AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX vs Intel Core i7-12700 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX and Intel Core i7-12700 are both 83rd-percentile CPUs, but they achieve that standing through very different means. The 7745HX is a mobile-first, single-thread and specialized-workload champion, while the i7-12700 is a desktop part that leans on extra cores to dominate heavily threaded rendering. The benchmark data shows a 12-to-9 split in favor of AMD across 21 head-to-head tests, yet Intel’s wins are often in the most demanding all-core scenarios. Choosing between them means deciding whether you need maximum multi-threaded throughput or a more versatile, efficient-feeling single-core experience.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX takes the crown in everyday responsiveness and niche compute tasks. It wins 12 of 21 head-to-head benchmarks, with its largest margins coming in PassMark’s find prime numbers (54.5% ahead), extended instructions (19.8% ahead), and data encryption (14% ahead). It also sweeps the single-thread tests: 3DMark single-thread, Cinebench R15 single-core, and PassMark single-thread are all AMD wins. This makes it the better pick for light-threaded applications, cryptography, and any workload that relies on AVX or similar extended instruction sets.

The Intel Core i7-12700 wins 9 tests, but they are heavyweight ones. Its most decisive victories are in PassMark floating-point math (20.8% ahead) and 3DMark max threads (15.7% ahead). It also takes Cinebench R23 multi-core by 15.2%, 3DMark 16-thread by 8.8%, and Cinebench R15 multi-core by 5.2%. The pattern is clear: Intel wins when all 20 threads are saturated and the task is floating-point heavy. For 3D rendering, video encoding, and other fully parallel compute, Intel is the stronger option.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from opposite design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, built for the mobile Dragon Range platform. It packs 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 3.60 GHz boosting to 5.10 GHz. The Intel Core i7-12700 is Alder Lake-S on Intel’s 10 nm process, a desktop part with 12 cores and 20 threads, but a much lower base clock of 2.10 GHz boosting to 4.90 GHz.

Cache allocation differs significantly. AMD gives each core 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2, then shares 32 MB of L3 across all cores. Intel assigns 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but only 25 MB of shared L3. The larger shared L3 on AMD likely contributes to its data-compression and encryption wins, while Intel’s per-core L2 helps feed its extra physical cores.

Other structural differences matter for system integration. AMD supports only DDR5 memory with a dual-channel bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth, and it includes ECC memory support. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but has no ECC. AMD offers 28 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, while Intel provides 16 Gen 5 lanes. The 7745HX has a Radeon 610M iGPU, and the i7-12700 has UHD Graphics 770. AMD’s multiplier is unlocked; Intel’s is not. The AMD part is a 55 W TDP mobile chip on Socket FL1, whereas Intel is a 65 W desktop chip on Socket 1700.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result is PassMark find prime numbers, where AMD scores 156 against Intel’s 101, a 54.5% advantage. This is a pure integer math test that rewards AMD’s high clock speed and Zen 4 efficiency. Similarly, PassMark extended instructions shows AMD at 28966 versus 24184, a 19.8% lead, confirming AMD’s edge in AVX-heavy workloads. Data encryption also favors AMD strongly: 22967 to 20143, a 14% gap.

Intel’s biggest win is PassMark floating-point math, where it scores 81191 versus AMD’s 64297, a 20.8% margin. This is likely driven by Intel’s 12 physical cores versus AMD’s 8. The 3DMark max threads test tells the same story: Intel scores 9446, AMD scores 7967, a 15.7% difference. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows Intel at 21751 versus AMD’s 18452.5, a 15.2% gap.

The single-thread results are closer but consistently favor AMD. Cinebench R15 single-core shows AMD at 294.5 versus Intel’s 272, an 8.3% lead. 3DMark single-thread is AMD 1023 versus Intel 1012, a 1.1% win. PassMark single-thread shows AMD 3947 versus Intel 3864, a 2.1% edge. Interestingly, Cinebench R23 single-core goes to Intel: 1894 versus 1850, a 2.3% margin. This means AMD wins most single-thread tests, but not all.

