AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 vs Intel Core i9-12900K Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two processors is unusually clear-cut. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 wins 4 of the 17 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i9-12900K takes 13. The pattern is not random: AMD dominates in specific single-thread and integer workloads, while Intel sweeps most multi-threaded and throughput-oriented tests.

The AMD part wins Cinebench R23 multi-core (27877 vs 26125, a 6.7% margin), Cinebench R15 single-core (396 vs 289, a 37% lead), Cinebench R23 single-core (3935 vs 2004.5, a 96.3% lead), and PassMark find prime numbers (166 vs 147, a 12.9% advantage). The single-core Cinebench results are particularly striking: the AMD chip nearly doubles the Intel score in R23 single-core. That is the largest delta in the entire comparison.

Intel wins every other recorded test. The biggest Intel victories come in PassMark floating point math (105471 vs 63332, a 40% margin), Cinebench R15 multi-core (4057 vs 2809, a 30.8% lead), PassMark data compression (537341 vs 386829, 28% ahead), and PassMark integer math (139090 vs 103330, 25.7% ahead). Intel also leads in PassMark multithread (41213 vs 32733, 20.6%), Cinebench R20 multi-core (14679 vs 11708, 20.2%), Cinebench R20 single-core (2072 vs 1652, 20.3%), PassMark physics (2219 vs 1699, 23.4%), PassMark data encryption (29579 vs 22821, 22.8%), PassMark extended instructions (33682 vs 29216, 13.3%), PassMark random string sorting (57094 vs 46759, 18.1%), and PassMark single thread (4136 vs 3849, 6.9%).

The use-case split is clear. For workloads that depend on raw multi-threaded throughput, float math, or compression, the Intel Core i9-12900K is the stronger choice. For lightly threaded tasks, particularly those that stress per-core performance in Cinebench, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 holds a decisive edge. The data shows that AMD's wins are fewer but often larger in percentage terms, while Intel's wins are more numerous and spread across a wider range of workload types.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 uses the Zen 4 architecture on a 5 nm TSMC process, with 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core i9-12900K uses Alder Lake on Intel's 10 nm process, with 16 cores and 24 threads. The core counts alone explain much of the multi-threaded benchmark behavior: Intel has twice as many physical cores.

Cache layouts differ substantially. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 32 MB of shared L3. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. The per-core L1 and L2 figures favor Intel, while the shared L3 slightly favors AMD. Total die size also diverges: the AMD chip measures 71 mm² with 6,570 million transistors, while Intel's die is 215 mm². That size difference reflects the process node gap: 5 nm from TSMC versus 10 nm from Intel.

Memory support is another distinction. AMD supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a recorded bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD memory bandwidth figure is higher by 6.4 GB/s, but Intel's flexibility with DDR4 may matter for platform compatibility. Both support ECC memory.

PCIe lanes differ: AMD offers Gen 5 with 24 lanes from the CPU, Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses Radeon Graphics, Intel uses UHD Graphics 770. The AMD part is locked (multiplier not unlocked), while the Intel part has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD processor targets the Server/Workstation market segment, while Intel's is a Desktop part. AMD's socket is AM5, Intel's is Socket 1700. The Intel processor launched on 2021-11-03 with a launch MSRP of $599; the AMD processor launched on 2023-06-12. The AMD part is the newer release by roughly 18 months.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to distinct buyer profiles for each processor. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the choice for single-threaded Cinebench workloads, where it beats the Intel part by 96.3% in R23 single-core. It also wins R23 multi-core by 6.7%, which is notable given Intel's core advantage. For users whose primary applications resemble Cinebench R23, the AMD chip delivers competitive multi-core performance while dominating single-core. The 8-core, 16-thread configuration with 32 MB of L3 and 83.2 GB/s memory bandwidth suits workstation environments where the AMD part's Server/Workstation market segment aligns with the use case.

The Intel Core i9-12900K is the choice for throughput-heavy tasks. It wins 13 of 17 benchmarks, including all PassMark math tests, compression, encryption, physics, and multithread. The 16-core, 24-thread configuration provides 40% more floating point performance and 25.7% more integer performance than the AMD part. For data compression, the Intel chip processes 537341 points versus 386829, a 28% advantage. The Intel part also leads in single-thread PassMark (4136 vs 3849), though by a smaller 6.9% margin.

