AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE vs Intel Core i5-1245U Comparison

The Verdict

The data shows a clear, consistent winner in raw compute: the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE takes all six head-to-head Cinebench tests. The margins are uniform, with the AMD part leading by 3.5% in most tests and 3.8% in Cinebench R15 single-core. If your priority is pure multi-threaded rendering or single-thread responsiveness, the 4600GE is the choice from these measurements.

However, the Intel Core i5-1245U is not a distant second. The benchmark deltas are narrow, and both processors share the same 56th percentile ranking among all CPUs in the database. The Ryzen 5 4600GE posts an average benchmark score of 3906 versus 3775 for the Core i5-1245U, a gap of roughly 3.5%. That is a meaningful but not transformative difference.

The decision framework from the data is simple: pick the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE for any workload where Cinebench scores matter, which typically means CPU-bound rendering, encoding, or heavy multitasking. Pick the Intel Core i5-1245U when the platform requirements matter more than the small compute deficit. The Intel part is a mobile chip with a 15 TDP, a BGA socket, and PCIe Gen 4 support. The AMD part is a desktop chip with a 35 TDP, an AM4 socket, and an unlocked multiplier. If you are building a desktop system with the ability to overclock, the 4600GE is the obvious pick. If you need a low-power mobile processor with newer PCIe generation support, the i5-1245U is the only one of the two that fits that use case at all.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE wins every multi-core test in the database. It scores 1361 in Cinebench R15, 5672 in R20, and 13505 in R23, versus 1315, 5482, and 13053 for the Intel Core i5-1245U. The margin is 3.5% in each multi-core test.

Q: How do the two compare in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE leads in all single-core tests as well. It scores 192 in Cinebench R15, 800 in R20, and 1906 in R23. The Intel Core i5-1245U scores 185, 773, and 1842 respectively. The single-core advantage ranges from 3.5% to 3.8%.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core i5-1245U has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having 4 fewer cores, the AMD part still wins all multi-core benchmarks.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE supports only DDR4 memory. The Intel Core i5-1245U supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1245U has a higher boost clock at 4.40 GHz compared to 4.20 GHz for the AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE. The base clocks are more different: the Intel part runs at 1600.00 MHz base while the AMD part runs at 3.30 GHz base.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core i5-1245U does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE is built on Zen 2 architecture with the codename Renoir, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i5-1245U uses Alder Lake architecture with the codename Alder Lake-U, manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process. The process node difference is significant: 7 nm versus 10 nm.

The transistor counts and die sizes are only listed for the AMD part. The Ryzen 5 4600GE packs 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The Intel part has no transistor count or die size recorded in the database.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel Core i5-1245U has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has more cache per core at the L1 and L2 levels, and 50% more L3 cache overall (12 MB versus 8 MB).

The memory controllers diverge as well. The AMD part supports DDR4 only, with dual-channel memory and a listed memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but has no memory bandwidth figure recorded in the database. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

PCIe support favors the Intel part. The Ryzen 5 4600GE runs PCIe Gen 3, while the Core i5-1245U runs PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes available on the CPU only.

The integrated graphics differ. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE carries Radeon Vega 7 graphics. The Intel Core i5-1245U carries Iris Xe 80EU graphics. The database does not include graphics benchmarks for either part.

Socket and market segment are fundamentally different. The AMD part uses AMD Socket AM4 and is classified as a desktop processor. The Intel part uses Intel BGA 1744 and is classified as a mobile processor.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE and Intel Core i5-1245U differ across nearly every recorded specification field.

Core count: 6 cores for the AMD part, 10 cores for the Intel part. Thread count is identical at 12 threads each.

Clocks: The AMD part has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The Intel part has a base clock of 1600.00 MHz, which converts to 1.60 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Intel chip boosts higher but has a much lower base clock.

TDP: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE is rated at 35 watts. The Intel Core i5-1245U is rated at 15 watts. The Intel part draws less than half the thermal design power.

Socket: AMD Socket AM4 for the Ryzen, Intel BGA 1744 for the Core i5.

Process node: 7 nm for AMD (TSMC foundry), 10 nm for Intel (Intel foundry).

