AMD Ryzen 9 5900X vs Intel Core i9-12900 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a sharply split performance profile. The Intel Core i9-12900 takes the Cinebench suite decisively, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X dominates most Passmark workloads and Geekbench. Out of 17 shared tests, AMD wins 10, Intel wins 7, but the margin distribution tells a more nuanced story.

Intel’s largest victory comes in Cinebench R15 multicore, where it scores 3299 against AMD’s 2695, a 22.4% advantage. The gap narrows in Cinebench R23 multicore, with Intel at 18628 versus 16262, a 14.5% lead. Single-core Cinebench results also favor Intel: R15 shows a 4.8% edge (262 vs 250), and R23 shows a much larger 19.5% margin (1825 vs 1527). This suggests Intel’s single-core efficiency is particularly strong under Cinebench’s rendering workload.

Passmark single-thread performance confirms Intel’s single-core strength, with a 15.4% lead (4003 vs 3469). Floating point math also goes Intel’s way: 91514 versus 77700, a 17.8% advantage. These wins indicate Intel’s architecture handles scalar and floating-point workloads with higher per-thread throughput.

AMD’s wins are broader but often smaller. The most dramatic is Passmark find prime numbers, where AMD scores 257 against Intel’s 121, a 52.9% advantage. This is the largest delta in either direction. AMD also leads heavily in data encryption (31106 vs 23203, 25.4% ahead) and extended instructions (33119 vs 24777, 25.2% ahead). Data compression favors AMD by 18.4% (499968 vs 407899). Random string sorting goes AMD’s way by 14.7% (51646 vs 44070), and integer math by 9.5% (140851 vs 127512). Multithreaded Passmark shows AMD ahead by 13.8% (39002 vs 33608), and physics by 13.2% (1994 vs 1730).

Geekbench is interesting: AMD wins both multi-core and single-core, but by modest margins. Multi-core shows 14118 versus 13088, a 7.3% lead for AMD; single-core shows 2083 versus 1993, a 4.3% lead. This contrasts sharply with Cinebench, where Intel wins every test. The divergence suggests different workloads stress different parts of the architecture, and neither chip is universally faster.

Notably, the average benchmark scores place Intel higher overall (42906 vs 41376), and Intel sits at the 88th percentile of all CPUs while AMD sits at the 87th. Yet AMD wins more head-to-head tests. This means Intel’s wins are concentrated in heavier, longer-running workloads, while AMD’s wins are more numerous but often in narrower or more specialized tasks.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i9-12900 scores 18628, which is 14.5% higher than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X’s 16262.

Q: Does the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X win any benchmark by a wide margin?

A: Yes. In Passmark find prime numbers, AMD scores 257 versus Intel’s 121, a 52.9% advantage, the largest delta of any test.

Q: How do the two compare in Geekbench multi-core?

A: AMD leads with 14118 against Intel’s 13088, a 7.3% advantage. This is one of the few tests where AMD wins multi-core performance.

Q: Which chip has better single-thread performance?

A: It depends on the benchmark. Intel wins Passmark single-thread by 15.4% (4003 vs 3469) and Cinebench R23 single-core by 19.5% (1825 vs 1527). AMD wins Geekbench single-core by 4.3% (2083 vs 1993).

Q: Are there workloads where the AMD chip is dramatically better?

A: Yes, particularly in encryption and extended instructions. AMD leads data encryption by 25.4% (31106 vs 23203) and extended instructions by 25.2% (33119 vs 24777).

Q: Which processor has a higher overall average benchmark score?

A: Intel’s average is 42906, while AMD’s is 41376. Intel also ranks at the 88th percentile of all CPUs versus AMD’s 87th.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. Intel’s Core i9-12900 uses the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, built by Intel itself. AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900X uses Zen 3, fabricated by TSMC on a 7 nm node. The Intel die is 215 mm², while AMD’s is listed as 2x 74 mm², indicating a chiplet design. AMD’s transistor count is given as 8,300 million, while Intel’s is not recorded in the database.

Core counts differ: Intel has 16 cores and 24 threads, AMD has 12 cores and 24 threads. Thread counts match, but Intel relies on more cores to reach the same thread count, likely due to its hybrid layout. Intel’s base clock is 2.40 GHz with a boost of 5.10 GHz; AMD runs higher at 3.70 GHz base but boosts lower at 4.80 GHz. Intel’s TDP is 65 watts, while AMD’s is 105 watts, a notable difference given AMD’s higher base clock.

