CPU Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS and Intel Core 5 120 are two very different processors that happen to land at nearly the same overall performance level. The AMD chip is a mobile part built for efficiency, while the Intel chip is a desktop part with a higher power envelope. The data shows a near-even split in benchmark victories, with the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS taking 8 wins and the Intel Core 5 120 taking 7 wins. However, the nature of those wins could not be more different: AMD dominates in throughput-heavy integer and encryption workloads, while Intel takes decisive victories in single-core and lightly-threaded tasks. The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the Intel Core 5 120 at 25362 and the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS at 25147, a difference of less than one percent. This makes the choice between them entirely dependent on the specific applications you plan to run.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the head-to-head comparison is the Cinebench R23 multicore test. The Intel Core 5 120 scores 18255, which is a massive 28.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS's 13106. This is a huge margin and indicates that in heavily threaded rendering workloads, the Intel part is in a different league. Interestingly, the older Cinebench R15 multicore test tells a different story: the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS scores 2153.4, which is 17% ahead of the Intel Core 5 120's 1840. This discrepancy suggests the workloads measure different aspects of sustained multicore performance, possibly due to power management or thermal characteristics of the two platforms.

In single-core performance, the Intel Core 5 120 is clearly superior. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 2577, which is a 40% advantage over the AMD's 1546. The Cinebench R15 single-core test confirms this trend, with Intel leading by 4.2% (259 vs 248). The PassMark single-thread test also shows Intel ahead, scoring 3595 compared to AMD's 3296, an 8.3% difference. This consistent pattern across multiple tests indicates that for lightly-threaded tasks like gaming or general desktop responsiveness, the Intel Core 5 120 has a significant edge.

However, the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS fights back hard in specific compute tasks. The PassMark integer math test shows AMD scoring 85309, a 41.1% advantage over Intel's 60462. Similarly, in random string sorting, AMD wins by 41.3% (30388 vs 21499). The data encryption test shows the biggest single delta, with AMD's 18237 beating Intel's 11131 by a massive 63.8%. Data compression also favors AMD, with a 33.6% lead (293278 vs 219535). These results suggest the AMD chip has a substantial advantage in workloads that rely heavily on integer arithmetic and memory-level parallelism.

The extended instructions test, which typically measures AVX and similar SIMD performance, also goes to AMD. The Ryzen 7 7735HS scores 20050, which is 40.6% higher than Intel's 14264. Floating-point math is closer, but AMD still wins by 5.5% (47865 vs 45383). The PassMark multithread test, which aggregates many of these workloads, shows AMD ahead by 24.6% (23166 vs 18597). The Intel chip does win the PassMark physics test by 19.5% (1333 vs 1073) and the prime number search by 23.4% (77 vs 59), but these are more specialized workloads. The data paints a clear picture: Intel for raw single-thread and rendering performance, AMD for general integer-heavy compute.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core 5 120 is faster in every single-thread benchmark. It leads by 40% in Cinebench R23 single-core (2577 vs 1546), by 4.2% in Cinebench R15 single-core (259 vs 248), and by 8.3% in PassMark single-thread (3595 vs 3296).

Q: Is the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS better for multi-threaded workloads?

A: It depends on the workload. The AMD chip wins PassMark multithread by 24.6% (23166 vs 18597) and Cinebench R15 multicore by 17% (2153.4 vs 1840). However, the Intel Core 5 120 wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 28.2% (18255 vs 13106), which indicates Intel is better for rendering-style workloads.

Q: How does their overall performance compare?

A: The average benchmark scores are nearly identical. The Intel Core 5 120 has an average benchmark score of 25362, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS scores 25147. The AMD part's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 6800H with a delta of -0.2%, and the Intel part's closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D with a delta of 0%. Both CPUs sit in the 77th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which CPU has better memory support?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS only supports DDR5. The AMD chip has a specified memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the Intel chip's memory bandwidth is not specified in the data.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the Intel chip wins the Cinebench R23 multicore test by a wide margin.

Q: Which integrated graphics are more capable?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS includes a Radeon 680M integrated GPU, while the Intel Core 5 120 includes UHD Graphics 730. The benchmark data does not include integrated graphics performance scores, so a direct comparison cannot be made from the available facts.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is significant. The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS is built on the Zen 3+ architecture, codenamed Rembrandt-R, and is part of the 7000 series. It is manufactured on a 6nm process at TSMC, with a die size of 210 mm². In contrast, the Intel Core 5 120 uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-R, and is built on a 10nm process at Intel, with a smaller die size of 163 mm². This process difference is notable, as the AMD chip uses a more advanced node, yet the Intel chip achieves higher clock speeds.

