AMD Ryzen 5 4600H vs Intel Core i5-1235U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data paints a split picture for these two mobile processors. The Intel Core i5-1235U takes 9 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H wins 8. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

Starting with the largest Intel advantage, the PassMark find prime numbers test shows a staggering 3307.1% lead for the i5-1235U, scoring 954 against the Ryzen's 28. This is an outlier result, but it signals a fundamental difference in how these chips handle certain integer workloads. The Intel part also dominates floating point math, posting 43303 against 26909, a 60.9% margin. Single-threaded performance is another clear Intel stronghold. In PassMark single thread, the i5-1235U scores 3151 versus 2418, a 30.3% advantage. Geekbench single core confirms the trend with a 27.8% lead, 1609 against 1259.

Cinebench R23 results are particularly interesting because they flip the expected narrative. The Intel chip wins multi-core with 9774 points against 8072, a 21.1% lead, despite having a lower TDP class. The single-core R23 score also favors Intel, 1379 versus 1142.5, a 20.7% gap. These results suggest the i5-1235U's hybrid architecture scales better under sustained multi-threaded rendering loads than the older Zen 2 design.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H, however, claims the older Cinebench R15 tests. It wins multi-core with 1425 against 985, a 30.9% margin, and single-core with 176 versus 138, a 21.6% lead. This discrepancy between R15 and R23 results is notable. The data implies that the Ryzen's advantage shrinks or reverses depending on the benchmark version and its specific workload characteristics.

In Geekbench multi-core, AMD wins narrowly, 5521 against 5308, a 3.9% margin. The PassMark multithread test also goes to AMD, 14228 versus 12923, a 9.2% lead. AMD's wins are concentrated in data-heavy operations. Data compression shows a 27% advantage, 202030 versus 147450. Data encryption follows with a 23.5% lead, 12217 against 9347. Extended instructions favor AMD by 36.8%, 12942 versus 8176. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 21.4%, 21689 against 17050.

The Intel wins in integer math, 48553 versus 45698, a 6.2% margin, and in physics, 686 versus 629, a 9.1% lead. These results, combined with the massive prime number and floating point wins, suggest the Intel core design excels at certain mathematical operations while the AMD chip handles memory-intensive data tasks more efficiently.

The Verdict

The data does not declare a single outright winner. Instead, it describes two processors with different strengths. The Intel Core i5-1235U is the choice for workloads that depend on single-thread speed, floating point math, and specific integer operations. The 30.3% lead in PassMark single thread and the 60.9% advantage in floating point math make it the stronger pick for responsive everyday use and applications that do not scale perfectly across many cores.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H, despite its older Zen 2 architecture and higher TDP, wins in data compression, encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting. These are tasks that benefit from the Ryzen's six full cores and higher base clock of 3.00 GHz. The 27% lead in data compression and 23.5% lead in encryption indicate that the AMD part handles file archiving and security-related workloads more effectively.

For multi-core rendering, the results are contradictory. The Ryzen wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 30.9%, but the Intel wins R23 multi-core by 21.1%. The newer benchmark likely reflects more modern workload patterns, giving the Intel chip the edge in current rendering applications. The Ryzen's 45W TDP compared to the Intel's 15W TDP suggests the AMD part draws more power to achieve its results, but the database does not include efficiency metrics to quantify this trade-off.

The average benchmark scores are close, 16770 for Intel and 16341 for AMD, placing both at the 70th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rival lists also show similar company: the Intel sits near the Core Ultra 5 115U and Ryzen 3 7335U, while the AMD sits near the Core i7-1260U and Core i5-10600KF. Neither chip is a clear performance king, but each has a distinct profile.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-1235U uses the Alder Lake architecture, specifically Alder Lake-U, built on Intel's 10 nm process. It features a hybrid design with 10 cores and 12 threads, which implies a mix of performance and efficiency cores. The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H uses the Zen 2 architecture with the Renoir codename, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads.

The process node difference is significant. The 7 nm process from TSMC gives the AMD chip a density advantage, reflected in its 9,800 million transistors on a 156 mm² die. The Intel chip's transistor count and die size are not recorded in the database. The AMD part also has a higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus 1.30 GHz for Intel, though the Intel chip boosts higher at 4.40 GHz versus 4.00 GHz.

