AMD Ryzen 5 7400F vs Intel Core i5-12600HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a clear overall victory for the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F, which takes 13 of the 17 benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core i5-12600HX counters with 4 wins. The margins tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count, however.

AMD's most decisive victories come in two PassMark subtests. In the find_prime_numbers test, the Ryzen 5 7400F scores 191 against Intel's 83, a 56.5% advantage. This is the largest delta in the entire comparison, indicating a substantial architectural edge in integer-heavy prime calculation workloads. The extended_instructions test also favors AMD heavily, with scores of 21747 versus 17328, a 20.3% gap. These two results suggest that the Zen 4 core design handles certain mathematical instruction patterns with significantly greater efficiency.

The Cinebench suite shows consistent, if narrower, AMD wins across all six tests. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Ryzen 5 7400F posts 21765 versus the Intel chip's 20714, a 4.8% margin. The single-core R23 result is similarly close: 3072 for AMD against 2924 for Intel, also a 4.8% delta. The R15 and R20 variants mirror this pattern exactly, with the same 4.8% and 4.9% deltas in AMD's favor for both multicore and single-core runs. This uniformity across Cinebench versions indicates a consistent per-core performance advantage rather than a scaling quirk.

The PassMark multithread test gives AMD another win, 25645 to 24681, a 3.8% margin. The physics subtest shows a larger AMD advantage at 9.4%, with scores of 1660 versus 1504. Random string sorting also goes AMD's way, 35096 to 33110, a 5.7% gap. The single_thread results are close, with AMD ahead by only 1.8% (3689 versus 3623).

Intel's wins are concentrated in specific math and encryption workloads. The floating_point_math test is Intel's biggest victory, scoring 58378 against AMD's 45799, a substantial 27.5% lead. This suggests the Alder Lake design with its 12 cores and 16 threads has a significant advantage in floating-point throughput. The data_encryption test gives Intel a 4.8% win (17506 versus 16712), while integer_math shows a 6.1% Intel advantage (79339 versus 74745). Data compression is the closest contest of all, with Intel edging AMD 292256 to 289999, a mere 0.8% difference.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-12600HX is built on the Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F uses the Zen 4 architecture, produced by TSMC on a 5 nm node with a die size of 71 mm². AMD's process advantage is evident in the transistor count: the Ryzen chip packs 6,570 million transistors, while Intel does not disclose a figure.

Core configurations diverge sharply. Intel pairs 12 cores with 16 threads, implying a hybrid arrangement of performance and efficiency cores. AMD offers 6 cores and 12 threads, a straightforward symmetric design. The cache hierarchies also differ. Intel allocates 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with 18 MB of shared L3. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core, but compensates with a larger 32 MB shared L3 pool. The additional L3 capacity likely contributes to AMD's strong showings in prime number and extended instruction workloads.

Clock speeds favor AMD on paper. The Ryzen 5 7400F has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost of 4.70 GHz, versus Intel's 2.50 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost. The higher base clock is particularly notable, as it suggests sustained performance under load without relying on boost behavior. Both processors have unlocked multipliers, and both support ECC memory.

Memory support shows another key split. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, while AMD supports only DDR5. AMD lists a memory bandwidth figure of 83.2 GB/s; Intel does not provide one. For PCIe, AMD offers Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, while Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes. Intel integrates UHD Graphics 770, while AMD has no integrated graphics, reflecting their different market segments: mobile for Intel, desktop for AMD.

Where Each One Wins

The data supports distinct use-case profiles. The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is the better choice for single-threaded and lightly threaded workloads. Its wins in all six Cinebench tests, including single-core variants, point to superior per-thread performance. The 56.5% advantage in find_prime_numbers and 20.3% lead in extended_instructions further reinforce this, making the Ryzen chip attractive for scientific computing, simulation, and any workload that iterates heavily on integer math.

For content creation that relies on Cinebench-style rendering, AMD again takes the edge. The consistent 4.8% multicore lead in R15, R20, and R23 suggests that even with fewer cores, the Zen 4 architecture's efficiency closes the gap and then some. The PassMark multithread result (25645 versus 24681) and physics test (1660 versus 1504) add weight to AMD's case for general productivity and simulation tasks.

The Intel Core i5-12600HX claims its territory in floating-point intensive applications. The 27.5% lead in floating_point_math is the single largest Intel advantage and indicates that tasks like 3D rendering, audio processing, or certain physics simulations that lean on FPU throughput will favor the Intel part. The integer_math win of 6.1% and data_encryption win of 4.8% suggest Intel also holds an edge in cryptographic workloads and general integer arithmetic. The near-tie in data_compression (0.8%) makes that category a coin flip.

For users who need an integrated GPU, Intel is the only option, as the Ryzen 5 7400F has no iGPU. For those building a desktop with a discrete graphics card, AMD's larger PCIe lane count (24 versus 20) and higher base clock may be more appealing.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-12600HX | AMD Ryzen 5 7400F |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 12 | 6 |

| Threads | 16 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 2.50 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.60 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1964 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 5 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 215 mm² | 71 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 1 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 18 MB (shared) | 32 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 83.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 24 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | N/A |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2022-05-09 | 2025-01-08 |

| Launch MSRP | $284 | $229 |

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F wins all single-core comparisons. In Cinebench R23 single-core it scores 3072 versus Intel's 2924, a 4.8% margin. The PassMark single_thread test shows a smaller AMD lead of 1.8% (3689 versus 3623).

Q: Why does Intel win the floating_point_math test by such a large margin?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600HX scores 58378 in floating_point_math, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7400F scores 45799, giving Intel a 27.5% advantage. This appears tied to the Intel chip's higher core count (12 versus 6) and its thread configuration, which may allow better FPU throughput in this specific workload.

Q: Does the AMD processor have integrated graphics?

A: No. The Ryzen 5 7400F lists integrated graphics as N/A. The Intel Core i5-12600HX includes UHD Graphics 770, making it the only option of the two for systems without a discrete GPU.

Q: How do the two processors compare in memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F lists a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s and supports only DDR5. The Intel Core i5-12600HX supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, but no bandwidth figure is recorded for it.

Q: Which processor is better for prime number calculations?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F is dramatically better in the find_prime_numbers test, scoring 191 against Intel's 83, a 56.5% advantage. This is the largest performance gap in the entire benchmark comparison.

Q: What are the total benchmark win counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7400F wins 13 of the 17 head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i5-12600HX wins 4. Both processors sit in the 83rd percentile among all CPUs in the database, with average benchmark scores of 32750 for AMD and 33375 for Intel.