AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U vs Intel Core i5-12600H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database paints a clear picture of two very different mobile processors. The Intel Core i5-12600H and AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U are both 16-thread parts, but their performance profiles diverge sharply. Intel wins 11 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while AMD secures 4 wins. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story.

The most dramatic gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Intel scores 20072 against AMD's 10047, a 99.8% advantage. That is nearly double the throughput. The single-core result in the same benchmark is also lopsided: Intel's 2833 beats AMD's 1501 by 88.7%. These are not incremental differences; they represent a fundamental performance class separation.

Cinebench R15 follows the same pattern. Intel leads multi-core with 2023 versus 1766, a 14.6% edge, and single-core with 285 versus 238, a 19.7% margin. The R15 deltas are smaller than R23, suggesting the workload scaling favors Intel as the test becomes more demanding.

PassMark results show a more balanced fight. AMD wins data compression 249799 to 247404, a slim 1% margin. It also takes data encryption 15995 to 14799, a 7.5% lead, and extended instructions 16054 to 14508, a 9.6% advantage. The largest AMD win is in integer math: 79479 versus 71168, a 10.5% gap.

Intel counters in the remaining PassMark tests. Floating point math goes to Intel 51264 to 42999, a 19.2% lead. Physics favors Intel 1262 to 989, a 27.6% margin. Prime number finding is Intel's biggest PassMark win at 71 versus 56, a 26.8% edge. Random string sorting is close (27653 versus 26716, 3.5% for Intel), as is multithread (21128 versus 20716, 2% for Intel). Single-thread performance in PassMark gives Intel 3453 versus 3234, a 6.8% lead.

The aggregate numbers reflect this split. Intel's average benchmark score is 28882, placing it in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. AMD's average is 28379, good for the 80th percentile. The nearest rivals for Intel include the Intel Core i9-13900H at 28886 (0% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 5600XT at 28940 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core i7-12650H at 28815 (0.2%). AMD's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U at 28350 (0.1%), the Intel Xeon 6337P at 28333 (0.2%), and the Intel Core i9-11950H at 28332 (0.2%).

Where Each One Wins

The data suggests Intel is the choice for compute-heavy, sustained workloads. Cinebench R23 multi-core is the clearest example: a 99.8% win means rendering, video encoding, and 3D workloads will finish far faster on the i5-12600H. The physics score, 27.6% ahead, reinforces this for simulation tasks. Floating point math, 19.2% ahead, matters for scientific computing and financial modeling.

Intel also owns single-core performance in the Cinebench suite. The 88.7% lead in R23 single-core and 19.7% in R15 single-core indicate a strong advantage in lightly threaded applications, though the PassMark single-thread margin is smaller at 6.8%. For tasks like web browsing, office productivity, and legacy software that depends on one or two threads, Intel holds the edge.

AMD's wins cluster around specific instruction types. Integer math, 10.5% ahead, benefits cryptography, compression algorithms, and database operations. Data encryption, 7.5% ahead, and data compression, 1% ahead, fall into the same category. Extended instructions, 9.6% ahead, suggest AMD handles AVX-style workloads with greater efficiency. These are not mainstream consumer tasks; they point to enterprise, security, and server-adjacent use cases.

The multithread PassMark score is nearly a tie, Intel at 21128 versus AMD at 20716. This suggests that for mixed, general-purpose multithreaded workloads, the two chips are closer than the Cinebench results imply. The R23 multi-core blowout may be specific to that rendering engine's scaling behavior, while PassMark multithread captures a broader mix of instructions where AMD's integer advantage offsets some of Intel's floating point lead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies. Intel's Core i5-12600H is built on Alder Lake-H, a 10 nm Intel process. It uses a hybrid architecture with 12 cores and 16 threads, combining performance cores with efficiency cores to balance speed and power. The die measures 217 mm². Cache is distributed as 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 18 MB of shared L3.

AMD's Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U uses Zen 3+ on a 6 nm TSMC process, codenamed Rembrandt. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with a die size of 208 mm². The cache hierarchy is smaller per core: 64 KB of L1, 512 KB of L2, and 16 MB of shared L3. Despite fewer cores, AMD matches Intel's thread count through simultaneous multithreading on all 8 cores, while Intel relies on its hybrid layout to reach 16 threads.

Clock speeds differ slightly. Both start at a 2.70 GHz base clock. Intel boosts to 4.50 GHz, while AMD boosts higher to 4.70 GHz. The thermal envelope is a major differentiator: Intel has a 45 W TDP, while AMD is rated at 15 W. That threefold difference in power budget explains much of the performance gap, but it also means AMD is designed for thinner, fanless or low-noise laptops, while Intel targets larger chassis with more cooling headroom.

Both support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 CPU lanes and dual-channel memory. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5, giving OEMs flexibility. AMD supports DDR5 only, but the database records a specific memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s for the Ryzen part. Neither supports ECC memory. Integrated graphics differ: Intel uses Iris Xe with 80 execution units, while AMD uses Radeon 680M. Both are mobile parts, and both are currently in active production. AMD's release date is recorded as 2022-04-18; Intel's release date is not listed.

The process node difference is notable: Intel at 10 nm versus TSMC's 6 nm for AMD. The smaller node typically allows higher transistor density and better efficiency per watt, which helps explain how AMD achieves competitive integer performance at a 15 W TDP. Intel's larger 217 mm² die and 45 W TDP reflect a design prioritizing raw throughput over efficiency.

The Verdict

The recorded data supports a straightforward recommendation. For users who need maximum multi-core rendering performance, the Intel Core i5-12600H is the clear pick. Its 99.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core and 27.6% lead in PassMark physics leave no ambiguity for CPU-bound creative workloads. The 45 W TDP is the price of that performance, and it requires a laptop with adequate cooling.

For users who prioritize efficiency and specific instruction-heavy tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is the alternative. Its 15 W TDP means longer battery life and thinner designs. It wins integer math by 10.5%, data encryption by 7.5%, and extended instructions by 9.6%. Those wins matter for security software, compression tools, and certain scientific workloads. Its integrated Radeon 680M graphics are also a differentiator, though the database does not record graphics benchmarks for either part.

The overall percentile rankings are nearly identical, 81st for Intel and 80th for AMD. The average benchmark scores differ by only 503 points out of roughly 28,000. This means the two chips are comparable in aggregate, but the distribution of performance is very different. Intel concentrates its strength in floating point and rendering; AMD concentrates its strength in integer and cryptographic operations. The choice comes down to workload, not overall capability.

The database also shows that both chips sit near similar rivals. Intel's closest competitor is the Intel Core i9-13900H, with a 0% delta, meaning the i5-12600H trades blows with a higher-tier part. AMD's closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U at 0.1%, essentially a sibling chip. Neither part is a clear outlier in its performance tier.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600H scores 20072 versus 10047 for the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U, a 99.8% advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U win any benchmarks?

A: Yes. It wins data compression by 1%, data encryption by 7.5%, extended instructions by 9.6%, and integer math by 10.5%.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600H is rated at 45 W, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is rated at 15 W.

Q: How many cores and threads does each CPU have?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600H has 12 cores and 16 threads. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U boosts to 4.70 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-12600H boosts to 4.50 GHz. Both have a 2.70 GHz base clock.

Q: How do the overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-12600H has an average benchmark score of 28882, placing it in the 81st percentile. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has an average score of 28379, placing it in the 80th percentile.