AMD Ryzen 5 7600 vs Intel Core i7-12700H Comparison

The Intel Core i7-12700H and AMD Ryzen 5 7600 occupy different corners of the performance spectrum, and the benchmark data reflects a clear split. The 12700H, a mobile processor with 14 cores and 20 threads, leverages its physical core advantage in heavily threaded workloads, while the Ryzen 5 7600, a desktop chip with 6 cores and 12 threads, dominates in latency-sensitive and lightly threaded tasks. Across the 21 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 7600 secures 16 wins, with the Intel chip taking 5. The average benchmark score for the 12700H is 26,717, placing it in the 79th percentile of all CPUs, while the Ryzen 5 7600 posts an average of 26,324, sitting in the 78th percentile. These are closely matched parts overall, but their strengths diverge sharply depending on the workload.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 is the clear winner in single-threaded and low-thread-count scenarios. Its 3DMark single-thread score of 999 beats the Intel chip's 949, a 5% advantage. The gap widens in the 2-thread test, where the Ryzen scores 1,938 against 1,817, a 6.2% lead. At 4 threads, the Ryzen 5 7600's 3,686 score is 11.3% ahead of the 12700H's 3,268. Even at 8 threads, the Ryzen maintains a 10.1% edge with 5,508 versus 4,951. This pattern also shows up in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Ryzen's 298 points dwarf the Intel's 256, a 14.1% difference. The Ryzen 5 7600 also wins in PassMark single-thread (3,910 vs. 3,535, a 9.6% lead) and in the extended instructions test, where its 23,071 score is 22.5% higher than the Intel chip's 17,886. For users running lightly threaded applications, the Ryzen 5 7600 is the more responsive part.

The Intel Core i7-12700H takes the crown in sustained multi-threaded workloads that can utilize its full core count. The most dramatic example is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the 12700H scores 16,307.5 compared to the Ryzen's 12,735, a 28.1% advantage. The Intel chip also wins in Cinebench R15 multi-core with 2,604.6 versus 2,339, an 11.4% lead. In PassMark floating-point math, the 12700H's 65,075 is 35.3% higher than the Ryzen's 48,107. Integer math also favors Intel, with 90,106 against 80,581, an 11.8% edge. The 3DMark max-threads test (which uses all available threads) sees the 12700H post 6,941 versus 6,503, a 6.7% win. The Ryzen 5 7600 does claim the PassMark multithread test with 27,058 to 25,615, a 5.3% margin, but the Intel part's higher core count gives it the edge in most long-duration, all-core tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different designs. The Intel Core i7-12700H uses the Alder Lake-H architecture, a hybrid design that combines performance and efficiency cores on a 10 nm process from Intel. It has 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The chip's cache layout includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, with no ECC support. The integrated graphics are Iris Xe with 96 execution units. This is a mobile part, designed for a BGA 1744 socket with a 45 W TDP. Its PCIe implementation is Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes.

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Raphael, built on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The transistor count is 6,570 million on a 71 mm² die. Cache consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR5 only, with a dual-channel bus and a recorded bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. ECC memory is supported. The integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics. This is a desktop part for Socket AM5 with a 65 W TDP. It uses PCIe Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, and the multiplier is unlocked for overclocking.

The process node difference is notable: 10 nm for Intel versus 5 nm for AMD, giving the Ryzen a density and efficiency advantage. The Ryzen also has a higher boost clock by 0.40 GHz, which contributes to its single-thread dominance. The Intel chip compensates with more cores and threads, plus a larger L1 and L2 per core, but the Ryzen has a larger shared L3 (32 MB vs. 24 MB). The AMD part also includes ECC support and a newer PCIe generation, while the Intel part offers broader memory compatibility with DDR4 and DDR5.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700H has 14 cores and 20 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which chip is faster in single-threaded benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 wins all single-thread tests. It scores 999 in 3DMark single-thread (vs. 949), 298 in Cinebench R15 single-core (vs. 256), and 3,910 in PassMark single-thread (vs. 3,535).

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700H scores 16,307.5 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 28.1% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 7600's score of 12,735.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 5 7600 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-12700H does not support ECC.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700H supports DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 supports DDR5 only.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-12700H has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The Intel Core i7-12700H has 14 cores and 20 threads, compared to the AMD Ryzen 5 7600's 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 2.30 GHz for Intel and 3.80 GHz for AMD. Boost clocks are 4.70 GHz for Intel and 5.10 GHz for AMD. The TDP is 45 W for the Intel mobile chip and 65 W for the AMD desktop chip. The Intel part uses Socket BGA 1744, while the AMD part uses Socket AM5. The process node is 10 nm for Intel and 5 nm for AMD, with the AMD chip built by TSMC and the Intel chip built by Intel. The die size is 217 mm² for Intel and 71 mm² for AMD, with AMD having 6,570 million transistors. L1 cache is 80 KB per core for Intel and 64 KB per core for AMD. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core for Intel and 1 MB per core for AMD. L3 cache is 24 MB shared for Intel and 32 MB shared for AMD. Memory support is DDR4 and DDR5 for Intel, DDR5 only for AMD. ECC memory is false for Intel and true for AMD. PCIe is Gen 4 with 20 lanes for Intel, Gen 5 with 24 lanes for AMD. Integrated graphics are Iris Xe 96EU for Intel and Radeon Graphics for AMD. The market segment is Mobile for Intel and Desktop for AMD. The AMD part has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part does not. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 has a launch MSRP of $229.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 comes in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 23,071 against the Intel chip's 17,886, a 22.5% advantage. This is followed by the 4-thread 3DMark test, where the Ryzen's 3,686 beats the 12700H's 3,268 by 11.3%. The 8-thread 3DMark test shows a 10.1% lead for AMD (5,508 vs. 4,951). In PassMark find prime numbers, the Ryzen 5 7600 scores 200 versus 94 for Intel, a 53% difference. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows a 14.1% edge for AMD (298 vs. 256). The Ryzen also wins PassMark physics with 1,776 against 1,512, a 14.9% lead, and PassMark multithread with 27,058 versus 25,615, a 5.3% margin. In 3DMark single-thread, the Ryzen leads by 5% (999 vs. 949), and in 2-thread it leads by 6.2% (1,938 vs. 1,817). The Ryzen also edges ahead in PassMark single-thread (3,910 vs. 3,535, 9.6%), random string sorting (35,904 vs. 33,449, 6.8%), data compression (304,942 vs. 300,594, 1.4%), and data encryption (17,704 vs. 17,575, 0.7%).

The Intel Core i7-12700H's largest victory is in PassMark floating-point math, where its 65,075 score is 35.3% higher than the Ryzen's 48,107. The Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows a 28.1% lead for Intel (16,307.5 vs. 12,735). In PassMark integer math, the 12700H scores 90,106 against 80,581, an 11.8% win. Cinebench R15 multi-core gives Intel an 11.4% edge (2,604.6 vs. 2,339). The 3DMark max-threads test sees the Intel chip post 6,941 versus 6,503, a 6.7% advantage. These five wins highlight the Intel part's strength in workloads that scale with core count and raw computational throughput, while the AMD part's 16 wins demonstrate its superiority in lower-thread-count and single-thread scenarios. The recorded data shows that the Intel Core i7-12700H is the better choice for heavy multi-threaded rendering and math-heavy tasks, while the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 offers superior responsiveness in everyday applications and lightly threaded games.