AMD Ryzen 5 5560U vs Intel Core i5-1240P Comparison

# Intel Core i5-1240P vs AMD Ryzen 5 5560U

The Intel Core i5-1240P and AMD Ryzen 5 5560U are both mobile processors aimed at thin-and-light laptops, but they approach performance from fundamentally different directions. The data shows a decisive sweep: the Intel part wins all four head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with margins ranging from a modest 11.9% in single-core Cinebench R15 to a commanding 27% in single-core Cinebench R23. However, the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U holds its own in overall standing — both chips sit at the 53rd percentile among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are remarkably close (3202 for Intel versus 3162 for AMD). This suggests the Intel advantage in the tested Cinebench workloads does not fully translate into a broader performance gap, and the Ryzen's efficiency-oriented design may offer a different kind of value in real-world usage.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multicore test sets the tone: the Intel Core i5-1240P scores 1566.5 against the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U's 1280, a 22.4% advantage. This is a substantial lead for the Intel chip, and it reflects the core-count disparity — the i5-1240P packs 12 cores and 16 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5560U offers 6 cores and 12 threads. The single-core R15 result narrows the gap considerably, with Intel leading 226 to 202 (11.9%), but it still favors the Alder Lake part.

Moving to Cinebench R23, the multicore test shows a nearly identical margin to R15 multicore: Intel scores 9392 versus AMD's 7667, a 22.5% difference. This consistency across two Cinebench versions suggests the Intel lead is structural rather than workload-specific. The real outlier is Cinebench R23 single-core, where Intel extends its advantage to 27% — scoring 1600 against AMD's 1260. That is a striking margin for a single-threaded test, and it points to a significant per-core performance gap between the Intel Golden Cove performance cores and AMD's Zen 3 cores.

Notably, the head-to-head data includes only Cinebench tests for the Intel side, while the AMD chip also has Geekbench results (6922 multicore, 1642 single-core) that have no Intel counterpart in this comparison. This asymmetry means the four-win sweep for Intel comes entirely from Cinebench workloads. The Ryzen's Geekbench single-core score of 1642 is actually higher than Intel's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1600, but direct comparison across different benchmark suites is not valid. The data available shows Intel winning every shared test, with the largest victory in single-core R23 — a result that hints at the i5-1240P's boost clock of 4.40 GHz being more effective than the Ryzen's 4.00 GHz in lightly-threaded scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240P has an average benchmark score of 3202, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U sits at 3162. That is a difference of 40 points, or roughly 1.3%, which is well within the noise of typical benchmark variance.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: Intel leads significantly, scoring 9392 versus AMD's 7667, a delta of 22.5%. This is the largest multicore margin in the head-to-head data, and it aligns with the 22.4% Intel advantage in Cinebench R15 multicore.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240P scores 1600, while the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U scores 1260. That is a 27% advantage for Intel, which is the largest percentage difference across all four head-to-head tests.

Q: Do both processors have the same overall CPU percentile ranking?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-1240P and the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U are at the 53rd percentile among all CPUs. Despite the Intel wins in head-to-head Cinebench tests, their overall standings are identical.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240P has 12 cores and 16 threads, whereas the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U has 6 cores and 12 threads. This is the most obvious structural difference that explains Intel's multicore wins.

Q: Are there any benchmark tests where the AMD processor does not have a direct Intel comparison?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U has Geekbench multicore (6922) and single-core (1642) results, but the Intel Core i5-1240P has no Geekbench scores in the data provided. Therefore, no direct head-to-head comparison is possible for those tests.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-1240P is built on Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 217 mm². It uses a hybrid design that combines performance and efficiency cores, though the fact pack does not specify the exact core mix. The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U, by contrast, uses Zen 3 architecture on TSMC's 7 nm process, with a die size of 180 mm² and 10,700 million transistors. The process node advantage goes to AMD — 7 nm versus 10 nm — which typically translates to better power efficiency per transistor, though the Intel chip's higher TDP of 28 watts versus AMD's 15 watts suggests Intel is willing to spend more power to achieve its performance lead.

Cache hierarchies differ notably. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. AMD's Ryzen 5 5560U has smaller per-core caches: 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2, with 8 MB of shared L3. This means Intel has more than double the L2 cache per core (1.25 MB versus 512 KB), which can significantly benefit workloads that repeatedly access a moderate-sized working set. The larger L3 on Intel (12 MB versus 8 MB) further strengthens its cache advantage, and the data suggests this contributes to the 27% single-core Cinebench R23 margin.

