AMD Ryzen 5 8500G vs Intel Core i5-12490F Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12490F and AMD Ryzen 5 8500G are both 6-core, 12-thread desktop processors with a 65W TDP, but they diverge sharply in architecture and platform. The Intel part, based on Alder Lake, posts an average benchmark score of 20802, while the AMD part, based on Zen 4, averages 20425. Both sit at the 74th percentile among all CPUs in the database, yet their performance profiles are far from identical.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a clear split: the Intel Core i5-12490F wins 7 of 23 tests, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G takes 16. The largest Intel victories come in floating-point math and 3DMark multi-threaded workloads. In PassMark floating point math, the Intel part scores 47326 against 39074 for the AMD, a 21.1% lead. In 3DMark max threads, Intel records 5936 versus 5213, a 13.9% advantage. The 16-thread 3DMark test shows a similar pattern: 5923 for Intel against 5224 for AMD, a 13.4% margin. The 8-thread 3DMark test also favors Intel, 4811 to 4565, a 5.4% lead. PassMark physics goes to Intel by a smaller margin, 1345 to 1318, a 2% edge. The 4-thread 3DMark test is essentially a tie, with Intel at 3133 and AMD at 3130, a 0.1% difference. The prime number test is a dead heat at 87 for both, though the database credits Intel with the win.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G dominates in single-thread and rendering workloads. Its largest win is in PassMark random string sorting, where it scores 29407 against Intel's 23791, a 19.1% advantage. Extended instructions go to AMD by 16.3%, with scores of 19098 versus 15993. Data encryption shows a 15.5% lead for AMD, 14220 to 12018. The 2-thread 3DMark test favors AMD, 1913 to 1727, a 9.7% margin. Cinebench results are consistently in AMD's favor: R15 single-core 261 to 245 (6.1% lead), R20 single-core 1089 to 1024 (6% lead), and R23 single-core 2593 to 2440 (5.9% lead). The multicore Cinebench tests also go to AMD, with R23 multicore at 18368 versus 17284, a 5.9% lead. PassMark multithread shows AMD ahead by 6.5%, 21610 to 20202. Integer math goes to AMD by 4.1%, 63123 to 60548. Data compression favors AMD by 5.2%, 250197 to 237304. Single-thread PassMark gives AMD a 5.4% edge, 3891 to 3682.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12490F is the stronger choice for workloads that rely on floating-point arithmetic and certain multi-threaded 3D tasks. Its 21.1% lead in floating point math suggests an advantage in scientific computing, physics simulations, and any code that heavily uses FPU operations. The 3DMark multi-threaded wins, particularly the 13.9% margin in max threads and 13.4% in 16 threads, point to better scaling in synthetic 3D workloads that use many threads. The physics test also favors Intel, though by a modest 2%. For users running 3DMark-style benchmarks or FP-heavy applications, the Intel part is clearly ahead.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G is the better option for single-thread performance, rendering, and general productivity. Its Cinebench wins across all versions, both single-core and multicore, indicate superior performance in 3D rendering and content creation. The 5.9% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore is consistent across the R15 and R20 versions. AMD also leads in encryption, extended instructions, and random string sorting, which are common in security, compression, and data-processing tasks. The 6.5% lead in PassMark multithread and 5.4% in single-thread show a balanced advantage across both lightly and heavily threaded workloads. Additionally, the AMD part includes a Radeon 740M integrated GPU, while the Intel part has none, so the 8500G can handle display output without a discrete graphics card.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different platforms. The Intel Core i5-12490F uses the Alder Lake architecture, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process, with a die size of 163 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G uses the Zen 4 architecture, specifically the Phoenix2 codename, on TSMC's 4 nm process, with a die size of 137 mm² and 20,900 million transistors. The Intel part has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, while the AMD part runs at 3.50 GHz base and 5.00 GHz boost. Both have 6 cores and 12 threads, but the cache layouts differ: Intel provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3. AMD offers 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3.

Memory support is another differentiator. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, while the AMD part supports only DDR5, also dual-channel, with a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. The Intel processor has no ECC support, whereas the AMD processor supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while AMD provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only). The Intel part has no integrated graphics, while the AMD part includes a Radeon 740M. The sockets are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1700, AMD uses Socket AM5. The Intel part is classified as a desktop segment product, while the AMD part is listed as mobile segment, despite being a desktop processor in practice. The AMD part has a release date of 2024-01-07 and a launch MSRP of $179; the Intel part has no recorded release date or MSRP in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G boosts to 5.00 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-12490F boosts to 4.60 GHz.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-12490F has 20 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G has 16 MB.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD part supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-12490F does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G includes a Radeon 740M integrated GPU. The Intel Core i5-12490F has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor is faster in single-thread Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G scores 2593 in Cinebench R23 single-core, compared to 2440 for the Intel Core i5-12490F, a 5.9% lead.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i5-12490F has an average benchmark score of 20802, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G averages 20425.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i5-12490F | AMD Ryzen 5 8500G |

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

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.60 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | AMD Socket AM5 |

| Architecture | Alder Lake | Zen 4 |

| Codename | Alder Lake-S | Phoenix2 |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 4 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Transistors | Not specified | 20,900 million |

| Die Size | 163 mm² | 137 mm² |

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

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

| L3 Cache (shared) | 20 MB | 16 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

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

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 14 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Radeon 740M |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | Not specified | 2024-01-07 |

| Launch MSRP | Not specified | $179 |

| Part Number | SRL4X | 100-000001491 |