AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS vs Intel Core i9-12900HK Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core i9-12900HK dominates the multi-threaded and compute-intensive workloads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS takes narrow wins in single-threaded tests. Across the 15 head-to-head comparisons, the Intel part secures 11 victories, with the AMD chip winning 4.

The largest margin in the entire comparison belongs to the Intel processor in the PassMark physics test, where it scores 1673 against 970, a 72.5% advantage. This is not an isolated outlier. The floating-point math test shows a 60% lead for Intel (63572 versus 39725), and the Cinebench R23 multicore result shows a 59.2% gap (18288 versus 11486). These three tests alone establish the Intel chip as the clear choice for heavily threaded, floating-point-heavy workloads.

The Cinebench R15 multicore test reinforces this pattern, with the Intel part scoring 2786 against 1845, a 51% delta. The prime number finding test also favors Intel heavily, with a 45.7% gap (102 versus 70). The data compression workload shows a 30.2% lead (294908 versus 226544), while integer math lands at 31.3% (89527 versus 68173). Encryption performance is also firmly in Intel's favor, with a 28.7% delta (17445 versus 13551).

The Intel processor also wins the multithreaded PassMark score by 29.2% (25697 versus 19889), and the extended instructions test by 10.9% (17583 versus 15855). Even the random string sorting test, which can favor different architectures depending on memory behavior, goes to Intel by 20.7% (32983 versus 27316). Every one of these victories is substantial, ranging from roughly 11% to over 70%, indicating a consistent architectural advantage in throughput-oriented tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS, however, is not without its own wins, and they are worth examining closely. The single-threaded Cinebench R15 result goes to AMD by 9.7%, scoring 268 versus 242. The R23 single-core test is a much narrower affair, with AMD winning by just 2.2% (1711 versus 1673). The PassMark single-thread tests show a nearly identical outcome, with AMD ahead by a razor-thin 0.5% (3584 versus 3567). These results indicate that the Zen 4 architecture in the AMD chip delivers competitive, if not slightly superior, single-thread performance per clock, even against Intel's high-boost Alder Lake design.

What is striking is not just the number of wins, but the magnitude. Intel's losses are all under 10%, and most are under 3%. AMD's losses, by contrast, range from roughly 11% to 72.5%. The average benchmark score reflects this asymmetry: the Intel Core i9-12900HK posts an average of 26469, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS averages 26106. Both processors sit at the 78th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they are in the same overall performance tier, but the distribution of that performance is very different.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward conclusion for users who need maximum throughput. The Intel Core i9-12900HK is the superior processor for multi-threaded rendering, mathematical computation, data compression, and encryption workloads. Its 14 cores and 20 threads give it a structural advantage that the AMD chip cannot overcome, despite the newer manufacturing process. The 59.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore and the 60% lead in floating-point math are decisive margins that matter for content creators, engineers, and anyone running parallel compute tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS is the better choice for workloads that are single-threaded or latency-sensitive. Its wins in Cinebench R15 single-core, R23 single-core, and PassMark single-thread are consistent, though modest. The largest single-thread advantage is 9.7% in Cinebench R15, which is meaningful for older applications that rely on one or two cores. The 0.5% PassMark single-thread delta is effectively a tie, but the direction of the result is consistent across three separate single-thread tests.

Neither processor is a universal winner. The Intel chip wins the majority of tests by large margins, while the AMD chip wins a minority by small margins. Users who prioritize single-thread responsiveness and lower power draw will find the AMD processor attractive. Users who prioritize raw compute throughput should select the Intel processor without hesitation. The 78th percentile ranking for both parts indicates that neither is at the top of the overall CPU hierarchy, but within this head-to-head comparison, the Intel part is the throughput king.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i9-12900HK is built on the Alder Lake architecture, using the Alder Lake-H codename and Intel's 10 nm process node, fabricated by Intel itself. The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS uses the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Hawk Point, built on TSMC's 4 nm process node. The manufacturing process difference is significant: the AMD part uses a newer, denser node from TSMC, which contributes to its lower power profile.

The core configurations differ substantially. The Intel processor has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD processor has 6 cores and 12 threads. This is the single largest architectural divergence between the two. Intel's hybrid design combines performance cores and efficiency cores, allowing it to present 14 physical cores to the operating system. AMD's Zen 4 design uses 6 full-performance cores with simultaneous multithreading, yielding 12 threads. The thread count difference of 8 is directly responsible for many of Intel's multi-threaded wins.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The Intel chip allocates 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. Intel's larger L3 cache, at 24 MB versus 16 MB, provides more shared capacity for data-intensive workloads. The per-core L1 and L2 figures are also larger on the Intel side, though the AMD chip's smaller core count means fewer total cache banks.

