AMD Ryzen 5 4600G vs Intel Core i5-1240U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two processors. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G dominates in multi-threaded workloads, winning 12 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core i5-1240U takes 5 wins, all of them in single-thread or specialized integer workloads.

The largest gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Ryzen 5 4600G scores 13,593 against the i5-1240U's 7,902, a 41.9% advantage. That is a substantial margin for any rendering or video encoding task. The Cinebench R20 multi-core test shows a similar but smaller gap at 12.2%, with scores of 5,709 versus 5,013. Cinebench R15 multi-core also favors AMD, 1,370 to 1,242, a 9.3% lead.

Passmark data compression heavily favors the Ryzen, 231,426 to 143,102, a 38.2% difference. Data encryption shows the same 34% gap, with 13,572 versus 8,964. Extended instructions are the most lopsided Passmark result: 15,280 for AMD versus 7,932 for Intel, a 48.1% deficit for the i5-1240U. Random string sorting also goes to AMD at 24,246 versus 15,996, again a 34% margin. Integer math favors the Ryzen by 11.3% (50,723 versus 44,968), and multithread performance is 16.2% higher (15,992 versus 13,406). Floating point math is nearly identical, with the Ryzen ahead by only 0.7% (29,947 versus 29,726).

The Intel chip's wins are concentrated in single-thread and physics tests. Passmark single-thread shows 3,239 for Intel versus 2,653 for AMD, a 22.1% advantage. Cinebench R15 single-core also favors Intel by 17.1% (226 versus 193). The find prime numbers test is a massive win for Intel, 63 versus 32, a 96.9% margin, likely reflecting the efficiency of the Alder Lake architecture on this particular integer workload. Passmark physics is another Intel win, 981 versus 676, a 45.1% lead.

Notably, Cinebench R20 single-core and R23 single-core both go to AMD, 805 versus 707 (12.2%) and 1,919 versus 1,559 (18.8%) respectively. This is unusual: the Intel part wins Passmark single-thread but loses both modern Cinebench single-thread tests. The overall average benchmark scores reflect the multi-core lean: the Ryzen 5 4600G averages 17,507 points versus 16,957 for the i5-1240U. Both land in similar percentile territory, 71st versus 70th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

The Verdict

The data points to two very different use profiles. The Ryzen 5 4600G is the stronger choice for sustained multi-threaded workloads. It holds a 41.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, the most demanding rendering test in the comparison, and shows consistent 30% to 48% advantages in data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and string sorting. Anyone running video encodes, code compiles, or heavy batch processing should pick the AMD part based on these measurements.

The Intel Core i5-1240U is the better option for lightly threaded tasks that depend on raw single-core speed. Its 22.1% Passmark single-thread advantage and 17.1% Cinebench R15 single-core lead matter for everyday responsiveness, and the 96.9% win in prime number finding suggests strong integer throughput on specific workloads. The physics test win of 45.1% is also notable, though physics simulation often benefits from more cores, which makes this result counterintuitive given the AMD part's multi-core strength.

For a desktop user with access to a power outlet and a cooler that can handle 65 watts, the Ryzen 5 4600G is the data-backed pick. For a mobile system or a use case dominated by single-thread apps, the i5-1240U's 9 watt target and single-thread wins make it the sensible choice. The 70th and 71st percentile rankings show both chips sit close to each other in the overall performance distribution, but the shape of their performance is very different.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-1240U uses Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm Intel process, built for the mobile segment with an Intel BGA 1781 socket. It has 10 cores and 12 threads, which indicates a hybrid arrangement of performance and efficiency cores. The Ryzen 5 4600G is based on Zen 2 (Renoir) on a 7 nm TSMC process, a desktop part on AMD Socket AM4 with 6 cores and 12 threads.

The transistor counts and die sizes are only listed for the AMD part: 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. Cache configurations differ significantly. The Intel chip has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and only 8 MB of shared L3. Despite having less cache per core, the Ryzen still wins most multi-thread tests, which points to the core count and clock speeds doing the heavy lifting.

