AMD Ryzen 5 5600X vs Intel Core i3-1220P Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear, though not universal, advantage for the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X. Out of the fifteen head-to-head benchmark comparisons in the database, the AMD part wins thirteen, while the Intel Core i3-1220P takes two. The magnitude of those wins, however, tells a more nuanced story than the raw win count.

The Ryzen 5 5600X dominates in compute-heavy, multi-threaded workloads. In the PassMark multithread test, the AMD chip scores 21,858 against the Intel's 14,481, a delta of 50.9%. The gap is even more pronounced in PassMark physics, where the 5600X scores 1,316 versus 637 for the i3-1220P, a 106.6% advantage. The largest single delta in the entire dataset is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the 5600X scores 134 against the i3's 33, a massive 306.1% lead. This suggests a substantial difference in raw integer throughput and memory latency handling under sustained load.

The Ryzen chip also leads decisively in encryption and compression tasks. PassMark data encryption shows a 43.6% lead (15,685 vs 10,923), and data compression shows a 39.8% lead (252,306 vs 180,528). Extended instruction workloads, which often leverage AVX and similar instruction sets, show a 69% advantage for the 5600X (16,991 vs 10,051). Integer math also favors the AMD part by 33% (71,161 vs 53,507), and random string sorting shows a 26% lead (26,256 vs 20,846).

The single-threaded picture is far closer. In PassMark single thread, the 5600X scores 3,364 against the i3-1220P's 3,362, a delta of just 0.1%. This is effectively a tie. The AMD chip wins the Cinebench R15 single-core test by 34.4% (254 vs 189), but that test is an older workload and the absolute scores are low for both parts.

The Intel Core i3-1220P's two wins are significant because they occur in the newer Cinebench R23 suite. In multi-core R23, the i3-1220P scores 13,314 against the 5600X's 11,838, an 11.1% lead. In single-core R23, the Intel part scores 1,879 against the AMD's 1,541, an 18% lead. This suggests that the Alder Lake architecture, with its higher single-core boost clock of 4.40 GHz versus 4.60 GHz for the AMD, still manages to extract more performance in this specific, more modern rendering workload. The i3's 10 physical cores (with 12 threads) may also contribute to its R23 multi-core win, despite the 5600X's higher base clock of 3.70 GHz versus the i3's 1.50 GHz base.

The overall average benchmark score in the database reinforces the split: the Ryzen 5 5600X averages 21,771 across all tests, while the i3-1220P averages 21,066. This places the AMD part in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, versus the 74th percentile for the Intel part. The nearest rival data for the 5600X includes AMD Ryzen 7 4800H (0.1% ahead), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U (0.5% behind), Intel Core i7-11700 (0.5% behind), and AMD EPYC 9554P (0.6% behind). For the i3-1220P, the nearest rivals are AMD Ryzen 5 5600G (0.1% behind), Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (0.2% behind), AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (0.3% behind), and Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (0.5% behind). These tight deltas around the average scores show that both parts sit in a very competitive mid-range performance band, despite the large deltas in specific tests.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is the superior processor for the majority of workloads. Its wins in PassMark multithread (50.9% ahead), physics (106.6% ahead), encryption (43.6% ahead), and integer math (33% ahead) are not marginal; they are substantial, consistent leads that matter for any task that scales across cores. The 306.1% lead in find prime numbers is exceptional and indicates a strong advantage in algorithms that are sensitive to memory bandwidth and cache efficiency.

The Intel Core i3-1220P, however, is not without merit. Its 18% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 11.1% lead in R23 multi-core show that in this specific, modern rendering benchmark, the Alder Lake architecture performs better. This is a meaningful data point for users whose primary workload is Cinebench or similar rendering tasks that are optimized for that benchmark's specific instruction mix.

The overall average scores (21,771 vs 21,066) and the near-identical single-thread PassMark scores (3,364 vs 3,362) show that for general, non-specialized use, the two CPUs are far closer than the headline deltas suggest. The 5600X is the winner for compute-heavy, multi-threaded, and encryption/compression tasks. The i3-1220P is the winner for the specific Cinebench R23 workloads. There is no scenario in the data where the Intel part wins across a broad category of tests.

