AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G vs Intel Core i5-12600 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12600 and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G are both 6-core, 12-thread desktop processors, but the benchmark data shows a clear overall winner. The Intel part takes 13 of the 17 head-to-head tests, including every Cinebench workload and the majority of PassMark tests, while the AMD chip wins 4 specific workloads. The Intel Core i5-12600 leads in average benchmark score with 28646 against 28032 for the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G, a difference of about 2.2%. Both processors sit at the 80th percentile among all CPUs in the database, but the Intel chip's wins are often by large margins, particularly in physics and prime number calculations.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-12600 dominates the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 18105 against 17249 for the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G, a 5% advantage. The single-core R23 result is similar: 2556 versus 2435, also a 5% lead. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where Intel wins multi-core by 5% (7604 vs 7244) and single-core by 5% (1073 vs 1022). In Cinebench R15, Intel leads by 4.9% in both multi-core (1824 vs 1738) and single-core (257 vs 245). These consistent margins across all three Cinebench versions indicate a solid all-around performance advantage for Intel in rendering and general CPU-bound tasks.

The largest single win for Intel comes in PassMark physics, where it scores 1365 against 686 for AMD, a massive 99% advantage. This means the Intel chip is nearly twice as fast in this specific physics simulation workload. Another huge win is in PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 83 versus 49, a 69.4% lead. Intel also wins PassMark floating point math by 31.5% (50838 vs 38649) and PassMark single thread by 18% (3823 vs 3241). The multithread test shows an 11.9% Intel advantage (21399 vs 19129), and random string sorting goes to Intel by 2.3% (25832 vs 25253).

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G has its own strengths. Its biggest win is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 15253 against 13084 for Intel, a 14.2% advantage. It also wins PassMark extended instructions by 5.1% (17944 vs 17027), PassMark integer math by 2.1% (67561 vs 66123), and PassMark data compression by 1.3% (255608 vs 252160). These wins are concentrated in specific instruction-heavy and encryption-related tasks, but they are not enough to offset Intel's broader dominance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different designs. The Intel Core i5-12600 uses the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry, with a die size of 163 mm². The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G uses the Zen 3 architecture on a 7 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 180 mm² and 10,700 million transistors. The Intel chip has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the AMD chip has a higher base clock of 3.90 GHz but a lower boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Both have a 65 W TDP.

Cache configurations differ notably. The Intel Core i5-12600 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of L3 cache. The Intel chip's larger L2 and L3 caches likely contribute to its strong single-thread and multithread performance. Memory support also differs: Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports only DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory, but AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while Intel does not specify a figure in the database.

The integrated graphics are different as well. Intel uses UHD Graphics 770, while AMD uses Radeon Vega 7. The AMD chip supports ECC memory, while the Intel chip does not. PCIe support also differs: Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while AMD offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The sockets are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1700, while AMD uses Socket AM4. The AMD chip was released on 2024-05-06, while the Intel chip has no release date listed in the database. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $233, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP recorded.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the Intel Core i5-12600 for most users. It wins every Cinebench test, all three PassMark single-thread and multithread tests, and the majority of specialized workloads. The 99% lead in physics and 69.4% lead in prime number finding are particularly striking. For anyone running rendering, physics simulations, or general productivity tasks, the Intel chip is the stronger choice based on the recorded benchmarks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G is the better option only for specific workloads. Its 14.2% lead in data encryption and 5.1% lead in extended instructions suggest it handles certain cryptographic and instruction-heavy tasks more efficiently. It also wins integer math and data compression by small margins. Users whose primary workloads involve encryption, compression, or integer-heavy calculations might prefer the AMD chip, but these are narrow use cases. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, which is a feature Intel lacks, and it has a higher base clock, which could be relevant for lightly threaded tasks that do not boost.

Overall, the Intel Core i5-12600 is the more versatile and faster processor in the majority of tested scenarios. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G is a capable alternative with specific strengths, but the benchmark data does not support choosing it for general-purpose use.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Intel Core i5-12600 has a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Intel chip uses a 10 nm process from Intel, while the AMD chip uses a 7 nm process from TSMC. The AMD chip has 10,700 million transistors and a die size of 180 mm², while the Intel chip has a die size of 163 mm² with no transistor count listed.

Cache sizes differ: Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB L3, while AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB L3. Memory support is different: Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5, while AMD supports only DDR4. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while Intel does not. ECC memory is supported by AMD but not by Intel. PCIe versions differ: Intel has Gen 5 with 16 lanes, while AMD has Gen 3 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 for Intel and Radeon Vega 7 for AMD. The sockets are Intel Socket 1700 versus AMD Socket AM4. The AMD chip has a release date of 2024-05-06, while Intel has none listed. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $233, while AMD has none. The part numbers are SRL5T for Intel and 100-000001513 for AMD.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12600 scores 18105, which is 5% higher than the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G's 17249.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD chip supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-12600 does not.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600 has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, compared to 4.40 GHz for the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G.

Q: What is the largest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The largest margin is in PassMark physics, where the Intel Core i5-12600 scores 1365 against 686 for AMD, a 99% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in data encryption?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G wins PassMark data encryption with a score of 15253, which is 14.2% higher than Intel's 13084.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both have 6 cores and 12 threads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12600 is the clear winner for rendering, physics simulation, and general computing. It wins all Cinebench tests, PassMark multithread, single thread, floating point math, find prime numbers, physics, and random string sorting. Users running 3D rendering, video encoding, or scientific calculations that rely on floating point will see the largest benefits. The 99% lead in physics and 31.5% lead in floating point math make it the obvious choice for simulation-heavy workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G wins in data encryption, extended instructions, integer math, and data compression. These are specialized workloads, but they matter for users dealing with encrypted data, compression algorithms, or integer-heavy processing. The 14.2% lead in encryption is substantial, and the 5.1% lead in extended instructions suggests better handling of certain instruction sets. The AMD chip also supports ECC memory, which is a critical feature for systems requiring error correction, such as file servers or workstations with high reliability demands. For those specific tasks, the AMD chip is the better choice, but for everything else, the Intel Core i5-12600 is the stronger performer according to the recorded data.