Cache: L1 is 64 KB per core for AMD versus 80 KB per core for Intel. L2 is 512 KB per core for AMD versus 1.25 MB per core for Intel. L3 is 8 MB shared for AMD versus 12 MB shared for Intel.

Memory support: DDR4 only for AMD, DDR4 and DDR5 for Intel. Memory bus is dual-channel for both. Memory bandwidth is 51.2 GB/s for AMD, not recorded for Intel.

PCIe: Gen 3 for AMD, Gen 4 with 20 lanes for Intel.

Integrated graphics: Radeon Vega 7 for AMD, Iris Xe 80EU for Intel.

Market segment: Desktop for AMD, Mobile for Intel.

Release dates: The AMD part was released on 2020-07-20. The Intel part was released on 2022-02-22.

Multiplier: The AMD part is unlocked. The Intel part is locked.

Part numbers: The AMD part is listed as 100-000000150. The Intel part is listed as SRLFSSRLWY.

The Intel part has no series name listed, while the AMD part belongs to the 4000 series.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE wins all six recorded tests, and the margins are nearly identical across the board.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 1361 against 1315 for the Intel part, a 3.5% advantage. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD part scores 192 against 185, a 3.8% advantage. This is the largest single margin in the dataset.

Cinebench R20 shows the same pattern. Multi-core: 5672 for AMD versus 5482 for Intel, a 3.5% lead. Single-core: 800 for AMD versus 773 for Intel, also 3.5%.

Cinebench R23 mirrors the earlier results. Multi-core: 13505 for AMD versus 13053 for Intel, a 3.5% lead. Single-core: 1906 for AMD versus 1842 for Intel, a 3.5% lead.

The consistency of these deltas is notable. Across six tests, the AMD advantage never falls below 3.5% and never rises above 3.8%. This suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-specific. The Intel part's 10 cores do not overcome the AMD part's architectural efficiency in these tests, likely due to the large base clock disadvantage and the 35-watt versus 15-watt TDP envelope.

The average benchmark scores tell the same story at a higher level. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE has an average score of 3906, while the Intel Core i5-1245U has an average score of 3775. The nearest rivals for each processor put these numbers in context. The AMD part sits just 0.5% below the AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS (score 3924) and 0.8% above the AMD Ryzen Embedded V2718 (score 3875). The Intel part is effectively tied with the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700 (score 3777, 0% delta) and 0.3% below the Intel Core i7-9700KF (score 3787).

Both processors rank at the 56th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The Ryzen 5 4600GE achieves this with a 35-watt desktop design from 2020. The Core i5-1245U achieves the same percentile with a 15-watt mobile design from 2022.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600GE wins in every benchmark category recorded. For any workload that Cinebench represents, which includes 3D rendering, video encoding, and general CPU compute, the AMD part is the faster processor. The 3.5% multi-core lead and 3.5% to 3.8% single-core lead apply across the board.

The AMD part also wins on platform flexibility for desktop builders. It uses AMD Socket AM4, which is a standard socketed desktop platform. The multiplier is unlocked, so overclocking is possible. The TDP of 35 watts is higher than the Intel part but still modest for a desktop processor. The 7 nm process from TSMC gives it a transistor density advantage (9,800 million transistors on 156 mm²).

The Intel Core i5-1245U wins on platform attributes that matter for mobile and modern systems. The TDP of 15 watts is less than half the AMD part's 35 watts, which is critical for laptops and fanless or low-power designs. The Intel part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the AMD part is limited to PCIe Gen 3. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, giving system designers more memory options. The Intel part also has a higher boost clock (4.40 GHz versus 4.20 GHz), a larger L3 cache (12 MB versus 8 MB), and more cores (10 versus 6), even though these advantages do not translate into Cinebench wins.

The Intel part is also newer, with a release date of 2022-02-22 versus 2020-07-20 for the AMD part. The BGA 1744 socket indicates the Intel chip is soldered to the board, which is typical for mobile designs.

For a desktop user with an AM4 motherboard, the Ryzen 5 4600GE is the clear choice from the measured data. For a laptop or compact mobile system where power draw and PCIe generation matter more than a 3.5% compute deficit, the Core i5-1245U is the appropriate pick. The data does not show a scenario where the Intel part wins a compute benchmark, so its advantages are entirely in platform characteristics rather than measured performance.