AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 vs Intel Core 5 120UL Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 wins every single head-to-head test against the Intel Core 5 120UL, 15 wins to 0. The AMD part holds an 80th percentile ranking versus all CPUs, while the Intel chip sits at the 68th percentile. The average benchmark score for the Ryzen AI 5 435 is 28128, roughly double the Intel Core 5 120UL's 13594 average. The Intel processor's nearest rivals, such as the Core i3-12100F and Core 3 N355, cluster within roughly one percent of its average score, which places the Intel part firmly in the entry-level desktop performance tier. The AMD processor, by contrast, lands near the Core i5-13490F and Core i5-14500T, both of which sit within a fraction of a percent of its average score. Anyone selecting between these two based on the database numbers should choose the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 unless the Intel platform's specific socket, memory, or graphics features are mandatory for a given system design. The data does not show any workload category where the Intel Core 5 120UL pulls ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different design philosophies and manufacturing generations. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 is built on the Zen 5 architecture with the Gorgon Point codename, part of the Ryzen AI 400 generation that mixes Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It is fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The Intel Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-PS codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundries. The process node gap alone explains a substantial portion of the efficiency and performance differential seen in the benchmarks.

Core counts differ notably: the AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel part has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having four fewer cores, the AMD processor still delivers far higher multi-threaded scores, which points to a large per-core performance advantage. The AMD base clock is 2.00 GHz with a boost of 4.50 GHz; the Intel base clock is 1.30 GHz with a higher boost of 4.60 GHz. The Intel chip boosts higher but starts much lower, and the benchmark results show that peak boost alone does not translate into superior single-thread performance.

Cache configurations also diverge. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core. The AMD part has 1 MB of L2 per core and 4 MB of L3 cache. The Intel part has 1.25 MB of L2 per core and a shared 12 MB of L3. Intel's larger shared L3 cache does not compensate for the architectural and process disadvantages in the recorded workloads.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory. The Intel chip supports DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but the database lists no memory bandwidth figure and no ECC support. PCIe connectivity is another differentiator: the AMD part provides Gen 4 with 14 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part provides Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics also differ: AMD uses the Radeon 840M, Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics 80EU.

The AMD processor is classified as a mobile segment part on the AMD Socket FP8, released in the database on 2026-01-04. The Intel processor is classified as a desktop segment part on Intel Socket 1700, released on 2024-04-07. Both are active production parts with locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single advantage for the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 appears in PassMark's extended instructions test, where it scores 16197 versus 5203, a delta of 211.3%. This indicates that the Zen 5 architecture handles SIMD and specialized instruction workloads with far greater efficiency than Raptor Lake in this configuration. The data compression test shows a 106.6% delta, with AMD at 225374 and Intel at 109090. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows a 104.7% delta, with AMD at 260 and Intel at 127, which is a striking margin for a single-threaded workload.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, AMD scores 11333 versus Intel's 8974, a 26.3% delta. The single-core R23 result is more decisive: AMD at 1816 versus Intel at 1266, a 43.4% delta. PassMark single-thread shows AMD at 3734 versus Intel at 2080, a 79.5% delta. Integer math favors AMD at 61026 versus 38060, a 60.3% delta. Floating-point math shows AMD at 40627 versus 26311, a 54.4% delta. Data encryption tests give AMD 11110 versus 7685, a 44.6% delta. Random string sorting gives AMD 24891 versus 13610, an 82.9% delta. The multithread PassMark score is 19000 for AMD versus 10558 for Intel, an 80% delta. Physics scores are 1075 versus 807, a 33.2% delta. Prime number finding is 58 versus 47, a 23.4% delta, which is the narrowest margin in the recorded set.

The Cinebench R15 multi-core delta of 86.5% (1686 versus 904) shows that the AMD advantage persists even in older render benchmarks. The Intel part does have additional Cinebench R20 results in its own benchmark list (3769 multi-core and 531 single-core), but the head-to-head comparison does not include R20 for the AMD side, so no direct delta can be calculated from the database. Across every paired test, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 wins, and many of the margins exceed 50%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 has an average benchmark score of 28128, while the Intel Core 5 120UL has an average score of 13594.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 120UL ever win any head-to-head test?