Memory support also diverges. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel configuration, while AMD supports only DDR4. The AMD chip has a specified memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while Intel's memory bandwidth is not listed in the fact pack. For PCIe, Intel offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), whereas AMD provides Gen 3 with 8 lanes — a significant difference for users who might connect fast NVMe SSDs or external GPUs. Integrated graphics differ as well: Intel uses Iris Xe 80EU, while AMD has Radeon Vega 6. The Intel GPU likely benefits from the newer architecture, but no graphics benchmarks are in the data to confirm this.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious specification gap: Intel has 12 cores and 16 threads, while AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks differ with Intel at 1700 MHz and AMD at 2300 MHz — the AMD chip starts higher, but Intel's boost clock of 4.40 GHz exceeds AMD's 4.00 GHz. Thermal design power (TDP) shows Intel at 28 watts and AMD at 15 watts, meaning the Ryzen is designed for lower power consumption, which is typical for a 15-watt mobile part. The Intel socket is BGA 1744, while AMD uses Socket FP6 — these are not interchangeable, and each is tied to specific laptop platforms.

Process technology separates them: Intel uses 10 nm from its own foundry, while AMD uses 7 nm from TSMC. The AMD chip has 10,700 million transistors on a 180 mm² die, while Intel's transistor count is not provided, but its die is larger at 217 mm². Cache configurations differ as detailed earlier: Intel's per-core L1 is 80 KB versus AMD's 64 KB; Intel's per-core L2 is 1.25 MB versus AMD's 512 KB; and Intel's shared L3 is 12 MB versus AMD's 8 MB. Memory support is another differentiator — Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5, AMD only DDR4. ECC memory is supported by AMD but not by Intel. PCIe generation and lane counts favor Intel (Gen 4, 20 lanes) over AMD (Gen 3, 8 lanes). The integrated graphics differ, with Intel's Iris Xe 80EU versus AMD's Radeon Vega 6. Release dates show AMD launched earlier on 2021-01-11, while Intel followed on 2022-02-22. Neither chip has a listed launch MSRP, and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked).

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-1240P wins all four head-to-head benchmark tests in this dataset. Its biggest victories are in Cinebench R23 single-core (27% ahead) and both multicore tests (22.4% and 22.5% ahead). This makes it the clear choice for users who prioritize raw CPU performance in Cinebench-style rendering workloads, which are often used to gauge general compute capability. The 12-core, 16-thread configuration provides substantial multicore headroom, and the 4.40 GHz boost clock drives strong single-threaded results. The larger L2 and L3 caches, plus support for DDR5 memory and PCIe Gen 4, add further advantages for memory-intensive and I/O-bound tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U does not win any head-to-head benchmark in this comparison, but it is not without merits. Its 15-watt TDP versus Intel's 28 watts suggests it will consume less power and generate less heat, which is critical for fanless or ultra-portable designs. The 7 nm process node from TSMC typically offers better power efficiency than Intel's 10 nm, and the smaller die (180 mm² versus 217 mm²) may indicate lower production costs, though pricing is not in the data. The Ryzen's ECC memory support is a niche but valuable feature for certain professional or reliability-focused use cases. Its Geekbench single-core score of 1642 and multicore score of 6922 show that it is competitive in those workloads, even if no Intel comparison is available. The average benchmark score of 3162 is only 1.3% behind Intel's 3202, meaning that outside of Cinebench, the two chips are likely far closer in everyday performance.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the data, the Intel Core i5-1240P is the faster processor in every shared benchmark test. It leads by 11.9% to 27% across Cinebench R15 and R23, with the largest margin in single-core R23. Users who need maximum CPU throughput — for rendering, video encoding, or heavy multitasking — should choose the Intel part, especially given its 12 cores versus AMD's 6, its larger cache hierarchy, and its support for DDR5 and PCIe Gen 4. The Intel chip's 28-watt TDP is a trade-off, but for performance-first laptops, it is a reasonable one.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5560U is the better pick for those who prioritize power efficiency and lower heat output, though this is an inference from the 15-watt TDP and 7 nm process rather than from direct benchmark data. Its equal percentile ranking (53rd) and near-identical average benchmark score (3162 versus 3202) indicate that in a broader set of workloads, the performance gap is small. The Ryzen's ECC memory support and smaller die size are differentiating factors that may appeal to specific buyers. For a general recommendation: if the workload is heavily multithreaded or requires the fastest single-core response, the Intel Core i5-1240P is the data-backed winner. If the laptop must run cool and quiet on battery power, and the performance difference is acceptable, the AMD Ryzen 5 5560U remains a strong alternative — the numbers simply do not show it winning any head-to-head test.