Some results are near-ties. 3DMark 2-thread is AMD 1997 versus Intel 1987, a 0.5% AMD win. 3DMark 4-thread is Intel 3824 versus AMD 3815, a 0.2% Intel win. PassMark integer math is Intel 106554 versus AMD 105773, a 0.7% gap. These are effectively statistical noise, but the overall trend holds: AMD wins light-threaded and specialized tasks, Intel wins heavily threaded floating-point work.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX | Intel Core i7-12700 |

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

| Cores | 8 | 12 |

| Threads | 16 | 20 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.90 GHz |

| TDP | 55 W | 65 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FL1 | Intel Socket 1700 |

| Process Node | 5 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Die Size | 71 mm² | 215 mm² |

| Transistors | 6,570 million | Not specified |

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

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

| L3 Cache | 32 MB (shared) | 25 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 83.2 GB/s | Not specified |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 28 Lanes | Gen 5, 16 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon 610M | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

The most consequential differences are core count, TDP, and memory flexibility. Intel’s 12 cores and 20 threads give it a raw throughput advantage in multi-threaded benchmarks, but AMD’s 5.10 GHz boost clock and 5 nm process allow it to win efficiency-sensitive and single-thread tests. Intel’s support for DDR4 is a practical advantage for builders reusing older memory, while AMD’s ECC support appeals to workstation users.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is better for single-threaded performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX wins most single-thread tests. It leads in 3DMark single-thread (1023 vs 1012), Cinebench R15 single-core (294.5 vs 272), and PassMark single-thread (3947 vs 3864). Intel only wins Cinebench R23 single-core (1894 vs 1850).

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700 is faster. It wins Cinebench R23 multi-core (21751 vs 18452.5), Cinebench R15 multi-core (3151 vs 2986), and 3DMark max threads (9446 vs 7967). Its 12 cores and 20 threads provide the advantage.

Q: Does the AMD chip win any heavily threaded tests?

A: Yes, but not the traditional rendering workloads. AMD wins PassMark multithread (32581 vs 30273, 7.6% ahead) and PassMark physics (1697 vs 1558, 8.9% ahead). These indicate AMD’s 8-core design is more efficient in certain parallel integer workloads.

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

A: The largest AMD win is PassMark find prime numbers at 54.5% (156 vs 101). The largest Intel win is PassMark floating-point math at 20.8% (81191 vs 64297).

Q: Can the Intel chip use DDR4 memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-12700 supports both DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX supports only DDR5, with a dual-channel bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which CPU has more PCIe lanes?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX has 28 Gen 5 lanes, while the Intel Core i7-12700 has 16 Gen 5 lanes. This gives AMD more headroom for multiple high-bandwidth devices.

The Verdict

Pick the Intel Core i7-12700 if your work is dominated by heavily threaded floating-point tasks. The data shows it is 15.2% faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 20.8% faster in PassMark floating-point math. Its 12 cores and 20 threads are a decisive advantage for 3D rendering, video encoding, and scientific computing. The Intel part also supports DDR4, which can be a practical system-building benefit, and it carries a launch MSRP of $349. It is a desktop socket 1700 part, so it belongs in a full-size desktop build.

Pick the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX for everything else. It wins 12 of 21 head-to-head tests, including all the single-thread and specialized workloads. The 54.5% lead in find prime numbers, 19.8% lead in extended instructions, and 14% lead in data encryption make it the better choice for cryptography, AVX-heavy code, and general responsiveness. Its higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz and 5 nm process deliver better efficiency per thread. The 7745HX is a mobile chip on Socket FL1, so it is suited for high-performance laptops rather than desktop builds.

In short: Intel wins the heavyweight rendering bouts; AMD wins the technical decision on points. Your workload determines the winner. If you need raw all-core brute force, Intel is the data-backed choice. If you need a well-rounded chip that excels in single-thread and specialized instructions, AMD is the one to get.