A: No. The database records 15 head-to-head tests, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 wins all 15. The Intel part records zero wins.

Q: How do the core and thread counts compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel Core 5 120UL has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite fewer cores, the AMD part delivers higher multi-threaded benchmark scores.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest delta is in the PassMark extended instructions test, where the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 scores 211.3% higher than the Intel Core 5 120UL (16197 versus 5203).

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 5 120UL does not.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 is built on a 4 nm TSMC process. The Intel Core 5 120UL is built on a 10 nm Intel process.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 435 wins in every recorded workload category, so the use-case split is defined by the degree of advantage rather than by any Intel victory. For single-threaded responsiveness, the AMD part is strongly ahead: the Cinebench R15 single-core delta is 104.7%, and the PassMark single-thread delta is 79.5%. This suggests that applications with light thread counts, such as interactive desktop tasks or lightly threaded legacy software, will see a large performance benefit from the AMD part.

For multi-threaded rendering and compute, the AMD part again leads, though by a smaller margin in Cinebench R23 multi-core (26.3%) compared to other tests. The PassMark multithread score shows an 80% delta, so heavily threaded workloads like video encoding, compilation, or scientific computation will favor the AMD processor substantially. The extended instructions result, with a 211.3% delta, indicates that workloads using AVX or similar SIMD instruction sets will see the largest relative advantage on the AMD side.

The Intel Core 5 120UL, despite losing all head-to-head tests, still has its own strengths within its performance tier. Its nearest rivals are the Core i3-12100F (0.7% delta), Core 3 N355 (0.8% delta), and Core i5-9500 (1.1% delta), which means it sits near the top of the low-end desktop segment. It also has a 12 MB shared L3 cache, which is larger than the AMD part's 4 MB L3, and it supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. For systems that require DDR4 compatibility or that target the Intel Socket 1700 platform, the Core 5 120UL remains a viable choice, but the recorded data provides no workload where it outperforms the Ryzen AI 5 435.

The AMD part's mobile classification and FP8 socket indicate it is designed for portable or low-power systems, while the Intel part's desktop classification and Socket 1700 indicate a fixed desktop install. The TDP figures in the database are 28 watts for AMD and 15 watts for Intel, so the Intel part draws less nominal power, but the benchmark deltas show that the AMD part delivers far more performance per measured workload result.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every recorded specification field. Core counts: AMD has 6 cores, Intel has 10. Thread counts are identical at 12. Base clock: AMD at 2.00 GHz, Intel at 1.30 GHz. Boost clock: AMD at 4.50 GHz, Intel at 4.60 GHz. TDP: AMD at 28 watts, Intel at 15 watts. Socket: AMD uses FP8, Intel uses Socket 1700. Architecture: Zen 5 versus Raptor Lake. Codename: Gorgon Point versus Raptor Lake-PS. Generation: Ryzen AI 400 (Zen 5 / Zen 5c) versus Core 5 (Raptor Lake-PS). Process node: 4 nm TSMC versus 10 nm Intel. Foundry: TSMC versus Intel. L1 cache is the same at 80 KB per core. L2 cache: 1 MB per core for AMD, 1.25 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache: 4 MB for AMD, 12 MB shared for Intel. Memory support: DDR5 and LPDDR5X for AMD, DDR4 and DDR5 for Intel. Memory bus is dual-channel for both. Memory bandwidth: 89.6 GB/s for AMD, no recorded figure for Intel. ECC memory: supported by AMD, not supported by Intel. PCIe: Gen 4 with 14 lanes for AMD, Gen 4 with 8 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics: Radeon 840M for AMD, Iris Xe Graphics 80EU for Intel. Market segment: mobile for AMD, desktop for Intel. Release date: 2026-01-04 for AMD, 2024-04-07 for Intel. Multiplier is locked on both. Production status is active for both. The AMD part number is recorded as 100-000001337, while the Intel part number is listed as unknown.