The integrated graphics differ as well. Intel uses Iris Xe graphics with 96 execution units, while AMD uses the Radeon 760M. Both are integrated solutions suitable for mobile systems without discrete GPUs. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both use dual-channel memory buses. The Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the AMD chip supports DDR5 only. Memory bandwidth is listed only for the AMD part at 89.6 GB/s, so the database does not provide a direct comparison figure for Intel.

The AMD processor integrates 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die, while the Intel processor has a die size of 217 mm² with no transistor count listed. The smaller die on a newer process node indicates that AMD is achieving its performance with a more compact, power-efficient design. Intel's larger die reflects the higher core count and the hybrid architecture. Both processors use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, so expansion capabilities are equivalent on paper.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the most obvious specification difference. The Intel Core i9-12900HK has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. This is a gap of 8 physical cores and 8 threads.

Clock speeds move in opposite directions. The Intel part has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The AMD part has a higher base clock of 3.50 GHz but a slightly lower boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The higher base clock on the AMD chip helps explain its single-thread wins, as it starts from a higher frequency. The higher boost clock on the Intel chip gives it a theoretical peak that the AMD chip cannot match, though the benchmark data shows the AMD chip still edges ahead in single-threaded tests.

Thermal design power differs by a wide margin. The Intel processor has a TDP of 45 watts, while the AMD processor has a TDP of 28 watts. This 17-watt difference is substantial for mobile systems. A 45-watt processor requires a more robust cooling solution and will draw more battery power under load. The 28-watt AMD part is more suited to thinner, lighter laptops that prioritize battery life and thermal comfort.

The sockets are different, which means these processors are not interchangeable in any system. The Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1744, while the AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP8. The AMD part has multiple part numbers listed for different socket variants, indicating it is available in FP7, FP7r2, and FP8 forms. The Intel chip lists a single part number, SRLD3.

The Intel processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD processor does not. This means the Intel chip allows overclocking, at least in systems where the firmware and cooling permit it. The AMD chip is locked, so users cannot adjust the multiplier to push frequencies higher.

The process nodes differ, with Intel at 10 nm and AMD at 4 nm. The foundries also differ: Intel fabricates its own chip, while AMD uses TSMC. The AMD chip lists 25,000 million transistors, while the Intel chip does not list a transistor count. The die sizes are 217 mm² for Intel and 178 mm² for AMD. Memory support differs, with Intel accepting both DDR4 and DDR5 while AMD accepts DDR5 only. The integrated graphics also differ, with Intel using Iris Xe 96EU and AMD using Radeon 760M.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12900HK wins in every multi-threaded and compute-heavy category. The PassMark physics test is its strongest showing at 72.5% ahead. Floating-point math follows at 60% ahead. Cinebench R23 multicore is 59.2% ahead, and Cinebench R15 multicore is 51% ahead. The prime number test shows a 45.7% lead. Integer math is 31.3% ahead. Data compression is 30.2% ahead. The multithreaded PassMark score is 29.2% ahead. Data encryption is 28.7% ahead. Random string sorting is 20.7% ahead. Extended instructions are 10.9% ahead. For rendering, scientific computation, data processing, compression, and encryption, the Intel processor is the clear winner.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS wins in single-threaded tests. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows a 9.7% lead, which is its largest margin. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows a 2.2% lead. The PassMark single-thread tests show a 0.5% lead. These wins are consistent across all three single-thread benchmarks in the database, which suggests a genuine architectural advantage in lightly threaded workloads. The AMD chip also has a lower TDP at 28 watts versus 45 watts, which makes it more suitable for systems where thermal headroom and battery life are priorities.

The use-case split is therefore clean. Users running video encoding, 3D rendering, large data sets, or encryption workloads should choose the Intel Core i9-12900HK. The margins are too large to ignore, ranging from roughly 11% to over 70%. Users running office applications, web browsing, or single-threaded legacy software will see a modest benefit from the AMD Ryzen 5 8640HS, though the 0.5% to 9.7% margins are much smaller than Intel's leads. The AMD chip also offers a lower power envelope, which is a meaningful advantage in mobile systems.

The overall percentile ranking of 78th for both processors suggests they sit in the same competitive tier, but the data makes clear that their strengths are not interchangeable. The Intel part is a throughput-oriented processor that sacrifices power efficiency for raw compute. The AMD part is a balanced mobile processor that prioritizes efficiency and offers competitive single-thread performance. The choice between them should be driven by workload, not by overall scores.