AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS vs Intel Core i7-12800HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i7-12800HX dominates the head-to-head comparison, winning 14 of 15 recorded benchmarks. The only AMD victory comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Ryzen 5 8645HS scores 270 against Intel's 260, a 3.7% edge. That single win does not offset the scale of Intel's multi-threaded advantage.

The biggest gap appears in PassMark floating point math. Intel scores 82,122 against AMD's 44,833, a massive 83.2% lead. This is the largest delta in the entire benchmark set, and it reflects the Intel part's ability to push far ahead in compute-heavy workloads. Integer math tells a similar story: 109,968 versus 72,640, a 51.4% advantage for Intel. Data compression shows Intel at 387,535 versus 265,483, a 46% lead, while data encryption sees Intel at 21,972 versus 15,588, a 41% gap.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 22,456 against AMD's 13,220, a 69.9% advantage. The R15 multi-core test shows 3,383 versus 2,094, a 61.6% lead. These are the classic rendering workloads, and the Intel part is clearly in another class. The PassMark multi-thread score reinforces this: 31,585 versus 22,586, a 39.8% margin. Physics tests show 1,743 versus 1,095, a 59.2% lead for Intel.

Single-thread performance is much closer. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel wins 1,812 versus 1,714, a 5.7% edge. PassMark single-thread shows 3,711 versus 3,653, only 1.6% apart. The R15 single-core result is AMD's only win, but the margin is small. Extended instructions favor Intel by 18.8% (23,760 versus 20,003), and prime number finding shows 108 versus 75, a 44% lead. Random string sorting goes to Intel at 42,453 versus 31,748, a 33.7% margin.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: the Intel Core i7-12800HX is the choice for anyone prioritizing multi-threaded throughput. It wins every multi-core test by a wide margin, often 40% to 80% ahead. The Ryzen 5 8645HS is competitive in single-thread tasks, but even there Intel holds a slight edge in most tests. The one AMD win is narrow and isolated to an older Cinebench version.

The Intel part sits at the 84th percentile of all CPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 33,875. The AMD part is at the 83rd percentile with an average score of 33,244. These percentile figures are nearly identical, but the head-to-head deltas tell a different story. The Intel CPU's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 9 3900XT (0.4% ahead) and the AMD Ryzen 5 7645HX (0.6% ahead). The AMD 8645HS's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-12600HX (0.4% ahead of AMD) and the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX (0.5% behind AMD). So while the overall averages are close, the direct comparison shows Intel winning 14 of 15 tests.

For rendering, compilation, data processing, or any workload that scales across cores, the i7-12800HX is the obvious pick. For users who value a newer, more efficient process node and are willing to trade multi-thread performance, the Ryzen 5 8645HS remains a viable option, but the benchmark evidence does not support choosing it for raw speed.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-12800HX uses Alder Lake-HX architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It has 16 cores and 24 threads, a hybrid design that combines performance and efficiency cores. The die size is 215 mm². Cache is allocated as 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 25 MB shared L3.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS uses Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Hawk Point, built on TSMC's 4 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, a more conventional uniform core design. The die size is 178 mm², and the chip packs 25,000 million transistors. Cache is smaller: 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3.

The process node difference is significant. TSMC's 4 nm is a smaller geometry than Intel's 10 nm, which partly explains why AMD achieves higher boost clocks at lower TDP. The AMD part boosts to 5.00 GHz versus Intel's 4.80 GHz, yet AMD's TDP is 45 watts versus Intel's 55 watts. The transistor count difference is stark: 25,000 million for AMD versus no figure recorded for Intel, but the die sizes are comparable (178 mm² versus 215 mm²), reflecting the density advantage of the 4 nm process.

Memory support differs too. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports only DDR5. Both are dual-channel. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; Intel does not provide a figure. PCIe support: Intel offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ: Intel has UHD Graphics 770, AMD has Radeon 760M. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier; AMD's is locked.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. Intel has 16 cores and 24 threads; AMD has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks: Intel at 2.00 GHz, AMD at 4.30 GHz. Boost clocks: Intel at 4.80 GHz, AMD at 5.00 GHz. TDP: Intel at 55 watts, AMD at 45 watts.

Sockets are incompatible: Intel uses BGA 1964, AMD uses Socket FP8. The process nodes are different (10 nm Intel versus 4 nm TSMC). L1 cache is 80 KB per core for Intel versus 64 KB per core for AMD. L2 is 1.25 MB per core for Intel versus 1 MB per core for AMD. L3 is 25 MB shared for Intel versus 16 MB shared for AMD.

Memory support: Intel accepts DDR4 and DDR5, AMD only DDR5. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, Intel does not. PCIe generation differs: Intel Gen 5, AMD Gen 4, both with 20 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 770 versus AMD Radeon 760M. The Intel part has an unlocked multiplier; AMD does not. Release dates: Intel launched on May 9, 2022; AMD on December 5, 2023. Intel has a recorded launch MSRP of $457; AMD has none recorded. The Intel part number is SRLGL; AMD lists multiple part numbers for different sockets.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more benchmarks in this comparison?

A: The Intel Core i7-12800HX wins 14 of the 15 head-to-head benchmarks. The AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS wins only one, Cinebench R15 single-core.

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

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 22,456 versus AMD's 13,220, a 69.9% lead. In PassMark floating point math, Intel leads by 83.2% (82,122 versus 44,833).

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS faster in any single-thread test?

A: Yes, but only in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 270 versus Intel's 260, a 3.7% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel wins 1,812 versus 1,714, a 5.7% lead.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-12800HX has 16 cores and 24 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock and which has a lower TDP?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS boosts to 5.00 GHz, higher than Intel's 4.80 GHz. AMD also has a lower TDP at 45 watts versus Intel's 55 watts.

Q: How do their overall database scores compare?

A: Intel has an average benchmark score of 33,875 and sits at the 84th percentile. AMD has an average score of 33,244 and sits at the 83rd percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-12800HX wins in rendering, with Cinebench R15 and R23 multi-core leads of 61.6% and 69.9% respectively. It wins in every PassMark compute test: floating point (83.2% lead), integer math (51.4%), data compression (46%), data encryption (41%), extended instructions (18.8%), and prime number finding (44%). It also wins in physics (59.2%), random string sorting (33.7%), and multi-thread throughput (39.8%). Even in single-thread PassMark, it holds a 1.6% edge, and in Cinebench R23 single-core it leads by 5.7%.

The AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS wins only in Cinebench R15 single-core, with a 3.7% margin. That is its sole head-to-head victory. However, the AMD part offers a higher boost clock (5.00 GHz versus 4.80 GHz), a lower TDP (45 versus 55 watts), and a smaller process node (4 nm versus 10 nm). It also supports only DDR5 memory, which may appeal to users building newer systems, and it has a higher base clock (4.30 GHz versus 2.00 GHz). For users who prioritize energy efficiency and are less concerned with multi-threaded throughput, the AMD part is the more modern design. But for pure performance across the recorded benchmarks, the Intel part wins decisively.