AMD Ryzen 7 8700G vs Intel Core i7-12700 Comparison
AMD Ryzen 7 8700G
Core i7-12700
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: AMD Ryzen 7 8700G vs Intel Core i7-12700
The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G and the Intel Core i7-12700 are two desktop processors that land in a similar performance bracket, yet they achieve their results through fundamentally different designs. The data shows a near-even split in benchmark victories, with the AMD chip taking 11 wins and the Intel chip taking 10, but the magnitude of those wins tells a more complex story. The Intel Core i7-12700 dominates in heavily multi-threaded workloads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G shows surprising strength in specific computational tasks and single-threaded tests.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The most striking gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Intel Core i7-12700 scores 21,751 against the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G’s 17,128. That is a 21.3% deficit for the AMD chip, a decisive margin that reflects the Intel processor’s higher core and thread count. The pattern repeats in 3DMark’s max-thread test, where Intel wins 9,446 to 7,917, a 16.2% advantage. Even in the 16-thread 3DMark test, Intel leads with 8,764 versus 7,918, a 9.7% edge. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a similar story, with Intel ahead 3,151 to 2,693, a 14.5% gap. The Intel chip also wins PassMark’s floating-point math test by a wide margin, scoring 81,191 versus 63,815, a 21.4% lead.
However, the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G fights back in several unexpected areas. The largest win for AMD comes in PassMark’s extended instructions test, where it scores 29,067 against Intel’s 24,184, a 20.2% advantage. This suggests the Zen 4 architecture handles certain instruction sets more efficiently. AMD also wins PassMark random string sorting with 46,025 versus 38,970, an 18.1% lead, and data encryption with 22,842 versus 20,143, a 13.4% edge. The AMD chip takes PassMark’s multithread test, 31,690 to 30,273, a 4.7% win, and PassMark physics, 1,647 to 1,558, a 5.7% margin.
Single-threaded results are close but favor AMD in most cases. In Cinebench R15 single-core, AMD wins 286 to 272, a 5.1% edge. PassMark single-thread shows AMD ahead 3,928 to 3,864, a 1.7% gain. The 3DMark single-thread test is nearly a tie, with Intel just ahead at 1,012 to 1,010, a 0.2% difference. Interestingly, Cinebench R23 single-core goes to Intel, 1,894 to 1,817, a 4.1% margin. The 2-thread and 4-thread 3DMark tests are essentially ties, with Intel winning the former by 0.5% and AMD winning the latter by a negligible 0.0% margin.
The Verdict
The benchmark data points to a clear split in use cases. The Intel Core i7-12700 is the stronger choice for workloads that scale with core count, particularly rendering and heavy floating-point math. Its 12 cores and 20 threads versus AMD’s 8 cores and 16 threads give it a structural advantage in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 3DMark max-thread tests, where the deltas are 21.3% and 16.2% respectively. Anyone prioritizing multi-threaded productivity should look at the Intel part first.
The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G, meanwhile, is the better pick for mixed workloads that include encryption, compression, and extended instruction sets. Its wins in PassMark data encryption (13.4% ahead) and extended instructions (20.2% ahead) suggest it handles security-related and specialized computational tasks with greater efficiency. The AMD chip also wins more individual benchmark tests overall, 11 to 10, and shows a slight edge in single-threaded PassMark tests. For users who want a balanced processor with strong integrated graphics, the Radeon 780M in the AMD chip is a notable feature, though the data does not directly compare iGPU performance.
Architecture Differences
The two processors come from different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with a die size of 178 mm² and 25,000 million transistors. It is built on the AMD Socket AM5 platform. The Intel Core i7-12700 uses the Alder Lake architecture on Intel’s 10 nm process, with a larger die size of 215 mm². Intel’s chip uses the Socket 1700 platform.
Core configurations differ significantly. AMD offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel offers 12 cores and 20 threads. Cache layouts also diverge: AMD provides 64 KB of L1 and 1 MB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with a larger 25 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support shows another split, with AMD supporting only DDR5 in dual-channel mode, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is listed for AMD at 83.2 GB/s, but no figure is given for Intel.
PCIe capabilities differ as well. AMD offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Both processors have integrated graphics, with AMD featuring the Radeon 780M and Intel featuring the UHD Graphics 770. AMD’s processor is unlocked (multiplier unlocked), while Intel’s is not. The base clocks show AMD at 4.20 GHz and Intel at 2.10 GHz, with boost clocks at 5.10 GHz for AMD and 4.90 GHz for Intel. Both share a 65 W TDP.
FAQ
Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests overall?
A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G wins 11 benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-12700 wins 10, giving AMD a narrow edge in total victories.
Q: How large is Intel’s lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core?
A: The Intel Core i7-12700 scores 21,751 against the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G’s 17,128, which is a 21.3% advantage for Intel.
Q: In which test does AMD have its biggest win?
A: AMD’s largest margin is in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 29,067 versus Intel’s 24,184, a 20.2% lead.
Q: Are the single-threaded scores similar between the two?
A: They are close. AMD wins PassMark single-thread (3,928 vs 3,864, a 1.7% edge) and Cinebench R15 single-core (286 vs 272, a 5.1% edge), but Intel wins Cinebench R23 single-core (1,894 vs 1,817, a 4.1% margin).
Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?
A: The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i7-12700 has 12 cores and 20 threads.
Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?
A: The Intel Core i7-12700 has 25 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 7 8700G has 16 MB of shared L3 cache.
Where Each One Wins
The Intel Core i7-12700 is the clear winner in multi-threaded rendering and compute-heavy tasks. It takes decisive victories in Cinebench R15 multi-core (3,151 vs 2,693), Cinebench R23 multi-core (21,751 vs 17,128), and 3DMark max-thread (9,446 vs 7,917). It also wins PassMark floating-point math by a wide margin (81,191 vs 63,815). These results point to a processor that excels in video rendering, 3D modeling, and scientific computing where all cores are utilized.
The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G wins in several specialized and mixed workloads. It leads in PassMark data encryption (22,842 vs 20,143), data compression (386,811 vs 375,950), extended instructions (29,067 vs 24,184), and random string sorting (46,025 vs 38,970). It also takes PassMark multithread (31,690 vs 30,273) and physics (1,647 vs 1,558). These wins suggest AMD’s chip handles encryption, compression, and certain instruction sets more efficiently, making it a strong pick for security-related tasks and general productivity. Single-threaded performance is mostly a wash, with AMD winning more tests but by small margins.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in several key specifications. The AMD Ryzen 7 8700G uses the Zen 4 architecture with a 4 nm process, while the Intel Core i7-12700 uses Alder Lake on a 10 nm process. AMD’s die size is 178 mm² with 25,000 million transistors, whereas Intel’s die is 215 mm² with no transistor count listed. AMD supports only DDR5 memory, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5. AMD’s PCIe is Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while Intel’s is Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics differ, with AMD featuring the Radeon 780M and Intel featuring the UHD Graphics 770.
Core counts and cache sizes also differ. AMD offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while Intel offers 12 cores and 20 threads. L1 cache is 64 KB per core for AMD and 80 KB per core for Intel. L2 cache is 1 MB per core for AMD and 1.25 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache is 16 MB shared for AMD and 25 MB shared for Intel. Base clocks are 4.20 GHz for AMD and 2.10 GHz for Intel, with boost clocks at 5.10 GHz and 4.90 GHz respectively. Both have a 65 W TDP. AMD’s multiplier is unlocked, while Intel’s is not. The launch MSRP is $329 for AMD and $349 for Intel.