Clock speeds tell a clear story. The i5-1240U has a 1.10 GHz base clock and 4.40 GHz boost clock. The Ryzen 5 4600G has a 3.70 GHz base clock and 4.20 GHz boost clock. The AMD part runs at a much higher base frequency, which explains its consistent multi-core lead. The Intel chip has a higher boost ceiling, but its lower base clock and mobile-oriented design limit sustained throughput.

Memory support also differs. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ryzen is limited to DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The AMD part lists a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s; no bandwidth figure is available for the Intel chip. PCIe support differs as well: the i5-1240U lists Gen 4, while the Ryzen 5 4600G lists Gen 3 with 20 lanes on the CPU.

Integrated graphics are present on both. The Intel chip uses Iris Xe with 80 execution units; the AMD part uses Radeon Vega 7. The Intel part uses more execution units, which may matter for integrated graphics workloads, though no graphics benchmarks are included in this comparison. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel chip does not. The Ryzen 5 4600G launched at $154 MSRP, while no launch price is recorded for the i5-1240U.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G wins all three Cinebench multi-core tests. Its lead ranges from 9.3% in R15 to 41.9% in R23, the largest margin in the entire comparison.

Q: The Intel chip has more cores, why does it lose multi-thread tests?

A: The i5-1240U has 10 cores versus 6 cores for the Ryzen, but its base clock is only 1.10 GHz compared to 3.70 GHz for the AMD part. The Ryzen's much higher base clock and 65 watt TDP allow it to sustain higher throughput, while the Intel chip is designed for a 9 watt mobile power envelope.

Q: Is the Intel chip better for single-threaded applications?

A: In Passmark single-thread and Cinebench R15 single-core, yes. The i5-1240U leads by 22.1% and 17.1% respectively. However, the Ryzen 5 4600G wins both Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core tests by 12.2% and 18.8%, so the answer depends on the specific benchmark.

Q: What is the performance percentile of each CPU?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G sits at the 71st percentile among all CPUs in the database. The i5-1240U is at the 70th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are 17,507 and 16,957 respectively.

Q: Which CPU supports newer memory technology?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G supports DDR4 only. The AMD part also lists a 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth figure.

Q: Are these CPUs overclockable?

A: The Ryzen 5 4600G has an unlocked multiplier, so it can be overclocked. The i5-1240U does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 5 4600G is the clear winner for sustained multi-threaded productivity. Its 41.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core makes it the obvious pick for 3D rendering, video encoding, and other all-core workloads. Data compression and encryption tasks also favor AMD heavily, with 38.2% and 34% leads respectively. Extended instruction workloads show the largest gap at 48.1%, which matters for scientific computing and cryptography. Multithread Passmark scores favor AMD by 16.2%, and integer math by 11.3%. The Ryzen's 71st percentile ranking and 17,507 average score reflect this broad multi-thread strength.

The i5-1240U wins where single-thread responsiveness matters most. Its 22.1% Passmark single-thread lead and 17.1% Cinebench R15 single-core advantage point to snappy everyday use in mobile systems. The 96.9% win in prime number finding is the single largest Intel advantage, suggesting strong performance on specific integer-heavy algorithms. The 45.1% physics win is harder to categorize, but it may benefit systems running physics simulation workloads. The Intel chip's 70th percentile and 16,957 average score are close to AMD's, but the performance profile is clearly tuned for different tasks.

The socket and platform differences reinforce the use-case split. The i5-1240U is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1781, likely found in thin laptops where the 9 watt TDP is a major advantage. The Ryzen 5 4600G is a desktop part on AM4 with a 65 watt TDP, better suited for a stationary build with adequate cooling. The AMD chip's unlocked multiplier adds flexibility for enthusiasts, while the Intel chip's DDR5 support future-proofs a mobile system's memory path. Both integrate graphics, but no graphics benchmarks are present in the data, so the choice between Iris Xe 80EU and Radeon Vega 7 cannot be made from these measurements. The recorded data shows two capable processors that serve different masters, and the benchmark results make that distinction easy to see.