AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE vs Intel Core i5-12450H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE and Intel Core i5-12450H are both active processors that land at the 71st percentile among all CPUs, yet they achieve that status through fundamentally different designs and market targets. The data shows a stark split: the Intel part wins 16 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, but the AMD chip takes the single most significant multi-threaded victory. This comparison is less about overall dominance and more about identifying which workload characteristics favor each architecture.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12450H is the clear workhorse for most compute tasks. Its wins span the entire PassMark suite, from data compression (195132 vs 152885) to floating-point math (40568 vs 24115) and integer math (54782 vs 44665). The benchmark results indicate Intel’s advantage is particularly pronounced in physics simulations, where it scores 883 against AMD’s 552, a 37.5% lead. For users running rendering, scientific calculations, or heavy multitasking, the Intel part’s consistent 11.7% to 40.6% margins across these tests make it the default choice.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE’s sole win is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 10846 versus Intel’s 8822.5, a 22.9% advantage. This is not a minor outlier; it is the newest Cinebench version in the data and typically reflects sustained all-core performance. The data implies that AMD’s Zen 3 architecture, despite having only 4 cores and 8 threads, can maintain higher throughput in this specific long-duration workload than Intel’s 8-core, 12-thread hybrid design. Every other multi-threaded test, including Cinebench R15 (1350 vs 1093) and R20 (5671 vs 4555), favors Intel, suggesting the AMD win is workload-specific rather than a general multi-core superiority.

Architecture Differences

The two chips represent opposite design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE is built on TSMC’s 7 nm process with a 180 mm² die containing 10,700 million transistors. It uses the Zen 3 architecture (Cezanne codename) with 4 cores and 8 threads, all on a monolithic design. Its cache hierarchy features 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB of L3. The Intel Core i5-12450H uses Intel’s 10 nm process with a larger 217 mm² die and the Alder Lake-H architecture. It offers 8 cores and 12 threads, which indicates a hybrid layout of performance and efficiency cores, though the fact pack does not specify the exact mix. Its cache is larger: 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3.

Memory support diverges sharply. The AMD part supports only DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, plus ECC memory support. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, but its memory bandwidth is not listed in the data. The Intel chip also offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while the AMD chip is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The Intel part is a mobile segment processor on an Intel BGA 1744 socket, whereas the AMD part is a desktop processor on AMD Socket AM4. Both have integrated graphics – Radeon Vega 6 for AMD and UHD Graphics for Intel – and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most dramatic Intel win is in PassMark floating-point math, where it scores 40568 versus AMD’s 24115, a 40.6% lead. This is a massive gap that speaks to the Intel part’s superior execution units for FPU-heavy code. Physics performance is nearly as lopsided: Intel’s 883 versus AMD’s 552 is a 37.5% advantage. Prime number finding also heavily favors Intel (46 vs 31, a 32.6% lead). These three tests suggest that Intel’s core design has a significant per-thread throughput advantage in math-intensive operations.

In single-core tests, the Intel part wins consistently but by smaller margins. Cinebench R23 single-core shows Intel at 1661 versus AMD’s 1531, a 7.8% lead. PassMark single-thread shows 3306 versus 3089, a 6.6% lead. The largest single-core gap is in Cinebench R15, where Intel leads 238 to 154, a 35.3% margin, though this older test may amplify architectural differences. The data shows that Intel’s single-thread advantage is real but not overwhelming in modern tests.

The AMD win in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the outlier that demands investigation. While Intel wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 19% (1350 vs 1093) and R20 multi-core by 19.7% (5671 vs 4555), AMD flips the script in R23 with its 22.9% lead. This reversal suggests that the R23 workload either scales better with AMD’s simultaneous multithreading or that Intel’s hybrid architecture suffers from scheduling overhead in this specific test. The data does not resolve this, but it raises the question of whether newer Cinebench versions will continue to favor AMD.

The Verdict

From the data, the Intel Core i5-12450H is the superior processor for the vast majority of workloads. Its wins are broad and deep, spanning single-thread, multi-thread, math, encryption, compression, and sorting benchmarks. The 16-to-1 win count is decisive. For any user running standard productivity, content creation, or scientific computing tasks, the Intel part’s consistent 18.5% to 40.6% margins in integer math, floating-point math, and physics make it the obvious choice.

The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE is not without merit, but its case rests on a single benchmark. The Cinebench R23 multi-core result is impressive, showing a 22.9% lead over Intel, and it may indicate better sustained all-core performance under specific thermal or power conditions. However, the AMD part’s 35W TDP versus Intel’s 45W TDP suggests it achieves this result with lower power draw, which could be relevant for compact desktop builds. The AMD chip also offers ECC memory support, a feature absent from the Intel part, which matters for data-integrity-sensitive workloads. For a user prioritizing the R23 multi-core score or requiring ECC, the AMD part is the pick. For everyone else, the Intel part’s benchmark supremacy is unambiguous.

FAQ

Q: Why does the AMD chip win Cinebench R23 multi-core but lose all other multi-threaded tests?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE scores 10846 in R23 multi-core versus Intel’s 8822.5, a 22.9% lead. However, in Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core, Intel wins by 19% and 19.7% respectively. The data suggests R23’s workload characteristics favor AMD’s Zen 3 architecture, but the reason is not specified in the available facts.

Q: Which processor has better single-thread performance?

A: Intel wins every single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 1661 versus AMD’s 1531 (7.8% lead). In PassMark single-thread, Intel scores 3306 versus AMD’s 3089 (6.6% lead). The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where Intel leads by 35.3% (238 vs 154).

Q: What is the biggest performance gap in the comparison?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark floating-point math, where Intel scores 40568 versus AMD’s 24115, a 40.6% lead. The second-largest is in PassMark physics, where Intel leads by 37.5% (883 vs 552).

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-12450H does not. This is a key differentiator for users who require error-correcting memory.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD chip has an average benchmark score of 17482, while the Intel chip averages 17239. Both sit at the 71st percentile of all CPUs. AMD’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 4600G with a 0.1% difference, while Intel’s nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G with a 0.2% difference.

Q: Which chip has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-12450H has 8 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE has 4 cores and 8 threads. Despite having half the cores, AMD wins one multi-threaded benchmark (Cinebench R23) but loses all others.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE | Intel Core i5-12450H |

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

| Cores | 4 | 8 |

| Threads | 8 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 2000.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.20 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | Zen 3 | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Cezanne | Alder Lake-H |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 180 mm² | 217 mm² |

| Transistors | 10,700 million | Not specified |

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

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

| L3 Cache | 8 MB | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

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

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 6 | UHD Graphics |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Part Number | 100-000001751 | SRLCX |