AMD Ryzen 7 3700X vs Intel Core i5-12600HX Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits this comparison into two clear personalities. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X wins the specialized and security-oriented workloads, while the Intel Core i5-12600HX dominates raw compute throughput and single-threaded performance.

The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X takes 5 of the 13 head-to-head tests. Its wins are concentrated in data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, and prime number finding. The data compression result shows the AMD part at 296379 versus 292256 for Intel, a 1.4% edge. Data encryption is a more decisive win at 18900 versus 17506, which is an 8% advantage. Extended instructions follow at 19241 versus 17328, an 11% lead. The largest AMD victory comes in prime number finding, where it scores 99 against 83, a 19.3% margin. These results suggest the Zen 2 architecture retains an advantage in cryptographically oriented and specialized instruction workloads.

The Intel Core i5-12600HX wins 8 of the 13 tests, and its victories tend to be larger in magnitude. The most dramatic gap is in floating point math, where Intel scores 58378 against 39005, a 33.2% advantage. Single-thread performance is another major win: 3623 versus 2656, a 26.7% lead. Integer math goes to Intel at 79339 versus 66399, a 16.3% edge. Physics simulation also favors Intel at 1504 versus 1181, a 21.5% difference. The multithread score favors Intel at 24681 versus 22458, a 9% lead, and random string sorting is close at 33110 versus 32131, a 3% margin. Even in the Cinebench R15 multicore test, which AMD wins, the margin is razor thin at 2092 versus 2087, only 0.2%.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is the choice for workloads that stress encryption, compression, and specialized instruction sets. The Intel Core i5-12600HX is the choice for general compute throughput, floating point math, physics, and anything that benefits from strong single-core performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a desktop part built on the Zen 2 architecture with the Matisse codename, manufactured on a 7 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core i5-12600HX is a mobile part using the Alder Lake architecture with the Alder Lake-HX codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel.

Core counts differ substantially. The AMD chip has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel chip has 12 cores and 16 threads, meaning it relies on a hybrid arrangement to reach that thread count. The database records a 12-core, 16-thread configuration for Intel, which indicates a mix of performance and efficiency cores rather than a symmetric 16-thread design.

Cache hierarchies are also different. The AMD processor has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a 32 MB L3 cache. The Intel processor has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and an 18 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD chip carries more total L3, while the Intel chip has larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations.

Memory support diverges as well. The AMD part supports DDR4 only, with dual-channel memory and a recorded bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The Intel part supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but the database does not list a bandwidth figure. ECC memory support is absent on the AMD chip but present on the Intel chip.

PCIe capabilities differ. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X offers Gen 4 with 24 lanes from the CPU. The Intel Core i5-12600HX offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The Intel chip also includes integrated graphics, specifically UHD Graphics 770, while the AMD chip has no integrated graphics listed.

The socket and market segment reinforce their different roles. AMD uses Socket AM4 for desktop. Intel uses BGA 1964 for mobile. The AMD processor has a 65 TDP, while the Intel part has a 55 TDP. The AMD chip is unlocked for multiplier adjustment, as is the Intel chip.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multicore test is the closest contest in the entire dataset. AMD scores 2092, Intel scores 2087, and the AMD part wins by just 0.2%. This is effectively a tie, and it shows that the two processors deliver nearly identical performance in this specific multicore rendering workload despite their architectural differences.

Single-core performance tells a different story. The Intel Core i5-12600HX scores 294 in Cinebench R15 single-core against 204 for AMD, a 30.6% advantage. This is the second-largest margin in the entire comparison and explains why Intel wins the single-thread PassMark tests by 26.7% as well.

Floating point math is the largest Intel victory. The 58378 score against 39005 represents a 33.2% lead. This is a massive gap and indicates that the Intel part has a significant advantage in numerically intensive workloads. Integer math is also clearly Intel-favored at 79339 versus 66399, a 16.3% gap. Physics simulation goes to Intel at 1504 versus 1181, a 21.5% lead. The multithread PassMark score favors Intel at 24681 versus 22458, a 9% margin.

The AMD wins are smaller in absolute terms but still meaningful. Data compression is nearly even, with AMD ahead by only 1.4%. Data encryption shows AMD ahead by 8%. Extended instructions favor AMD by 11%. Prime number finding is the largest AMD win at 19.3%, though the absolute scores are low: 99 versus 83.

The pattern is consistent. Intel wins the high-throughput and single-thread tests by wide margins. AMD wins the specialized workloads by narrower margins, with the exception of prime number finding. The overall benchmark average reflects this: AMD has an average score of 34260, while Intel is at 33375. The AMD part also sits at the 84th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the 83rd percentile for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600HX has 12 cores, while the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X has 8 cores. Both have 16 threads.

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600HX wins the single-thread PassMark test with 3623 against 2656 for AMD, a 26.7% advantage. The Cinebench R15 single-core test also favors Intel at 294 versus 204.

Q: Which processor wins in data encryption?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X wins the PassMark data encryption test with 18900 against 17506 for Intel, an 8% lead.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600HX supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X does not.

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

A: The largest margin is in PassMark floating point math, where the Intel Core i5-12600HX scores 58378 against 39005 for AMD, a 33.2% advantage.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600HX includes UHD Graphics 770. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X has no integrated graphics listed in the database.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | Intel Core i5-12600HX |

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

| Architecture | Zen 2 | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Matisse | Alder Lake-HX |

| Process node | 7 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Cores | 8 | 12 |

| Threads | 16 | 16 |

| Base clock | 3.60 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.40 GHz | 4.60 GHz |

| TDP | 65 | 55 |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel BGA 1964 |

| L1 cache | 64 KB per core | 80 KB per core |

| L2 cache | 512 KB per core | 1.25 MB per core |

| L3 cache | 32 MB | 18 MB shared |

| Memory support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | Not listed |

| ECC memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 24 lanes | Gen 5, 20 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | None | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Die size | 74 mm² | 215 mm² |

| Transistors | 3,800 million | Not listed |

| Release date | 2019-07-06 | 2022-05-09 |

| Launch MSRP | $329 | $284 |

The Verdict

The data supports a clear recommendation for each use case. The AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is the stronger choice for encryption, compression, extended instructions, and prime number workloads. Its wins in data encryption by 8% and extended instructions by 11% show a measurable advantage in specialized processing. The 19.3% lead in prime number finding reinforces this pattern. Users whose workloads depend on these operations should favor the AMD part.

The Intel Core i5-12600HX is the stronger choice for general compute, especially anything that relies on floating point math or single-threaded performance. The 33.2% lead in floating point math is the single largest gap in the comparison. The 26.7% single-thread advantage and the 21.5% physics lead further support Intel for interactive and numerically intensive tasks. The 9% multithread win in PassMark also gives Intel the edge in mixed workloads.

The overall average benchmark score favors AMD at 34260 versus 33375, and the AMD part ranks at the 84th percentile compared to the 83rd for Intel. However, the average score is heavily influenced by the specialized tests where AMD excels. For most mainstream compute tasks, the Intel part delivers higher raw throughput. The choice comes down to workload type: specialized security and compression work points to AMD, while broad compute and single-thread performance points to Intel.