AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 vs Intel Core 5 120UL Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split between these two processors is absolute: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 wins all 11 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Intel Core 5 120UL records zero wins. This is not a close contest by any metric. The AMD part leads by double digits in every category, with the smallest margin being 38.7% in physics processing and the largest being 254.7% in extended instruction throughput.

For single-threaded workloads, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 posts a score of 3785 in the PassMark single-thread test, which is 82% ahead of the Intel Core 5 120UL's 2080. This advantage matters for everyday responsiveness, lightly threaded applications, and any software that cannot fully utilize multiple cores. The AMD part's 4.80 GHz boost clock, compared to 4.60 GHz on the Intel part, partially explains this gap, though architectural efficiency plays a larger role as discussed in the next section.

In multithreaded throughput, the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 scores 21054 versus 10558 for the Intel Core 5 120UL, a 99.4% advantage. That is nearly double the raw multithreaded performance, despite the Intel part having 10 cores versus 6 on the AMD side. The AMD processor leverages its 12 threads efficiently, achieving a Pascal-style score that nearly doubles the Intel competitor.

Memory-related workloads also favor the AMD processor decisively. Data compression shows a 135.1% delta, with the AMD part scoring 256420 versus 109090. Random string sorting, another memory-latency-sensitive test, shows a 100.2% advantage for the AMD part (27252 versus 13610). These results indicate that the Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440's memory subsystem, including its 89.6 GB/s bandwidth figure, provides a substantial edge over the Intel part, which has no recorded memory bandwidth figure in the database.

Encryption and prime number finding, workloads that stress integer and cryptographic instruction paths, show 61.6% and 63.8% deltas respectively. The AMD part scores 12418 in data encryption versus 7685, and 77 in prime finding versus 47. Floating-point math also goes to the AMD processor by 63.2% (42934 versus 26311), and integer math by 73.4% (65991 versus 38060).

The extended instructions test, which measures SIMD and specialized instruction throughput, delivers the most lopsided result. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 scores 18456, while the Intel Core 5 120UL manages only 5203. That 254.7% delta suggests the Zen 5 architecture's instruction handling is dramatically more efficient for this workload class.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 uses Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm TSMC process, with the codename Gorgon Point and a 195 mm² die size. It belongs to the Ryzen AI PRO 400 generation, which combines Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. The Intel Core 5 120UL uses Raptor Lake architecture on Intel's 10 nm process, with the codename Raptor Lake-PS.

Core counts differ significantly. The AMD part has 6 cores and 12 threads. The Intel part has 10 cores and 12 threads. This means the Intel chip has 4 more physical cores but the same thread count, indicating that some of its cores may be efficiency cores without hyperthreading, though the database does not specify the core type breakdown. The AMD part achieves its 12 threads with all 6 cores supporting simultaneous multithreading.

Cache hierarchies diverge as well. Both parts have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache differs: the AMD part has 1 MB per core, while the Intel part has 1.25 MB per core. The shared L3 cache shows a notable difference: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 has 8 MB of L3, while the Intel Core 5 120UL has 12 MB of shared L3. Despite having 50% more L3 cache, the Intel part still loses decisively in cache-sensitive benchmarks like random string sorting, which suggests that raw cache capacity matters less than memory bandwidth and access latency.

Memory support also differs. The AMD part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory. The Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5 with a dual-channel bus, but has no recorded bandwidth figure and no ECC support. The absence of DDR4 support on the AMD side may matter for platform flexibility, but the bandwidth advantage appears to be decisive in practice.

Process technology gives the AMD part a significant efficiency and performance-per-clock advantage. The 4 nm TSMC process is considerably denser and more power-efficient than Intel's 10 nm process. The TDP figures reflect this: the AMD part is rated at 28 watts, while the Intel part is rated at 15 watts. The higher TDP on the AMD side allows it to maintain higher clocks under load, and the boost clock difference (4.80 GHz versus 4.60 GHz) contributes to the single-thread advantage.

The socket and platform differ completely. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP8, a mobile-focused socket. The Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700, typically associated with desktop platforms. The market segments also differ: the AMD part is classified as Mobile, while the Intel part is classified as Desktop. The PCIe configurations also differ: the AMD part has Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part has Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only).

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 uses the Radeon 840M, while the Intel Core 5 120UL uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so the relative performance of these iGPUs cannot be assessed from the recorded data.

The Verdict

The recorded data delivers an unambiguous verdict: the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 outperforms the Intel Core 5 120UL in every measured benchmark category. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 41208, placing it in the 87th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Intel part averages 13594, placing it in the 68th percentile. That is a roughly 3x difference in average score.

The AMD part's nearest rivals include the Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (average score 41215, delta 0%), the Intel Core Ultra 7 366H (41263, delta -0.1%), and the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (41376, delta -0.4%). This places the Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 in the company of high-end desktop and premium mobile processors from recent generations, despite its 6-core configuration and 28-watt TDP.