Where Each One Wins

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X wins in:

• PassMark multithread: 21,858 vs 14,481 (50.9% lead)
• PassMark physics: 1,316 vs 637 (106.6% lead)
• PassMark find prime numbers: 134 vs 33 (306.1% lead)
• PassMark data encryption: 15,685 vs 10,923 (43.6% lead)
• PassMark data compression: 252,306 vs 180,528 (39.8% lead)
• PassMark extended instructions: 16,991 vs 10,051 (69% lead)
• PassMark integer math: 71,161 vs 53,507 (33% lead)
• PassMark floating point math: 39,487 vs 37,294 (5.9% lead)
• PassMark random string sorting: 26,256 vs 20,846 (26% lead)
• Cinebench R15 multi-core: 1,968 vs 1,341 (46.8% lead)
• Cinebench R15 single-core: 254 vs 189 (34.4% lead)
• PassMark single thread: 3,364 vs 3,362 (0.1% lead)

Intel Core i3-1220P wins in:

• Cinebench R23 multi-core: 13,314 vs 11,838 (11.1% lead)
• Cinebench R23 single-core: 1,879 vs 1,541 (18% lead)

Use-case split: The 5600X is the choice for scientific computing, data analysis, encryption workloads, compression tasks, physics simulations, and any multi-threaded application that can use more than 12 threads effectively. The i3-1220P is the choice for users who specifically run Cinebench R23 or workloads that mirror its rendering style, where its 18% single-core and 11.1% multi-core leads are decisive. For general desktop use, the data shows a near-tie in single-threaded PassMark, meaning either CPU would provide similar responsiveness in everyday applications.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X has a higher average benchmark score of 21,771, compared to the Intel Core i3-1220P's 21,066. This puts the AMD part in the 75th percentile of all CPUs, versus the 74th percentile for the Intel part.

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

A: In PassMark single thread, the scores are nearly identical: 3,364 for the 5600X and 3,362 for the i3-1220P, a delta of just 0.1%. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the Intel part leads by 18% (1,879 vs 1,541), while in Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD part leads by 34.4% (254 vs 189).

Q: Which CPU wins in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X wins in the majority of multi-threaded tests. It leads by 50.9% in PassMark multithread (21,858 vs 14,481), by 106.6% in PassMark physics (1,316 vs 637), and by 39.8% in data compression (252,306 vs 180,528). The Intel part wins only in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it leads by 11.1% (13,314 vs 11,838).

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two CPUs?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X scores 134 against the Intel Core i3-1220P's 33, a 306.1% advantage. This indicates a substantial difference in algorithms sensitive to memory latency and cache throughput.

Q: Are there any workloads where the Intel Core i3-1220P is clearly better?

A: Yes, in the Cinebench R23 suite. The i3-1220P leads by 18% in single-core (1,879 vs 1,541) and by 11.1% in multi-core (13,314 vs 11,838). These are the only two tests in the head-to-head data where the Intel part wins.

Q: How do the nearest rival CPUs compare to each of these parts?

A: The Ryzen 5 5600X's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 4800H, which is 0.1% ahead in average score. Other rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U (0.5% behind), Intel Core i7-11700 (0.5% behind), and AMD EPYC 9554P (0.6% behind). The i3-1220P's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G, which is 0.1% behind, followed by Intel Core Ultra 7 256V (0.2% behind), AMD Ryzen 5 7530U (0.3% behind), and Intel Core Ultra 7 155U (0.5% behind).

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies and market segments. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a desktop part built on the Zen 3 architecture, codenamed Vermeer. It uses a 7 nm process node manufactured by TSMC and contains 4,150 million transistors on a 74 mm² die. The Intel Core i3-1220P is a mobile processor based on Alder Lake, codenamed Alder Lake-P, built on Intel's 10 nm process. The AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel part has 10 cores and 12 threads, an interesting configuration that pairs performance and efficiency cores.

The cache hierarchies differ significantly. The 5600X has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a large 32 MB L3 cache. The i3-1220P has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but only 12 MB of shared L3 cache. This larger L3 on the AMD side likely contributes to its dominant performance in the find prime numbers test and other memory-sensitive workloads.

Clock speeds also differ. The 5600X has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The i3-1220P has a much lower base clock of 1.50 GHz but a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The lower base clock on the Intel part reflects its mobile design, prioritizing power efficiency, while the similar boost clocks explain the close single-threaded PassMark scores.

Power and socket are major differentiators. The 5600X has a TDP of 65 watts and uses the AMD Socket AM4. The i3-1220P has a TDP of 28 watts and uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket, indicating it is soldered to the motherboard. The AMD part supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but has no recorded memory bandwidth figure in the database. The 5600X supports ECC memory, the i3-1220P does not.

Both CPUs support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The 5600X has no integrated graphics, while the i3-1220P includes UHD Graphics 64EU. The 5600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, while the i3-1220P is locked. The AMD part launched on 2020-11-04 with a launch MSRP of $299. The Intel part launched on 2022-02-22 with no recorded launch MSRP. The 5600X is classified as a desktop processor, the i3-1220P as a mobile processor, and both are listed as Active in production status.