AMD Ryzen 5 7545U vs Intel Core i7-12700H Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U and Intel Core i7-12700H occupy the same performance tier despite dramatically different designs. Both processors achieve a 79th percentile ranking among all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 26,849 for the AMD part versus 26,717 for the Intel part. That 0.5% gap in favor of AMD, however, masks a starkly divergent set of strengths. The data shows a 13-to-4 split in benchmark wins favoring Intel, yet the AMD chip claims the two most important modern workloads: Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core, where it wins by 5.8% and 36.6% respectively. This is not a simple "one is faster" story; it is a tale of architectural philosophy meeting different workload demands.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-12700H is the clear winner for heavily threaded, math-intensive, and compression-heavy tasks. Its 14 cores and 20 threads dominate the PassMark suite, taking every single PassMark test except single-thread performance. The most lopsided victory is floating-point math, where Intel scores 65,075 against AMD's 36,754 — a 43.5% advantage. Integer math tells a similar story at 90,106 versus 60,206, a 33.2% gap. Data compression (300,594 vs 238,345, +20.7%), encryption (17,575 vs 14,202, +19.2%), and prime number finding (94 vs 68, +27.7%) all favor Intel substantially. In Cinebench R15 and R20, the Intel part also leads multi-core by 33.2% and 18.8% respectively. This is a processor built for sustained parallel throughput, likely benefiting from its larger physical core count.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U wins where single-thread efficiency and modern instruction handling matter most. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 2,435 crushes Intel's 1,782 — a 36.6% margin that is unprecedented in this comparison. PassMark single-thread also goes to AMD (3,673 vs 3,535, +3.9%). More importantly, AMD wins the most stressful multi-core test in the set: Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 17,253 versus Intel's 16,307.5, a 5.8% lead. This suggests that while Intel dominates older render engines and synthetic math, AMD's architecture scales better in the newest Cinebench iteration. For workloads built around modern AVX-512-capable code paths or highly efficient single-thread execution, the 7545U is the superior choice. The extended instructions test is a near dead heat (17,865 vs 17,886, a 0.1% Intel edge), indicating parity in that domain.

Architecture Differences

The two chips represent opposing design strategies. The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U is built on TSMC's 4 nm process with a die size of 137 mm², housing 20,900 million transistors. It uses six Zen 4 cores with 12 threads, a base clock of 3.20 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. It supports DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and includes ECC memory support. The integrated GPU is a Radeon 740M, and PCIe connectivity is Gen 4 with 14 CPU lanes. The TDP is 28 watts, and it uses AMD Socket FP7.

The Intel Core i7-12700H is a fundamentally different beast. It uses Intel's 10 nm process with a larger 217 mm² die. It packs 14 cores and 20 threads, combining performance and efficiency cores under the Alder Lake-H codename. Base clock is 2.30 GHz with a 4.70 GHz boost. Cache is larger per core: 80 KB L1, 1.25 MB L2, and 24 MB shared L3. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, though the fact pack does not list a memory bandwidth figure. ECC is not supported. Graphics come from Iris Xe with 96 execution units. PCIe is Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes. The TDP is 45 watts, and it uses Intel BGA 1744.

The most consequential differences are core count (14 vs 6), process node (10 nm vs 4 nm), and TDP (45W vs 28W). Intel's hybrid architecture relies on raw core count to win threaded workloads, while AMD's smaller, denser Zen 4 cores achieve higher clock speeds (4.90 GHz vs 4.70 GHz) and superior single-thread performance. The 4 nm TSMC process likely explains AMD's efficiency advantage, allowing it to deliver competitive multi-core scores at nearly half the TDP. The L3 cache difference (24 MB vs 16 MB) favors Intel in data-heavy scenarios, corroborating its compression and encryption wins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench family shows a fascinating reversal across versions. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel wins decisively with 2,604.6 against AMD's 1,739 — a 33.2% margin. Cinebench R20 multi-core narrows that to 18.8% (8,921 vs 7,246). By Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD flips the script entirely, winning 17,253 to 16,307.5, a 5.8% lead. This trend suggests AMD's architecture is better optimized for the newest rendering workloads, perhaps leveraging its higher boost clock and more efficient instruction pipeline. Single-core Cinebench shows AMD's dominance growing from a 4.3% deficit in R15 (245 vs 256) to a 36.6% lead in R23 (2,435 vs 1,782).

PassMark results are overwhelmingly Intel's territory. Floating-point math shows the largest gap at 43.5% (65,075 vs 36,754). Integer math follows at 33.2% (90,106 vs 60,206). Physics simulation goes to Intel by 30.1% (1,512 vs 1,057). Data compression and encryption show 20.7% and 19.2% Intel leads respectively. Prime number finding is 27.7% in Intel's favor. Random string sorting is closer at 9.2% (33,449 vs 30,358). The only PassMark test AMD wins is single-thread, where it takes 3,673 to 3,535, a 3.9% margin. Extended instructions are essentially tied at 17,865 vs 17,886.

The 3DMark tests, available only for Intel, show scaling from 949 single-thread to 6,941 max-threads, with 16-thread at 6,460. These numbers provide context for Intel's threading efficiency but cannot be compared directly against AMD. The overall win count of 13 for Intel versus 4 for AMD reflects Intel's dominance in math-heavy and compression workloads, while AMD's wins cluster in the most modern and single-thread-sensitive tests.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7545U wins with a score of 17,253 against Intel's 16,307.5, a 5.8% advantage. This is notable because Intel wins Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core by 33.2% and 18.8% respectively.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-12700H beat AMD in every PassMark test?

A: No. Intel wins 11 of 12 PassMark tests, but AMD takes single-thread performance with 3,673 versus Intel's 3,535, a 3.9% lead. The extended instructions test is a virtual tie at 17,865 vs 17,886.

Q: How does core count affect the benchmark results?

A: Intel's 14 cores and 20 threads deliver massive wins in floating-point math (43.5%), integer math (33.2%), and physics (30.1%). AMD's 6 cores and 12 threads still manage to win Cinebench R23 multi-core, suggesting its Zen 4 architecture is more efficient per thread.

Q: What is the single biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark floating-point math, where Intel scores 65,075 against AMD's 36,754 — a 43.5% difference. The second-largest is Cinebench R23 single-core, where AMD leads by 36.6%.

Q: Which chip has better memory support?

A: AMD supports only DDR5 with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and includes ECC. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but has no listed bandwidth figure and no ECC. AMD's memory bandwidth is specified, Intel's is not.

Q: Do both processors have the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both rank in the 79th percentile among all CPUs. Their average benchmark scores are 26,849 (AMD) and 26,717 (Intel), a 0.5% difference in AMD's favor.

Specification Differences

| Field | AMD Ryzen 5 7545U | Intel Core i7-12700H |

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

| Cores | 6 | 14 |

| Threads | 12 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 3.20 GHz | 2.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.90 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Phoenix2 | Alder Lake-H |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 137 mm² | 217 mm² |

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

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

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | Not specified |

| ECC Support | Yes | No |

| PCIe Lanes | Gen 4, 14 Lanes | Gen 4, 20 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 740M | Iris Xe 96EU |

| Transistors | 20,900 million | Not specified |

| Part Number | 100-000000930 (FP7r2), 100-000000929 (FP7) | SRLD1 |

The specification table highlights the fundamental trade-off: Intel offers more cores, more cache, more PCIe lanes, and dual memory support, but at higher TDP and larger die size. AMD counters with a smaller process node, higher clock speeds, ECC support, and a specified memory bandwidth. These differences map directly onto the benchmark results, with Intel winning raw throughput and AMD winning efficiency-oriented and single-thread tests.