AMD Ryzen 5 4600G vs Intel Core i7-1260P Comparison

The Verdict

The Intel Core i7-1260P and AMD Ryzen 5 4600G occupy different segments, and the data reflects that split clearly. The i7-1260P is a mobile part with a 28 W TDP, while the 4600G is a desktop processor with a 65 W TDP. The Ryzen 5 4600G posts a higher average benchmark score of 17507, against the i7-1260P's 17007, a gap of roughly 2.9%. That places the AMD part at the 71st percentile of all CPUs in the database, just ahead of the i7-1260P's 70th percentile.

The head-to-head record is close, with the Intel part taking 13 wins and the AMD part taking 10. The i7-1260P dominates single-thread and legacy multi-thread workloads, while the 4600G wins in modern multi-core rendering and data-heavy tasks. For a user on a desktop platform who prioritizes sustained multi-core work, the Ryzen 5 4600G is the stronger choice. For a user in a thin-and-light laptop who needs strong per-core performance and lower power draw, the i7-1260P is the appropriate pick. The 4600G has a launch MSRP of $154, but the i7-1260P has no recorded launch MSRP in the database, so no direct cost comparison is possible.

The benchmark results indicate that the 4600G's advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core (13593 versus 9711, a 28.6% lead) and in several PassMark data workloads makes it the better fit for rendering, compression, and encryption tasks. The i7-1260P's wins in PassMark floating point math (42417 versus 29947, a 41.6% lead) and integer math (62316 versus 50723, a 22.9% lead) show that it handles arithmetic-heavy workloads with more efficiency per thread. The choice comes down to platform and workload, not overall superiority.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260P. It scores 3250 in PassMark single-thread, 915 in 3DMark single-thread, and 243 in Cinebench R15 single-core. The Ryzen 5 4600G scores 2653 in PassMark single-thread, 726 in 3DMark single-thread, and 193 in Cinebench R15 single-core. The Intel part wins these tests by 22.5%, 26%, and 25.9% respectively.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G wins decisively. It scores 13593, while the Intel Core i7-1260P scores 9711. That is a 28.6% lead for the AMD part, the largest margin in any head-to-head benchmark between the two.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260P has 12 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the 4600G wins the majority of the multi-threaded benchmark comparisons.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260P is built on Intel's 10 nm process. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is built on TSMC's 7 nm process. The 4600G also has a smaller die size at 156 mm², compared to the i7-1260P's 217 mm².

Q: Which processor supports DDR5 memory?

A: Only the Intel Core i7-1260P supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G supports DDR4 only. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, and the 4600G has a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i7-1260P has no recorded bandwidth figure.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core i7-1260P does not. The 4600G is also a desktop part on Socket AM4, while the i7-1260P is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1744.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-1260P uses the Alder Lake architecture, specifically the Alder Lake-P variant, built on Intel's 10 nm process. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Renoir, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. The process node difference is significant, with TSMC's 7 nm offering a smaller transistor geometry than Intel's 10 nm node.

The i7-1260P is a hybrid design with 12 cores and 16 threads, while the 4600G is a traditional monolithic design with 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel part has a larger die at 217 mm², while the 4600G has a die size of 156 mm². The 4600G has a recorded transistor count of 9,800 million; the i7-1260P has no transistor count in the database.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The i7-1260P has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The 4600G has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part carries more than double the L3 cache, which benefits workloads that repeatedly access large data sets.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i7-1260P uses Iris Xe with 96 execution units, while the 4600G uses Radeon Vega 7. Memory support also diverges, with the i7-1260P supporting both DDR4 and DDR5, while the 4600G supports only DDR4. The 4600G has a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i7-1260P uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the 4600G uses PCIe Gen 3 with 20 lanes. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

The market segments are different by design. The i7-1260P is a mobile processor, released in February 2022, with a 28 W TDP and a socket of Intel BGA 1744. The 4600G is a desktop processor, released in July 2020, with a 65 W TDP and a socket of AMD Socket AM4. The i7-1260P is not multiplier-unlocked, while the 4600G is.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most visible difference: 12 cores and 16 threads for the i7-1260P versus 6 cores and 12 threads for the 4600G. Clock speeds also differ. The i7-1260P has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The 4600G has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The Intel part has a higher boost ceiling, while the AMD part has a higher base clock.

TDP is a major separator. The i7-1260P is rated at 28 W, while the 4600G is rated at 65 W. This reflects their intended platforms, mobile versus desktop. The i7-1260P also uses a different socket, Intel BGA 1744, which is soldered and not upgradeable, while the 4600G uses AMD Socket AM4, which is a standard desktop socket.