The Intel Core 5 120UL's nearest rivals tell a different story. It sits near the Intel Core i3-12100F (average score 13494, delta 0.7%), the Intel Core 3 N355 (13492, delta 0.8%), and the Intel Core i5-9500 (13452, delta 1.1%). These are entry-level desktop processors, and the Core 5 120UL is competitive within that tier, but it is not in the same performance class as the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440.

For users who prioritize multithreaded throughput, single-thread responsiveness, memory bandwidth, or any of the 11 recorded benchmark categories, the data supports choosing the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440. The 99.4% multithread advantage and 82% single-thread advantage leave no ambiguity. Even in physics processing, where the margin is smallest, the AMD part leads by 38.7%.

The Intel Core 5 120UL does have its own rationale. Its 15-watt TDP is notably lower than the AMD part's 28 watts, which could matter for power-constrained designs. It also supports DDR4 memory, which may allow cheaper platform builds, though the database does not include pricing data. Its 10 physical cores might benefit workloads that scale by core count rather than thread count, but the recorded benchmarks do not show any such advantage.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 scores 3785 in the PassMark single-thread test, which is 82% higher than the Intel Core 5 120UL's 2080.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multithreaded workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 scores 21054 in PassMark multithread, while the Intel Core 5 120UL scores 10558. The AMD part leads by 99.4%.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 120UL win any benchmark category?

A: No. The database records 11 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, and the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 wins all 11. The Intel part records zero wins.

Q: What is the cache configuration difference?

A: Both have 80 KB L1 per core. The AMD part has 1 MB L2 per core and 8 MB shared L3. The Intel part has 1.25 MB L2 per core and 12 MB shared L3.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 5 120UL does not list ECC support.

Q: How do the TDP ratings compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 is rated at 28 watts, while the Intel Core 5 120UL is rated at 15 watts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The extended instructions test delivers the largest margin in the entire comparison. The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 scores 18456, while the Intel Core 5 120UL scores 5203. That is a 254.7% delta, meaning the AMD part achieves more than 3.5 times the score of the Intel part. This test typically measures SIMD throughput and specialized instruction execution, and the Zen 5 architecture's handling of these instructions appears to be dramatically more efficient than Raptor Lake's.

Random string sorting shows a 100.2% delta. The AMD part scores 27252, the Intel part scores 13610. This workload is sensitive to memory latency and cache behavior. Despite having 12 MB of L3 versus 8 MB on the AMD part, the Intel chip loses by a wide margin, indicating that the AMD memory subsystem's 89.6 GB/s bandwidth is more impactful than raw cache capacity.

Multithread performance closely mirrors the random string sorting result. The AMD part scores 21054, the Intel part scores 10558, a 99.4% delta. This near-doubling of multithreaded throughput is notable because the Intel part has 10 cores versus 6 on the AMD part. The Zen 5 architecture's per-core efficiency, combined with its higher boost clock, more than compensates for the 4-core disadvantage.

Integer math shows a 73.4% delta, with the AMD part scoring 65991 versus 38060. Floating-point math shows a 63.2% delta, with scores of 42934 and 26311. These are substantial margins in fundamental arithmetic workloads, suggesting the AMD part's execution units are wider or better pipelined.

Data compression shows a 135.1% delta. The AMD part scores 256420, while the Intel part scores 109090. This workload benefits from both memory bandwidth and instruction efficiency, and the AMD part leads by more than a factor of 2.3.

Single-thread performance shows an 82% delta. The AMD part scores 3785, the Intel part scores 2080. The boost clock difference is 4.80 GHz versus 4.60 GHz, which accounts for some of this gap, but the Zen 5 architecture's higher instructions-per-clock likely contributes more.

Data encryption shows a 61.6% delta, with the AMD part scoring 12418 versus 7685. Prime number finding shows a 63.8% delta, with scores of 77 and 47. Physics processing shows the smallest margin at 38.7%, with the AMD part scoring 1119 versus 807.

Specification Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 5 PRO 440 uses 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120UL uses 10 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks differ: 2.00 GHz on the AMD part versus 1.30 GHz on the Intel part. Boost clocks differ: 4.80 GHz versus 4.60 GHz.

TDP ratings differ significantly: 28 watts for the AMD part, 15 watts for the Intel part. The AMD part uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD architecture is Zen 5 with the codename Gorgon Point; the Intel architecture is Raptor Lake with the codename Raptor Lake-PS.

Process nodes differ: 4 nm TSMC for the AMD part, 10 nm Intel for the Intel part. The die size is 195 mm² for the AMD part; no die size is recorded for the Intel part.

Cache configurations differ in L2 and L3. Both have 80 KB L1 per core. The AMD part has 1 MB L2 per core and 8 MB L3. The Intel part has 1.25 MB L2 per core and 12 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs: the AMD part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The AMD part has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s; no bandwidth figure is recorded for the Intel part. ECC memory support exists only on the AMD part.

PCIe configurations differ: the AMD part has Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part has Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics differ: the AMD part uses Radeon 840M, while the Intel part uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units.

Market segments differ: the AMD part is classified as Mobile, the Intel part as Desktop. Both are active production parts. The AMD part has part number 100-000001866; the Intel part's part number is recorded as unknown. Neither processor has a recorded launch MSRP.