The average benchmark scores reflect a near tie. The AMD part records an average score of 43704, while the Intel part averages 42335. Both sit at the 88th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD part's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 7 260 (43717, 0% delta), AMD Ryzen 7 170 (43689, 0%), AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 (43431, 0.6% behind), and AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 (43326, 0.9% behind). The Intel part's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i9-12950HX (42487, 0.4% ahead), AMD Ryzen 5 7400 (42055, 0.7% behind), AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS (41963, 0.9% behind), and Intel Core i7-14700T (41914, 1% behind). The percentile and average scores place both processors in the same performance tier, but their benchmark profiles diverge sharply.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 37% and Cinebench R23 single-core by 96.3%. However, the Intel Core i9-12900K wins PassMark single thread by 6.9% (4136 vs 3849). The answer depends on the benchmark: AMD dominates Cinebench single-core, Intel leads PassMark single thread.

Q: Why does the Intel processor win most multi-threaded tests?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 cores and 24 threads, compared to 8 cores and 16 threads for the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745. With twice the physical cores, Intel leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core by 30.8%, Cinebench R20 multi-core by 20.2%, and PassMark multithread by 20.6%.

Q: Does the AMD processor win any multi-core test?

A: Yes, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with a score of 27877 versus 26125 for the Intel Core i9-12900K, a 6.7% margin. This is the only multi-core test AMD wins in the recorded data.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 records 83.2 GB/s, while the Intel Core i9-12900K records 76.8 GB/s. AMD's figure is higher, but Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while AMD supports DDR5 only.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 cores and 24 threads. Intel has 8 more cores and 8 more threads.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 has 32 MB of shared L3, while the Intel Core i9-12900K has 30 MB of shared L3. AMD leads by 2 MB.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest AMD victory is Cinebench R23 single-core. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 scores 3935 versus 2004.5 for the Intel Core i9-12900K, a 96.3% advantage. This is the most lopsided result in the entire comparison. The AMD chip also wins Cinebench R15 single-core by 37% (396 vs 289), and Cinebench R23 multi-core by 6.7% (27877 vs 26125). The PassMark find prime numbers test goes to AMD by 12.9% (166 vs 147).

The largest Intel victory is PassMark floating point math. The Intel Core i9-12900K scores 105471 versus 63332, a 40% lead. The Intel chip wins PassMark data compression by 28% (537341 vs 386829), PassMark integer math by 25.7% (139090 vs 103330), PassMark physics by 23.4% (2219 vs 1699), and PassMark data encryption by 22.8% (29579 vs 22821). Intel also wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 30.8% (4057 vs 2809), Cinebench R20 multi-core by 20.2% (14679 vs 11708), and Cinebench R20 single-core by 20.3% (2072 vs 1652). PassMark multithread goes to Intel by 20.6% (41213 vs 32733), PassMark extended instructions by 13.3% (33682 vs 29216), PassMark random string sorting by 18.1% (57094 vs 46759), and PassMark single thread by 6.9% (4136 vs 3849).

The pattern across these results is consistent: Intel wins by larger margins in most multi-threaded and math-heavy tests, while AMD wins by a huge margin in Cinebench single-core and a modest margin in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The Intel processor's 16-core advantage drives most of its wins, but the AMD chip's Zen 4 architecture delivers exceptional per-core Cinebench scores.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in every major specification field. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 has 8 cores and 16 threads, while the Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks are 3.80 GHz for AMD and 3.20 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.30 GHz for AMD and 5.20 GHz for Intel. Thermal design power differs significantly: 65 W for AMD versus 125 W for Intel.

Process technology separates them: AMD uses 5 nm from TSMC with 6,570 million transistors on a 71 mm² die; Intel uses 10 nm with no recorded transistor count on a 215 mm² die. Cache configurations differ per core: AMD has 64 KB L1 and 1 MB L2 per core, Intel has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core. Shared L3 is 32 MB for AMD and 30 MB for Intel.

Memory support differs: AMD supports DDR5 only, Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Both are dual-channel, but AMD records 83.2 GB/s bandwidth versus 76.8 GB/s for Intel. Both support ECC memory. PCIe lanes differ: AMD has Gen 5 with 24 lanes, Intel has Gen 5 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics for AMD and UHD Graphics 770 for Intel. The AMD part has a locked multiplier; the Intel part is unlocked. Market segments are Server/Workstation for AMD and Desktop for Intel. Sockets are AM5 for AMD and Socket 1700 for Intel. The Intel part launched on 2021-11-03 with a launch MSRP of $599; the AMD part launched on 2023-06-12.