Cache specifications differ in every tier. The i7-1260P has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3. The 4600G has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The i7-1260P has no recorded memory bandwidth, while the 4600G has 51.2 GB/s.

The integrated graphics are different as well: Iris Xe 96EU on the Intel part, Radeon Vega 7 on the AMD part. The i7-1260P supports DDR4 and DDR5, while the 4600G supports DDR4 only. The i7-1260P uses PCIe Gen 4, the 4600G uses PCIe Gen 3, both with 20 lanes. The 4600G has a launch MSRP of $154, while the i7-1260P has no launch MSRP recorded. The 4600G is multiplier-unlocked; the i7-1260P is not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results split into two clear groups: single-thread and math-heavy workloads favor Intel, while multi-core rendering and data tasks favor AMD.

Starting with Intel's wins, the i7-1260P takes 3DMark 2-threads with a score of 1601 versus 1430, a 12% lead. In 3DMark single-thread, it scores 915 versus 726, a 26% lead. The Cinebench R15 results are similarly lopsided: the i7-1260P scores 1626 versus 1370 in multi-core, an 18.7% lead, and 243 versus 193 in single-core, a 25.9% lead. Cinebench R20 is closer, with the i7-1260P ahead by 2.9% in multi-core (5874 versus 5709) and 3% in single-core (829 versus 805).

PassMark results show Intel's dominance in arithmetic workloads. The i7-1260P scores 42417 in floating point math versus 29947, a 41.6% lead. In integer math, it scores 62316 versus 50723, a 22.9% lead. The i7-1260P also wins PassMark find prime numbers with a score of 63 versus 32, a massive 96.9% lead. In PassMark physics, it scores 1092 versus 676, a 61.5% lead. PassMark multithread goes to Intel as well, 16775 versus 15992, a 4.9% lead. PassMark single-thread shows a 22.5% lead for Intel, 3250 versus 2653.

AMD's wins are concentrated in modern multi-core and data workloads. The 4600G wins 3DMark 16-threads with 4863 versus 4072, a 16.3% lead. In 3DMark 4-threads, it scores 2732 versus 2540, a 7% lead. In 3DMark 8-threads, it scores 4138 versus 3159, a 23.7% lead. In 3DMark max-threads, it scores 4889 versus 4406, a 9.9% lead.

The biggest margin for AMD is in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the 4600G scores 13593 versus 9711, a 28.6% lead. Interestingly, the 4600G also wins Cinebench R23 single-core, 1919 versus 1737.5, a 9.5% lead, despite losing the older Cinebench single-core tests. This suggests the newer workload scales differently across the two architectures.

PassMark data workloads favor AMD heavily. The 4600G wins data compression with 231426 versus 182968, a 20.9% lead. It wins data encryption with 13572 versus 11238, a 17.2% lead. It wins extended instructions with 15280 versus 10493, a 31.3% lead. It wins random string sorting with 24246 versus 20586, a 15.1% lead.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-1260P is the choice for single-thread responsiveness and arithmetic-heavy workloads. Its 26% lead in 3DMark single-thread and 22.5% lead in PassMark single-thread show that it delivers faster per-core execution. The 41.6% lead in floating point math and 22.9% lead in integer math make it well suited for scientific calculations, financial modeling, and any application that stresses the ALU and FPU. The 61.5% lead in PassMark physics and 96.9% lead in find prime numbers further reinforce this pattern. It also wins the older Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore tests, suggesting that its 12-core hybrid arrangement handles legacy threading models effectively. For a mobile platform with a 28 W TDP, this is a strong combination of per-core speed and power efficiency.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600G is the choice for sustained multi-core rendering and data manipulation. Its 28.6% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core is the single largest margin in the comparison, making it the better option for video rendering, 3D modeling, and batch processing. The 31.3% lead in extended instructions and 20.9% lead in data compression point to strengths in compression, archiving, and encryption workloads. The 17.2% lead in data encryption and 15.1% lead in random string sorting indicate that it handles memory-heavy data tasks with greater throughput. Its wins in 3DMark 16-threads (16.3% lead) and 8-threads (23.7% lead) show that it scales well with thread count, despite having fewer cores than the Intel part.

The 4600G also has the advantage of being a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier on Socket AM4, which allows overclocking and platform flexibility. The i7-1260P is soldered into a mobile board with no multiplier unlock. The 4600G supports only DDR4, while the i7-1260P supports both DDR4 and DDR5, which matters for platform longevity. The i7-1260P has more L3 cache (18 MB versus 8 MB), which may help in cache-sensitive workloads, but the recorded benchmark data shows the 4600G winning the majority of multi-threaded and data-intensive tests. The final split is simple: pick the i7-1260P for mobile use and per-core speed, pick the 4600G for desktop use and multi-core throughput.