Cache hierarchies diverge sharply. Intel provides 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3. AMD provides 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3. AMD’s L3 is more than double Intel’s, which helps explain its strong showing in data-heavy Passmark tasks like compression and encryption. Intel’s larger per-core L2 may contribute to its single-core wins.

Memory support differs. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory, achieving a bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. AMD supports only DDR4, also dual-channel, with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. That bandwidth gap is substantial, and it aligns with Intel’s advantages in Cinebench, which can be memory-sensitive. Both support ECC memory. PCIe capabilities also differ: Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while AMD offers Gen 4. Intel includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while AMD has none listed. Both have unlocked multipliers.

Release dates differ by over a year: Intel launched on 2022-01-03, AMD on 2020-11-04. Intel’s launch MSRP is $519, AMD’s is $549. Both are marked as Active production status and target the desktop segment.

The Verdict

The data points to two distinct use profiles. The Intel Core i9-12900 is the stronger choice for rendering and single-threaded performance, as shown by its decisive wins in Cinebench R15 and R23 multi-core and single-core, plus Passmark single-thread and floating-point math. Its higher memory bandwidth (76.8 GB/s vs 51.2 GB/s) and larger L2 per core likely support these wins. The 22.4% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore is particularly notable for anyone running CPU-based rendering.

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is the better option for integer-heavy, encryption, and compression work. Its 64 MB L3 cache and 8,300 million transistors on a 7 nm process appear to drive wins in data encryption (25.4% ahead), extended instructions (25.2% ahead), and data compression (18.4% ahead). The 52.9% lead in prime number finding suggests extreme strength in mathematical compute loops. AMD also wins Passmark multithread by 13.8%, which is a broad measure of parallel throughput.

Overall average scores favor Intel (42906 vs 41376), and Intel’s percentile rank is one point higher. However, AMD wins more individual tests. Users who prioritize a specific workload should choose accordingly. For general mixed use, the average scores suggest Intel holds a slight edge, but the margin is small: Intel’s nearest rival, the Core i9-12900KF, trails by only 0.2%, and AMD sits close to several Intel mobile chips in its own rival list. Neither chip is a clear all-round winner.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i9-12900 | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X |

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

| Cores | 16 | 12 |

| Base clock | 2.40 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.10 GHz | 4.80 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 105 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Architecture | Alder Lake | Zen 3 |

| Process node | 10 nm | 7 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die size | 215 mm² | 2x 74 mm² |

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

| L2 cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 30 MB (shared) | 64 MB |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4 |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 770 | None |

| Release date | 2022-01-03 | 2020-11-04 |

| Launch MSRP | $519 | $549 |

Both chips have 24 threads, dual-channel memory, ECC support, unlocked multipliers, and active production status. Both target the desktop market.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12900 wins in rendering and single-threaded tasks. Cinebench R15 multi-core (22.4% ahead), Cinebench R23 multi-core (14.5% ahead), Cinebench R15 single-core (4.8% ahead), Cinebench R23 single-core (19.5% ahead), Passmark single-thread (15.4% ahead), and Passmark floating-point math (17.8% ahead). These are the workloads where raw per-core speed and memory bandwidth matter most. Intel’s higher boost clock (5.10 GHz) and larger L2 per core (1.25 MB) likely explain these results.

The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X wins in data manipulation and parallel integer workloads. Passmark data compression (18.4% ahead), data encryption (25.4% ahead), extended instructions (25.2% ahead), find prime numbers (52.9% ahead), integer math (9.5% ahead), multithread (13.8% ahead), physics (13.2% ahead), and random string sorting (14.7% ahead). AMD also wins both Geekbench tests, multi-core by 7.3% and single-core by 4.3%. The larger L3 cache (64 MB) and higher base clock (3.70 GHz) appear to give AMD an edge in tasks that repeatedly access large datasets or run many simple operations. For users working with encryption, compression, or heavy integer math, the Ryzen 9 5900X is the clear choice. For rendering and single-threaded responsiveness, the Core i9-12900 leads.