Cache layouts differ substantially. 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 L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The larger per-core L2 on the Intel part likely contributes to its strong single-thread performance.

Memory support differs. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD chip supports only DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The AMD chip has a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel chip's bandwidth is not listed. PCIe support also differs: the Intel chip uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD chip uses Gen 3 without a lane count specified.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Intel chip features Iris Xe with 80 execution units, while the AMD chip features Radeon RX Vega 6. The database does not record graphics benchmark scores, so the performance implications remain qualitative.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. Core count: the Intel chip has 10 cores versus 6 for AMD. Thread count is identical at 12. Base clock: Intel runs at 1.30 GHz, AMD at 3.00 GHz. Boost clock: Intel reaches 4.40 GHz, AMD reaches 4.00 GHz. TDP: Intel is rated at 15W, AMD at 45W.

Socket types are different: Intel uses BGA 1744, AMD uses Socket FP6. The process nodes differ, 10 nm for Intel and 7 nm for AMD. The foundry also differs, with Intel using its own fabs and AMD using TSMC. The AMD chip has recorded transistor count of 9,800 million and die size of 156 mm²; the Intel chip has no such recorded data.

Cache hierarchies differ: Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. Memory support: Intel accepts DDR4 and DDR5, AMD only DDR4. Memory bandwidth: AMD has a recorded 51.2 GB/s, Intel's is not recorded. PCIe: Intel uses Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), AMD uses Gen 3 without a lane count.

Integrated graphics: Intel has Iris Xe 80EU, AMD has Radeon RX Vega 6. Release dates differ, with Intel releasing in 2022-02-22 and AMD in 2020-01-05. The AMD chip belongs to the 4000 series, while the Intel chip has no series designation. Part numbers also differ: Intel uses SRLFR, AMD uses 100-000000100. Both chips have locked multipliers and do not support ECC memory.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1235U reaches 4.40 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H boosts to 4.00 GHz.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-threaded PassMark performance?

A: The Intel chip scores 3151, which is 30.3% higher than the AMD chip's 2418. The same margin appears in the passmark_singlethread test.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H wins decisively, scoring 202030 against the Intel chip's 147450, a 27% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel chip have more L3 cache?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-1235U has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H has 8 MB of shared L3.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel chip is rated at 15W, while the AMD chip is rated at 45W. This is a threefold difference in rated power consumption.

Q: Which chip wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-1235U wins with 9774 points against the AMD chip's 8072, a 21.1% lead.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-1235U is the stronger choice for single-threaded applications. Its 30.3% lead in PassMark single thread and 27.8% lead in Geekbench single core indicate faster response in everyday tasks like web browsing, office productivity, and light content creation. The floating point math win by 60.9% suggests Intel handles scientific and engineering calculations more efficiently. The prime number test result, 954 versus 28, is extreme, but it indicates the Intel architecture executes certain integer loops at dramatically higher speed. The R23 multi-core win by 21.1% also makes the Intel chip preferable for modern rendering workloads that use the latest benchmark methodologies.

The AMD Ryzen 5 4600H is the better pick for data-heavy operations. The 27% lead in data compression makes it suitable for file archiving and backup tasks. The 23.5% lead in encryption points to faster disk encryption and secure communication workloads. The 36.8% advantage in extended instructions and 21.4% lead in random string sorting suggest the AMD chip handles database operations and text processing more effectively. The Geekbench multi-core win, though narrow at 3.9%, and the PassMark multithread win by 9.2% indicate the AMD chip maintains a slight edge in broadly parallel workloads that do not fit the newer Cinebench pattern.

For users prioritizing battery life and portability, the Intel chip's 15W TDP versus the AMD's 45W TDP is a critical differentiator, though the database provides no direct efficiency benchmark. The Intel chip also supports DDR5 memory, which future-proofs a system, while the AMD chip is limited to DDR4. The AMD chip's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus 1.30 GHz means it may feel more responsive in lightly threaded tasks that do not trigger boost behavior, but the Intel chip's higher boost clock of 4.40 GHz gives it a ceiling advantage when boosting is active. The verdict depends entirely on whether the workload is single-thread intensive, where Intel wins, or data-stream oriented, where AMD wins.