AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G vs Intel Core i5-12600K Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12600K and AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G occupy different tiers of the desktop market, but their benchmark averages land surprisingly close together. The Intel part posts an average benchmark score of 27,578, while the AMD processor achieves 27,382, a gap of less than 1%. However, this near-parity in overall averages masks a complete sweep: the i5-12600K wins all 11 head-to-head comparisons, often by massive double-digit margins. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is a low-power, 4-core office chip, while the i5-12600K is a 10-core enthusiast-class processor, and the benchmark data reflects that chasm in workload-specific performance.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12600K wins every single benchmark in this comparison. There is no test in the data where the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G comes out ahead. That said, the degree of victory varies enormously, which tells you where the i5 is essential and where the Ryzen can scrape by.

The i5-12600K’s biggest wins are in heavily multithreaded and math-heavy workloads. In floating-point math, it scores 67,217 versus the Ryzen’s 25,245, a 166.3% advantage. Prime number finding shows a 152.8% lead (91 vs 36), and physics simulation is 117.5% higher (1,525 vs 701). These are compute-bound tasks that scale with core count and raw FPU throughput, and the Intel part has 10 cores and 16 threads against the Ryzen’s 4 cores and 8 threads.

The Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G’s only realistic “win” is in efficiency-oriented scenarios, though the data doesn’t include power measurements. It has a 65W TDP versus the i5’s 125W, and it supports ECC memory, which the Intel chip does not. For a build where those two factors matter more than raw throughput, the AMD part is the sensible choice. But from a pure performance standpoint, the i5-12600K is ahead in every measurable category, including single-threaded work where it leads 3,926 to 3,096 (26.8% higher).

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is stark. The Intel Core i5-12600K uses Alder Lake-S, built on Intel’s 10 nm process with a 215 mm² die. It is a hybrid design with 10 cores and 16 threads, combining performance and efficiency cores. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is a Zen 3 part (codenamed Cezanne), fabricated by TSMC on 7 nm, with a 180 mm² die and 10,700 million transistors. It is a monolithic 4-core, 8-thread design.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The i5-12600K has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G offers 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and only 8 MB of L3. That 12 MB difference in L3 is significant for workloads with large working sets, and it shows in the random string sorting test where the i5 leads by 89.7%.

Memory support also splits these chips. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5 across a dual-channel bus, while the AMD chip is limited to DDR4. The Ryzen does list a specific memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, whereas the Intel part’s bandwidth is not specified in the data. PCIe connectivity differs too: the i5-12600K offers Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while the Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are present on both, with Intel’s UHD Graphics 770 versus AMD’s Radeon Vega 6.

The Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G supports ECC memory and has a locked multiplier, while the i5-12600K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The Intel part also has a higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz versus the AMD’s 4.20 GHz, though the AMD chip has a higher base clock at 4.00 GHz versus 3.70 GHz.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is a clean sweep for the Intel Core i5-12600K, but the margins tell a nuanced story. The smallest win is in single-threaded performance, where the i5 scores 3,926 against the Ryzen’s 3,096, a 26.8% lead. That is still a decisive margin, but it is the closest the AMD part gets to competitive.

Moving into integer math, the i5 scores 87,776 versus 45,910, a 91.2% advantage. Data compression shows a 104.8% lead (344,071 vs 168,041), and data encryption is 79.7% higher (18,485 vs 10,288). Extended instructions (typically AVX-type workloads) favor the i5 by 84.3% (22,002 vs 11,935).

The largest gaps appear in floating-point math and prime number calculation. The i5’s 67,217 floating-point score is 166.3% above the Ryzen’s 25,245. Prime finding is even more lopsided: 91 vs 36, a 152.8% delta. Physics simulation shows a 117.5% lead (1,525 vs 701), and random string sorting is 89.7% higher (35,704 vs 18,819).

The multithreaded PassMark score sums it up: the i5-12600K posts 27,608 versus the Ryzen’s 14,033, a 96.7% advantage. That is nearly double the throughput in heavily threaded workloads. The Ryzen’s 4 cores simply cannot keep pace with the i5’s 10 cores when all threads are active.

FAQ

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G competitive with the Intel Core i5-12600K in any benchmark?

A: No. The data shows the i5-12600K wins all 11 head-to-head tests. The closest result is single-threaded performance, where the Intel part still leads by 26.8% (3,926 vs 3,096).

Q: Which processor has better multithreaded performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600K is far ahead. In the PassMark multithread test, it scores 27,608 versus the Ryzen’s 14,033, a 96.7% advantage. The 10-core, 16-thread Intel design doubles the throughput of the 4-core, 8-thread AMD chip in this test.

Q: What is the difference in cache size between the two?

A: The i5-12600K has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core, with 20 MB shared L3. The Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G has 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per core, with only 8 MB L3. The Intel part’s larger L3 cache is a 12 MB advantage.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-12600K does not.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600K boosts to 4.90 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G boosts to 4.20 GHz. However, the AMD part has a higher base clock at 4.00 GHz versus 3.70 GHz.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600K includes UHD Graphics 770, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G includes Radeon Vega 6. Both are integrated solutions, but the data does not include any graphics benchmark scores to compare their performance.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-12600K | AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G |

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

| Cores | 10 | 4 |

| Threads | 16 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.70 GHz | 4.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 125 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 215 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 | 20 MB (shared) | 8 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

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

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | Radeon Vega 6 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Release Date | 2021-11-03 | 2024-09-04 |

| Launch MSRP | $289 | Not specified |

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-12600K outperforms the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G in every measured category. If your priority is raw performance, you pick the Intel part, and you do not look back. The i5-12600K delivers more than double the multithreaded score (27,608 vs 14,033), a 166.3% advantage in floating-point math, and even a 26.8% lead in single-threaded work. It also offers a larger L3 cache (20 MB vs 8 MB), faster PCIe Gen 4 connectivity, and an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Its launch MSRP was $289.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is not a performance competitor. It wins on power efficiency (65W TDP vs 125W), ECC memory support, and a newer release date (September 2024 vs November 2021). It also has a higher base clock (4.00 GHz vs 3.70 GHz) and a smaller die (180 mm² vs 215 mm²). But every single benchmark result favors the Intel chip, with the smallest margin still being a 26.8% single-thread deficit.

The verdict is straightforward. Choose the Intel Core i5-12600K for any workload where performance matters: multithreaded rendering, math-heavy simulations, or even everyday responsiveness. Choose the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G only if you specifically need ECC memory support, a lower 65W TDP, or the AM4 platform. The data shows the i5-12600K is the faster processor by every measurable metric, and the Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G is a niche product for builds where power draw and ECC are the primary constraints. There is no benchmark-based argument for picking the AMD part on performance grounds alone.