the AMD processor wins outright. For platform flexibility, the Intel part retains advantages that the benchmark numbers do not capture.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 wins every benchmark category recorded in the head-to-head comparison. Its strongest margin appears in Cinebench R23 single-core with a 17.7% lead, while its multi-core advantages sit at 17.6% across R15, R20, and R23. The processor also offers ECC memory support, which the Intel chip lacks, and it has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The AMD part uses newer memory support with DDR4 exclusively in a dual-channel configuration.

The Intel Core i5-6500T wins on power efficiency and integrated graphics. Its 35 W TDP is substantially lower than the 65 W TDP of the AMD chip. The integrated HD Graphics 530 eliminates the need for a discrete GPU in basic display scenarios. The Intel processor also supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, which gives it broader compatibility with existing memory modules. Its production status is listed as end-of-life, while the AMD part remains active.

For the use cases in the data, the AMD chip suits users who want maximum multi-threaded and single-threaded Cinebench performance from a four-core, four-thread desktop processor, especially those who can use ECC memory. The Intel chip suits users building a low-power system with no discrete GPU and who want flexible memory options.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher clock speed?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The Intel Core i5-6500T has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 leads by 17.7%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-6500T have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes HD Graphics 530. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Can the AMD processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, ECC memory support is listed as true for the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200. The Intel Core i5-6500T does not support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The Intel Core i5-6500T has a TDP of 35 W, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 has a TDP of 65 W.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 uses the Zen microarchitecture, codenamed Summit Ridge, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,800 million transistors on a 213 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-6500T uses the Skylake architecture, built on a 14 nm process at Intel, with a die size of 122 mm². Transistor count for the Intel part is not recorded in the database.

Cache layouts differ notably. The AMD chip provides 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, with 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD part thus has larger caches at every level.

Memory bandwidth figures also diverge sharply. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 lists a memory bandwidth of 4256 MB/s with DDR4-only support, while the Intel Core i5-6500T lists 34.1 GB/s with support for both DDR3 and DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration. The Intel part uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, and the AMD part matches that PCIe Gen 3, 16 lanes configuration.

The AMD processor generation is listed as Ryzen 3 (Zen (Summit Ridge)) and the Intel generation as Core i5 (Skylake). The AMD part number is YD120BBBM4KAE and the Intel part number is SR2L8.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1200 and Intel Core i5-6500T differ in several fields in the database. The AMD part has a base clock of 3.10 GHz versus 2.50 GHz for the Intel chip, and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz versus 3.10 GHz. TDP is 65 W for AMD and 35 W for Intel. The sockets differ: AMD Socket AM4 versus Intel Socket 1151. The AMD processor uses DDR4 memory only, while the Intel processor supports DDR3 and DDR4. Memory bandwidth is listed as 4256 MB/s for AMD and 34.1 GB/s for Intel. ECC memory support is true for AMD and false for Intel. Integrated graphics are absent on the AMD part and present as HD Graphics 530 on the Intel part. The AMD multiplier is unlocked, while the Intel multiplier is locked. Production status is active for AMD and end-of-life for Intel. Release dates differ as well, with the AMD part released on 2017-06-28 and the Intel part on 2015-07-01. The AMD part has a larger die at 213 mm² versus 122 mm², and its L1, L2, and L3 caches are larger at 96 KB, 512 KB, and 8 MB versus 64 KB, 256 KB, and 6 MB respectively. The AMD transistor count is 4,800 million, while the Intel transistor count is not recorded. Both processors share 4 cores, 4 threads, dual-channel memory bus, 14 nm process, and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.