AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U vs Intel Core i5-12450HX Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data splits these two mobile processors into distinct roles. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U wins 12 of the 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with its largest margin being a 35.7% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Intel Core i5-12450HX wins 5 tests, with its biggest advantage being a 19.2% lead in PassMark floating point math. The Intel part holds a higher overall average benchmark score of 24,576 versus 23,709 for the AMD, and it sits at the 77th percentile of all CPUs compared to the AMD's 76th. The Intel chip also carries a higher thermal design power of 55 watts against the AMD's 28 watts.

For users prioritizing sustained multi-threaded rendering workloads, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U is the clear choice based on its dominant Cinebench R23 multi-core result. For workloads heavily reliant on floating point calculations or data compression, the Intel Core i5-12450HX shows a measurable edge. The AMD part appears better suited for single-thread responsiveness and extended instruction set workloads, while the Intel part, with its unlocked multiplier, is the only one of the two offering overclocking capability. The AMD chip is also the only one supporting ECC memory, which may factor into professional workstation decisions.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U belongs to the 8000 series and uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename. It is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 137 mm² and 20,900 million transistors. The Intel Core i5-12450HX is a Core 12th Gen part based on Alder Lake-HX, fabricated on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel chip has 8 cores and 12 threads, suggesting a hybrid core arrangement for Intel that the raw numbers do not fully capture.

Cache layouts differ notably. The AMD processor provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel processor provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The AMD part therefore has a larger total L3 pool, while the Intel part offers more per-core L1 and L2 capacity. Memory support also splits: the AMD chip uses DDR5 only, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD part has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and the Intel part has no bandwidth figure in the database. The AMD chip supports ECC memory, while the Intel chip does not.

PCIe capabilities differ as well. The AMD processor offers Gen 4 with 14 CPU-only lanes, whereas the Intel processor offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU-only lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: the AMD uses Radeon 740M, and the Intel uses UHD Graphics 710. The AMD chip has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, while the Intel chip has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Intel part is multiplier unlocked, and the AMD part is not. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP7, and the Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1964. The Intel part launched with a launch MSRP of $284.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U dominates rendering and single-thread tasks. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 15,456 against 11,390 for the Intel, a 35.7% advantage. It also wins every single-core Cinebench test: R15 single-core by 2.8%, R20 single-core by 3%, and R23 single-core by 3%. PassMark single-thread confirms this pattern, with the AMD scoring 3,563 against 3,340, a 6.7% lead. The AMD also wins PassMark extended instructions by 11.4%, prime number finding by 22.2%, random string sorting by 6.4%, and data encryption by 1.7%.

The Intel Core i5-12450HX wins in specific math and compression workloads. Its PassMark floating point math score of 43,126 is 19.2% ahead of the AMD's 34,865. Data compression also goes to Intel, with a score of 219,707 against 205,703, a 6.4% difference. The Intel part wins integer math by a slim 0.8% margin, multithread by 0.3%, and physics by 9.5%. These wins indicate the Intel chip handles heavy arithmetic and compression tasks more efficiently, despite losing overall in multi-core rendering.

The overall average benchmark score favors Intel, but the head-to-head win count favors AMD by 12 to 5. The AMD chip's higher boost clock and larger L3 cache likely contribute to its single-thread and rendering wins. The Intel chip's higher TDP and additional core count may drive its math and compression success.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core rendering score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U scores 15,456 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 35.7% higher than the Intel Core i5-12450HX's 11,390.

Q: Does the Intel chip win any benchmark by a large margin?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-12450HX leads PassMark floating point math with 43,126 points, which is 19.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U's 34,865.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-12450HX does not.

Q: Are both processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-12450HX has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U does not.

Q: What is the overall average benchmark score for each?

A: The Intel Core i5-12450HX has an average benchmark score of 24,576, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U has an average score of 23,709. The Intel chip also holds a 77th percentile ranking versus the AMD's 76th.

Q: How do their memory support options compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U supports DDR5 only with a dual-channel bus and 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-12450HX supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, but no bandwidth figure is recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win belongs to the AMD in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The AMD scores 15,456 against the Intel's 11,390, a 35.7% delta. This is the defining difference between the two chips. In the other Cinebench multi-core tests, the AMD leads by 3% in both R15 and R20, with scores of 1,557 versus 1,512 and 6,491 versus 6,304 respectively. The Intel part cannot match the AMD's sustained multi-thread rendering performance.

Single-core results consistently favor the AMD. In Cinebench R15 single-core, the AMD scores 219 against 213, a 2.8% lead. In R20 single-core, the AMD scores 916 against 889, a 3% lead. In R23 single-core, the AMD scores 2,182 against 2,119, also a 3% lead. PassMark single-thread shows a larger gap: 3,563 versus 3,340, a 6.7% advantage for AMD. PassMark singlethread repeats the same scores, confirming the result.

The Intel fights back in floating point math. Its 43,126 score beats the AMD's 34,865 by 19.2%. Data compression also goes to Intel, with 219,707 against 205,703, a 6.4% lead. Integer math is nearly tied, with Intel at 57,189 and AMD at 56,738, a 0.8% difference. PassMark multithread is also close, with Intel at 18,274 and AMD at 18,218, a 0.3% edge. PassMark physics favors Intel by 9.5%, with scores of 1,086 and 983.

The AMD wins the remaining tests. PassMark extended instructions shows 15,410 versus 13,832, an 11.4% lead. PassMark find prime numbers shows 66 versus 54, a 22.2% lead. PassMark random string sorting shows 24,797 versus 23,306, a 6.4% lead. PassMark data encryption shows 12,319 versus 12,110, a 1.7% lead. These wins give the AMD 12 total wins against 5 for the Intel.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on nearly every core specification. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8540U has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i5-12450HX has 8 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks differ: 3.20 GHz for AMD versus 2.40 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks differ: 4.90 GHz for AMD versus 4.40 GHz for Intel. Thermal design power is 28 watts for AMD and 55 watts for Intel.

Cache configurations differ per core and in total. The AMD has 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The Intel has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. Process technology splits by foundry: TSMC 4 nm for AMD versus Intel 10 nm for the rival. Die size is 137 mm² for AMD and 215 mm² for Intel, with the AMD having 20,900 million transistors and no transistor count recorded for Intel.

Memory support shows the AMD limited to DDR5, while the Intel accepts DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and the Intel has none listed. ECC memory is supported only on the AMD. PCIe generation and lanes differ: Gen 4 with 14 lanes for AMD, Gen 5 with 20 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon 740M for AMD and UHD Graphics 710 for Intel.

Sockets and release dates also differ. The AMD uses AMD Socket FP7 and released on 2024-04-15. The Intel uses Intel BGA 1964 and released on 2022-05-09. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $284, and the AMD has no recorded launch MSRP. The Intel multiplier is unlocked, and the AMD is locked. The AMD part numbers are 100-000001329(FP7r2) and 100-000001331(FP7), while the Intel part number is SRLGJ.