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

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark comparisons in the database?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900H wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS wins 2. The Intel part holds a decisive lead in the majority of measured workloads.

Q: Where does the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS beat the Intel Core i9-12900H?

A: The AMD chip wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core tests. It scores 18104 versus 15946.5 in multi-core, a 13.5% advantage, and 2555 versus 1863.5 in single-core, a 37.1% advantage.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900H has 14 cores and 20 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel processor also has a larger shared L3 cache at 24 MB versus 16 MB.

Q: What are the process node and foundry differences?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i9-12900H uses a 10 nm process at Intel. The AMD die is 178 mm², while the Intel die is 217 mm².

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS supports DDR5 only, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Core i9-12900H supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The Intel part does not have a recorded memory bandwidth figure in the database.

Q: Which processor has ECC memory support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-12900H does not.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data splits cleanly into two categories: the Intel Core i9-12900H dominates most throughput and math workloads, while the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS takes the newer Cinebench R23 tests. The overall win count is lopsided, but the AMD victories are substantial in their specific tests.

The Intel part's largest margin comes in PassMark physics, where it scores 1753 against the AMD's 1043, a 40.5% advantage. Floating point math also favors Intel heavily: 67940 versus 43019, a 36.7% lead. Prime number finding shows a 33.6% gap, with Intel at 107 and AMD at 71. These are large, consistent wins in compute-heavy tasks.

The Intel processor also leads in the older Cinebench releases. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, Intel scores 2576.5 versus 1824, a 29.2% gap. In R20 multi-core, Intel leads 9501 to 7603, a 20% difference. The single-core R15 and R20 tests also go to Intel, with margins of 3.4% and 20% respectively. PassMark integer math shows Intel ahead at 93828 versus 69839, a 25.6% lead. Data compression favors Intel at 316714 versus 246446, a 22.2% gap, and data encryption follows with Intel at 18548 versus 14962, a 19.3% lead. The multithread PassMark score goes to Intel at 27340 versus 21465, a 21.5% margin. Random string sorting, extended instructions, and single-thread tests all go to Intel, with margins of 14.3%, 1.9%, and 4.2% respectively.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS counters in Cinebench R23. In multi-core, AMD scores 18104 against Intel's 15946.5, a 13.5% win. The single-core R23 result is even more decisive: AMD at 2555 versus Intel at 1863.5, a 37.1% advantage. These two wins show that in the most recent Cinebench version, the AMD architecture delivers a clear performance edge, particularly in single-threaded work.

The pattern is straightforward. The Intel Core i9-12900H wins the majority of tests, often by wide margins in parallel and math-heavy workloads. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS wins the two R23 tests, with its single-core lead being the largest percentage advantage recorded in either direction across the entire comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS uses the Zen 4 architecture under the Hawk Point codename, part of the 8000 series. It is built on a 4 nm process at TSMC, with 25,000 million transistors on a 178 mm² die. The Intel Core i9-12900H uses the Alder Lake architecture, specifically Alder Lake-H, part of the Core 12th Gen series. It is built on a 10 nm process at Intel, with a 217 mm² die size. The transistor count for the Intel part is not recorded in the database.

Core configuration differs significantly. The AMD chip has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel chip has 14 cores and 20 threads. This core count difference explains much of the Intel lead in multi-threaded workloads. Cache hierarchies also differ. The AMD part has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3. The Intel processor has a larger cache at every level.

Memory support is another differentiator. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS supports DDR5 only, with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i9-12900H supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also on a dual-channel bus, but has no recorded memory bandwidth figure and no ECC support. Both processors use PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD part includes a Radeon 760M. The Intel part includes Iris Xe with 96 execution units. The socket types are different: AMD uses AMD Socket FP7, while Intel uses Intel BGA 1744. The AMD processor has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, with a TDP of 28 watts. The Intel processor has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, with a TDP of 45 watts. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split in use cases. The Intel Core i9-12900H is the stronger processor for the majority of measured workloads. It wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, with particularly large margins in physics, floating point math, and prime number finding. Its 14 cores and 20 threads give it a structural advantage in parallel tasks, and its larger cache levels support that advantage. For users running multi-threaded applications, compression, encryption, or math-heavy code, the Intel part is the better choice according to the recorded benchmarks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is the better choice for the specific workloads represented by Cinebench R23. Its 13.5% multi-core win and 37.1% single-core win over the Intel part are significant. The single-core result is the largest margin in the entire comparison. For users whose primary benchmark is Cinebench R23, or who prioritize single-thread performance in that specific test, the AMD processor is the stronger option.

The Intel part also has a higher boost clock at 5.00 GHz versus 4.90 GHz, and a larger L3 cache. The AMD part has a lower TDP at 28 watts versus 45 watts, which suggests lower power draw, though the database does not record power consumption figures. The AMD part also supports ECC memory, which the Intel part does not. The AMD processor is built on a smaller 4 nm process, while the Intel part uses a 10 nm process.

The verdict depends on workload. For general multi-threaded performance across the PassMark and older Cinebench suites, the Intel Core i9-12900H is the clear winner. For Cinebench R23 performance, particularly single-core, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS is the better processor. The Intel part's overall win count makes it the default recommendation for most users, but the AMD part's R23 results should not be ignored.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i9-12900H has 14 cores and 20 threads. Base clocks differ: AMD at 3.50 GHz, Intel at 2.50 GHz. Boost clocks also differ: AMD at 4.90 GHz, Intel at 5.00 GHz. TDP is 28 watts for AMD and 45 watts for Intel.

The process node differs: AMD uses 4 nm at TSMC, Intel uses 10 nm at Intel. Die size is 178 mm² for AMD and 217 mm² for Intel. The AMD part has 25,000 million transistors; the Intel part has no recorded transistor count. Cache sizes differ at every level: L1 is 64 KB per core for AMD versus 80 KB per core for Intel, L2 is 1 MB per core for AMD versus 1.25 MB per core for Intel, and L3 is 16 MB shared for AMD versus 24 MB shared for Intel.

Memory support differs: AMD supports DDR5 only, Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is recorded at 89.6 GB/s for AMD, with no figure for Intel. ECC support is present on AMD, absent on Intel. Integrated graphics differ: AMD has Radeon 760M, Intel has Iris Xe 96EU. Sockets differ: AMD Socket FP7 versus Intel BGA 1744. Release dates differ: AMD on 2024-04-15, Intel on 2022-01-03. The AMD part has two part numbers listed, while the Intel part has one.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12900H wins in the majority of benchmark categories. It takes all PassMark tests except for none, winning data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread tests. It also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core and single-core, and Cinebench R20 multi-core and single-core. The margins range from 1.9% in extended instructions to 40.5% in physics. This makes the Intel part the stronger choice for general productivity, math-heavy computation, data processing, and older Cinebench versions.

The AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core and single-core. The multi-core win is 13.5%, and the single-core win is 37.1%. These are the only two wins for the AMD part, but the single-core margin is the largest in the entire comparison. This makes the AMD part the stronger choice for users who specifically rely on Cinebench R23 results, particularly for single-threaded performance in that benchmark.

The use-case split is clear. For users running a broad range of applications, the Intel Core i9-12900H offers more consistent performance across more tests. For users whose workload is represented by Cinebench R23, the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 8640HS offers a significant advantage, especially in single-core performance. The Intel part also has a higher boost clock and larger cache, while the AMD part has a lower TDP and ECC support. The choice depends on which benchmarks matter most to the user.