AMD Ryzen 7 260 vs Intel Core i9-12950HX Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is decisively one-sided. The Intel Core i9-12950HX wins 12 of the 15 recorded comparisons, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 takes only 3. The largest margin in the entire dataset belongs to the Intel part in the passmark find prime numbers test, where it leads by 43%. That is a massive gap, but it is also a workload that heavily favors Intel's hybrid architecture.

The Intel chip also dominates in multi-core rendering. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i9-12950HX scores 20263 against the Ryzen 7 260's 17211.5, a 15.1% advantage. The older Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows a similar pattern: 3107 for Intel versus 2747.5 for AMD, a delta of 11.6%. These are not close calls; the Intel processor is clearly the stronger multi-threaded renderer.

Floating point math is another area where Intel runs away. The i9-12950HX posts 80402 in passmark floating point math, which is 26% ahead of the Ryzen's 59462. Physics simulation shows an even larger relative gap: 2084 versus 1218, a 41.6% deficit for AMD. This suggests the Intel part is far better suited to workloads that depend on heavy mathematical throughput and physics calculations.

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 does have its bright spots, though. Its most emphatic win is in passmark extended instructions, where it scores 26544 versus 22163 for Intel, a 19.8% lead. This is a meaningful victory for AMD, indicating its instruction-set efficiency is superior in that specific test. The Ryzen also wins in random string sorting, scoring 42383 against 41209, a 2.8% margin. That is a modest but real advantage.

In single-threaded Cinebench R15, the AMD chip edges out the Intel part by 0.9%, scoring 276.5 versus 274. However, in the more modern Cinebench R23 single-core test, Intel takes the lead by 6.1%, scoring 1885 against 1770.5. The passmark single-thread test also goes to Intel, albeit narrowly, at 3778 versus 3736, a 1.1% delta. So the single-core story is mixed, with AMD winning the older test and Intel winning the newer ones.

Other passmark results favor Intel. Data compression goes to Intel by 4.5%, encryption by 5.3%, integer math by 11.7%, and the overall multithread score by 11.4%. The Intel part is consistently ahead in most throughput-oriented tasks. The only bright spot for AMD beyond its three wins is that its losses in the smaller tests are often single-digit percentages, whereas its losses in the heavy math and rendering tests are much larger.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is built on TSMC's 4 nm process node, while the Intel Core i9-12950HX uses Intel's 10 nm node. This gives AMD a significant manufacturing advantage in terms of density and efficiency, though the raw benchmark data shows Intel still wins on brute force in many tests.

AMD's chip is an 8-core, 16-thread design based on the Zen 4 architecture, codenamed Hawk Point. It has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Intel's part is a 16-core, 24-thread behemoth using the Alder Lake-HX architecture, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The core count difference is stark: Intel has exactly twice the cores and 8 more threads. This explains its dominance in multi-threaded workloads like Cinebench R23.

Cache configurations also differ substantially. AMD uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 16 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel uses 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel's larger L3 cache is likely a contributor to its wins in data compression and encryption, where larger working sets can be held on-die.

The memory situation is interesting. AMD supports only DDR5, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while Intel does not have a listed bandwidth figure in the database. AMD also does not support ECC memory, whereas Intel does list ECC support as a feature.

PCIe connectivity is another differentiator. AMD runs PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes, while Intel runs PCIe Gen 5 with the same 20 CPU lanes. This gives Intel a potential bandwidth advantage for future storage and GPU connectivity, though no benchmark data in the pack directly tests this.

Integrated graphics are present on both, but they are very different. AMD uses the Radeon 780M, which is a substantial integrated GPU based on its RDNA architecture. Intel uses UHD Graphics 770, which is a more modest integrated solution. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so the performance implications are not measured here.

The Intel chip has a higher TDP at 55 watts versus AMD's 45 watts. This likely explains some of Intel's performance advantage, but it also implies higher power draw. The AMD chip is smaller in die size at 178 mm² versus Intel's 215 mm², and it packs 25,000 million transistors, while Intel does not list a transistor count.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-12950HX has 16 cores and 24 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 has 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel has twice the cores and 50% more threads.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in passmark find prime numbers, where Intel leads by 43%. The second largest is in passmark physics, where Intel leads by 41.6%.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 260 win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins 3 of 15 head-to-head tests: passmark extended instructions by 19.8%, passmark random string sorting by 2.8%, and Cinebench R15 single-core by 0.9%.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The results are split. AMD wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 0.9%, but Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core by 6.1% and passmark single-thread by 1.1%.

Q: What are the process nodes for each chip?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is built on TSMC's 4 nm process, while the Intel Core i9-12950HX uses Intel's 10 nm process.

Q: Which processor supports more memory types?

A: The Intel Core i9-12950HX supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD Ryzen 7 260 supports only DDR5.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 260 | Intel Core i9-12950HX |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 8 | 16 |

| Threads | 16 | 24 |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.30 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 55 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP8 | Intel BGA 1964 |

| Architecture | Zen 4 | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Hawk Point | Alder Lake-HX |

| Process Node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 178 mm² | 215 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 16 MB (shared) | 30 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | Not listed |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes | Gen 5, 20 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 780M | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $590 |

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12950HX is the clear winner in multi-threaded productivity and content creation. Its 15.1% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 11.6% lead in Cinebench R15 multi-core make it the obvious choice for 3D rendering, video encoding, and any workload that scales with core count. The 26% lead in floating point math and 41.6% lead in physics simulation further cement its position for scientific computing and simulation tasks. Data compression, encryption, and integer math all go to Intel by margins between 4.5% and 11.7%, making it the stronger all-around compute engine.

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 wins in specialized instruction-heavy workloads. Its 19.8% lead in passmark extended instructions suggests it handles advanced instruction sets like AVX-512 or similar extensions more efficiently. The 2.8% win in random string sorting indicates an advantage in certain data-manipulation tasks. The 0.9% win in Cinebench R15 single-core is a minor but real victory for legacy single-threaded performance.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i9-12950HX is the more powerful processor for most demanding workloads. It wins 12 of 15 head-to-head tests, including all the major multi-core benchmarks and most single-thread tests. Its victories are often by double-digit margins, particularly in physics simulation and prime number finding. For users who prioritize raw multi-threaded performance, rendering speed, or mathematical throughput, the Intel part is the better choice based on the recorded measurements.

The AMD Ryzen 7 260 is not without merit. It is built on a more advanced 4 nm process, has a smaller die size, and offers superior performance in extended instructions and random string sorting. It also has a lower TDP at 45 watts versus 55 watts, which may be relevant for battery life in mobile systems. However, its overall average benchmark score of 43717 is only slightly higher than Intel's 42487, a difference of about 2.9%. Both chips sit at the 88th percentile of all CPUs in the database.

The choice comes down to workload. If the primary tasks involve rendering, simulation, or heavy multithreaded compute, the Intel Core i9-12950HX is the stronger option. If the workload relies heavily on extended instruction sets or specific data-sorting tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 260 offers a meaningful advantage. For a general-purpose mobile processor, the Intel part's broader wins across the benchmark suite make it the safer pick for maximum performance, while the AMD chip offers better efficiency and a more modern manufacturing process.