AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 vs Intel Core i9-12900HX Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors into very distinct roles. The Intel Core i9-12900HX wins 11 of the 15 recorded head-to-head comparisons, and it does so by margins that are often massive. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 wins four tests, but those wins are all in single-threaded workloads, and the margins are small.

The Intel part is the clear choice for heavily threaded productivity. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 23,150 against AMD's 16,014.5, a 44.6% advantage. That pattern repeats across PassMark's compute suite: floating point math shows Intel at 84,410 versus 53,230 (58.6% ahead), integer math lands at 113,416 versus 85,651 (32.4% ahead), and data encryption produces a 50.4% lead (22,932 versus 15,244). The Intel chip also dominates prime number finding, scoring 132 versus 80, a 65% gap, which is the largest single delta in the entire comparison.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 wins only where single-core efficiency matters most. Its Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1,958 edges out Intel's 1,912.5, a 2.3% margin. PassMark single-thread shows the same story: 3,834 versus 3,745, again 2.3% ahead. Cinebench R15 single-core gives AMD a 294 to 278 win, a 5.4% advantage, which is its largest single-threaded victory. These are consistent but narrow leads, not generational leaps.

For mixed workloads, the database shows a split. The Intel chip wins PassMark multithread 33,158 to 24,935 (33% ahead) and data compression 400,636 to 304,089 (31.7% ahead). The AMD chip counters with a 12.2% deficit in extended instructions (21,678 versus 24,315), meaning even in SIMD-style workloads, Intel holds the advantage. The practical takeaway: Intel for rendering, compilation, or any sustained all-core load; AMD for snappy single-threaded response and lower power draw in light tasks.

Architecture Differences

These two processors come from different design philosophies. The Intel Core i9-12900HX uses Alder Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 215 mm². It packs 16 cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The thermal design power is 55 W, and it uses the Intel BGA 1964 socket. The cache hierarchy is generous: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 30 MB of shared L3.

The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 uses Zen 5 architecture, specifically the Krackan Point codename, built on TSMC's 4 nm process with a 195 mm² die. It is a smaller part in every physical sense: 8 cores, 16 threads, a 2.00 GHz base clock, and the same 5.00 GHz boost. The TDP is dramatically lower at 28 W, and it fits the AMD Socket FP8. The cache is also smaller: 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and only 8 MB of shared L3.

The memory support differs meaningfully. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel access and has ECC capability. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, also dual-channel, and lists a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, but has no ECC support. PCIe connectivity also diverges: Intel offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are present on both, with Intel's UHD Graphics 770 against AMD's Radeon 860M.

The AMD chip is a hybrid design internally, with the generation field noting "Zen 5 / Zen 5c" cores, whereas Intel's Alder Lake-HX generation is listed simply as "Core i9 (Alder Lake-HX)". The AMD processor has a locked multiplier; Intel's is unlocked. The Intel part launched on May 9, 2022, with a launch MSRP of $606. The AMD part launched on January 5, 2025. Both are marked as active production parts for the mobile segment.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900HX has 16 cores and 24 threads. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Is the AMD chip faster in single-threaded tests?

A: Yes, but only slightly. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 1,958 versus 1,912.5 (2.3% ahead) and PassMark single-thread with 3,834 versus 3,745 (also 2.3% ahead). Its largest single-core win is Cinebench R15 at 294 versus 278 (5.4% ahead).

Q: How large is the Intel chip's multicore advantage?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900HX leads by 44.6% in Cinebench R23 multicore (23,150 versus 16,014.5) and by 44% in Cinebench R15 multicore (3,566 versus 2,477). PassMark multithread shows a 33% lead (33,158 versus 24,935).

Q: What are the power requirements of each chip?

A: The Intel processor has a TDP of 55 W. The AMD processor has a TDP of 28 W. The database does not record real-world power draw beyond these thermal design points.

Q: Do both chips support the same memory types?

A: No. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel access and ECC. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with dual-channel access, no ECC, and lists 89.6 GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Q: Which chip has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900HX has 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 has 8 MB of L3 cache.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every physical and platform specification. The Intel part has 16 cores and 24 threads; AMD has 8 cores and 16 threads. Intel's base clock is 2.30 GHz versus AMD's 2.00 GHz, though both boost to 5.00 GHz. The TDP gap is substantial: 55 W for Intel, 28 W for AMD.

The sockets are incompatible: Intel BGA 1964 versus AMD Socket FP8. The process nodes differ by generation: Intel uses 10 nm from its own foundry, while AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC. The die sizes are close, 215 mm² for Intel and 195 mm² for AMD, but the cache configurations are not. Intel provides 1.25 MB of L2 per core and 30 MB of shared L3; AMD provides 1 MB of L2 per core and 8 MB of L3. L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core.

Memory support diverges: Intel allows DDR4 and DDR5 with ECC enabled, while AMD allows DDR5 and LPDDR5X without ECC. The memory bus is dual-channel on both, but only AMD lists a bandwidth figure (89.6 GB/s). PCIe generations differ as well: Intel Gen 5 with 20 lanes, AMD Gen 4 with 16 lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 on Intel and Radeon 860M on AMD.

The AMD part has a locked multiplier; the Intel part is unlocked. The Intel processor carries a launch MSRP of $606; AMD has no recorded launch MSRP. The release dates are nearly three years apart: May 2022 for Intel, January 2025 for AMD. Both are active mobile parts, and both sit at the 84th percentile versus all CPUs in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single win for Intel comes in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where it scores 132 against AMD's 80, a 65% advantage. That is the kind of gap that shows up in long-running integer loops, and it is not an outlier. Floating point math also heavily favors Intel: 84,410 versus 53,230, a 58.6% lead. Data encryption is similarly lopsided at 50.4% (22,932 versus 15,244), and physics simulation shows a 49.1% edge (2,012 versus 1,349).

The Cinebench suite reinforces the multicore story. R23 multicore gives Intel 23,150 versus 16,014.5 (44.6%), and R15 multicore gives 3,566 versus 2,477 (44%). These are the two most commonly cited rendering benchmarks, and the Intel part wins both by nearly identical margins.

The AMD wins are narrower but real. Cinebench R15 single-core gives AMD a 5.4% lead (294 versus 278), its best result. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 1,958 versus 1,912.5, a 2.3% margin, and PassMark single-thread shows 3,834 versus 3,745, also 2.3%. The consistency of these single-threaded wins suggests a genuine architectural advantage in lightly threaded workloads, even if the magnitude is small.

The middle ground belongs to Intel. Data compression goes 400,636 to 304,089 (31.7%), integer math goes 113,416 to 85,651 (32.4%), and random string sorting goes 43,877 to 33,266 (31.9%). Extended instructions, which often favor newer architectures, still go to Intel by 12.2% (24,315 versus 21,678). PassMark multithread sums up the overall picture: 33,158 versus 24,935, a 33% Intel advantage.

The recorded data shows a clear split. Intel dominates in any test that scales with core count or sustained throughput, often by 30% to 65%. AMD wins single-threaded tests by 2% to 5%, which matters for responsiveness but not for heavy lifting. The average benchmark scores reflect this: Intel's average is 35,003, and AMD's is 34,222, a difference of roughly 2.3% overall. The Intel chip is the stronger compute part; the AMD chip is the more efficient single-threaded one.