AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS vs Intel Core i9-12900H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents a fascinating split between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core i9-12900H claims 14 wins out of 17 head-to-head comparisons, yet the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS secures the most decisive victories in the most demanding modern workloads.

The most striking result is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the AMD part scores 2679 against Intel's 1863.5, a 43.8% margin. This is not a marginal lead; it is a dominant statement in a test that typically favors high boost clocks. The Intel chip has a 5.00 GHz boost clock versus the AMD's 4.70 GHz, yet the Zen 3+ architecture delivers a significantly higher score. This suggests that raw clock speed alone does not dictate single-thread performance in this comparison.

The AMD also wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 18980 points versus 15946.5, a 19% advantage. This is counterintuitive given the Intel part has 14 cores and 20 threads compared to the AMD's 8 cores and 16 threads. The data implies that the AMD's efficient Zen 3+ cores scale better in this specific rendering workload, despite having fewer physical cores.

However, the Intel processor dominates the older Cinebench R15 and R20 tests. In R15 multi-core, Intel scores 2576.5 versus 1913, a 25.8% lead. In R20 multi-core, Intel leads 9501 to 7971, a 16.1% gap. The same 16.1% delta appears in R20 single-core, where Intel scores 1341 against AMD's 1125. This divergence between Cinebench versions is revealing: the newer R23 test favors the AMD architecture, while the older tests favor Intel's hybrid design.

The Passmark suite tells a consistent story of Intel superiority across most workloads. The largest gaps appear in find prime numbers, where Intel scores 107 against AMD's 58, a 45.8% advantage. Floating point math shows Intel ahead 67940 to 46706, a 31.3% margin. Physics simulation sees Intel at 1753 versus 1065, a 39.2% lead. These are substantial, workload-specific wins that indicate Intel's hybrid core arrangement excels at certain computational patterns.

In more general Passmark tests, Intel maintains consistent leads. Multi-thread scores 27340 against 22330, an 18.3% difference. Single-thread scores 3717 against 3301, an 11.2% margin. Data compression shows Intel at 316714 versus 272838, a 13.9% advantage. Data encryption is closer: 18548 versus 17350, a 6.5% gap. Extended instructions favor Intel by 4.2%, and integer math by 8.9%. Random string sorting sees Intel ahead 35296 to 28693, an 18.7% difference.

The only other AMD win besides the two Cinebench R23 results is a narrow 1.5% margin in Cinebench R15 single-core, where AMD scores 270 against Intel's 266. This is a minor victory, but it shows that in at least one legacy single-thread test, the AMD part can edge out the Intel chip.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a clear picture of two different design philosophies. The Intel Core i9-12900H is the workhorse for traditional multi-threaded and integer-heavy tasks. Its 14 cores and 20 threads deliver measurable advantages in 14 of 17 comparisons, particularly in physics simulation, prime number calculation, and floating point operations. Users who run older rendering benchmarks, compression tools, or parallel computation workloads will see tangible benefits from the Intel part.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS, despite having fewer cores, wins the most important modern benchmark categories. Its 43.8% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core and 19% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core suggest that it is better optimized for current-generation rendering engines. The 2679 single-core score is remarkable and indicates that the Zen 3+ architecture has a significant instruction-per-clock advantage over Intel's Alder Lake design in this test.

The average benchmark scores place the AMD part at 28549 with a percentile of 80, while the Intel part averages 28003 with the same 80th percentile. The AMD's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2436 at a 0.1% delta, while the Intel's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G at a 0.1% delta. These aggregate scores are nearly identical, suggesting that overall performance parity exists, but the distribution of wins is heavily skewed toward Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12900H wins across the broad Passmark suite, making it the choice for general productivity and legacy software. The 45.8% lead in find prime numbers indicates strong performance in mathematical workloads. The 39.2% advantage in physics simulation suggests better handling of physics engines in older games or scientific applications. The 31.3% floating point lead points to superiority in computational modeling and financial analysis.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS wins in Cinebench R23, which is a modern benchmark widely used by content creators. The 43.8% single-core lead and 19% multi-core lead make it the better option for current video editing, 3D rendering, and animation software that is optimized for contemporary CPU architectures. The 30% advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core over the Intel in raw terms (2679 versus 1863.5) is substantial enough to affect render times in daily workflows.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 2679 points versus Intel's 1863.5, a 43.8% lead. However, Intel wins Passmark single-thread tests with 3717 points versus AMD's 3301, an 11.2% margin.

Q: Does the Intel Core i9-12900H always outperform the AMD chip?

A: No. The Intel part wins 14 of 17 head-to-head comparisons, but the AMD wins 3, including the important Cinebench R23 tests in both single-core and multi-core.

Q: Which CPU is better for multi-threaded workloads?

A: It depends on the benchmark. Intel leads Cinebench R15 multi-core by 25.8% and R20 multi-core by 16.1%. AMD leads Cinebench R23 multi-core by 19%. Intel also leads Passmark multi-thread by 18.3%.

Q: What is the difference in core counts?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900H has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900H has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS has an average benchmark score of 28549, while the Intel Core i9-12900H averages 28003. Both sit at the 80th percentile of all CPUs.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS uses the Zen 3+ architecture with the Rembrandt codename, manufactured on a 6 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core i9-12900H uses the Alder Lake architecture with the Alder Lake-H codename, manufactured on a 10 nm process by Intel.

The AMD die size is 208 mm², while the Intel die is 217 mm². The AMD uses AMD Socket FP7, while Intel uses Intel BGA 1744. Both support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The AMD has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, with 24 MB of shared L3 cache. This larger Intel cache likely contributes to its Passmark wins in data-heavy workloads.

Memory support also differs. The AMD supports DDR5 memory only, with a dual-channel bus and 76.8 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also with a dual-channel bus, though no bandwidth figure is recorded for Intel.

Integrated graphics differ: the AMD uses Radeon 680M, while Intel uses Iris Xe 96EU. Both are integrated solutions for mobile platforms.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850HS has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a TDP of 35 watts, while the Intel Core i9-12900H has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a TDP of 45 watts. The Intel boost clock reaches 5.00 GHz compared to the AMD's 4.70 GHz.

The AMD offers 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel offers 14 cores and 20 threads. The AMD's process node is 6 nm from TSMC, while Intel uses its own 10 nm process. Die sizes are 208 mm² for AMD and 217 mm² for Intel.

Cache configurations differ per-core and in total L3: 64 KB L1 and 512 KB L2 per AMD core versus 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per Intel core. Shared L3 is 16 MB for AMD versus 24 MB for Intel.

Memory support: AMD uses DDR5 only, Intel uses DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is recorded as 76.8 GB/s for AMD; Intel's is not listed. Both support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes and neither supports ECC memory.

The AMD release date is 2022-04-18, while Intel released on 2022-01-03. Both are active production, both have locked multipliers, and both target the mobile market segment. The AMD part number is 100-000000542100-000000564, and Intel's is SRLD4.