The cache configurations differ substantially. The AMD chip has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and a much larger 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, with 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L2 cache on the Intel part likely contributes to its superior single-thread performance. The AMD chip offers ECC memory support, while the Intel chip does not. Both are dual-channel, but the AMD chip only supports DDR5, while the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

The integrated graphics solutions are also from different vendors. AMD uses a Radeon 680M, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 730. The AMD part is a mobile processor on the AMD Socket FP7, while the Intel part is a desktop processor on the Intel Socket 1700. This is a fundamental difference: the AMD chip is designed for laptops and the Intel chip for desktop PCs, which is reflected in their TDPs. The Intel part supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes, while the AMD part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The Intel chip also has a launch MSRP of $211, while the AMD chip's launch MSRP is not specified in the data.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is the core count: the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Clock speeds also differ, with the AMD chip having a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 4.75 GHz, while the Intel chip has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The higher boost clock on the AMD part does not translate to better single-thread performance in the benchmarks, where Intel wins.

The TDP is a major differentiator. The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS has a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core 5 120 has a TDP of 65 watts. This nearly double power envelope on the Intel part explains its ability to sustain higher performance in the Cinebench R23 multicore test. The memory support differs, with the AMD chip only supporting DDR5 and the Intel chip supporting both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD chip has ECC memory support, which the Intel chip lacks. The PCIe support also differs: the AMD chip uses PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the Intel chip uses PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes.

The process nodes are different, with AMD using a 6nm process from TSMC and Intel using a 10nm process. The die sizes are 210 mm² for AMD and 163 mm² for Intel. The cache hierarchies differ, with the Intel chip having a larger L1 cache per core (80 KB vs 64 KB), a much larger L2 cache per core (1.25 MB vs 512 KB), and a larger L3 cache (18 MB vs 16 MB). The market segments also differ, with the AMD chip being a mobile part and the Intel chip being a desktop part. The release dates are different, with the AMD chip released in 2023 and the Intel chip released in 2025.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS is the clear winner in general compute throughput. It dominates in integer math (41.1% ahead), random string sorting (41.3% ahead), data encryption (63.8% ahead), and data compression (33.6% ahead). It also wins in extended instructions (40.6% ahead) and floating-point math (5.5% ahead). If a workload involves heavy data processing, cryptography, or scientific computing that uses SIMD instructions, the AMD chip is the superior choice. The PassMark multithread score (24.6% ahead) confirms that for general multithreaded productivity, the AMD chip is faster. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration and the 35W TDP make it particularly well-suited for mobile workstations where power efficiency is important.

The Intel Core 5 120 wins where single-thread performance and specific rendering workloads matter. It has a significant advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core (40% ahead) and a smaller but consistent edge in Cinebench R15 single-core (4.2% ahead) and PassMark single-thread (8.3% ahead). The massive 28.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore is the standout result for Intel, indicating that for video rendering and 3D animation tasks that scale well with the Raptor Lake architecture, the Intel part is much faster. The wins in the PassMark physics test (19.5% ahead) and prime number search (23.4% ahead) also show Intel's strength in specific algorithmic workloads. The 6-core, 12-thread part is a desktop chip with a 65W TDP, so it is better suited for stationary systems that can handle the higher power draw.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear dichotomy. For a mobile workstation or a laptop that will handle a mix of productivity, programming, and data-heavy tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS is the better choice. Its wins in integer math, encryption, and compression are substantial, and its 35W TDP means it can deliver that performance in a thermally constrained chassis. The 8-core, 16-thread setup also provides better raw throughput for heavily threaded general-purpose applications.

For a desktop system focused on gaming, rendering, or any software that favors strong single-core performance, the Intel Core 5 120 is the stronger pick. The 40% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core is a massive advantage, and the 28.2% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore shows it can handle rendering workloads far better than the AMD chip. The higher 65W TDP is a non-issue for a desktop build. The Intel part also supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, giving builders more flexibility in platform choice, and it has a launch MSRP of $211. The choice is not about which CPU is faster overall, as their average scores are nearly identical, but about matching the silicon to the specific tasks it will face every day.