AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 vs Intel Core 5 120HL Comparison

AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and Intel Core 5 120HL occupy different corners of the processor market. The AMD part is a 10-core, 20-thread mobile chip built on TSMC's 4 nm process with Zen 5 architecture, while the Intel part is a 12-core, 16-thread desktop processor on Intel's 10 nm process using Raptor Lake architecture. The recorded benchmark data shows a clear performance gap between them, with the AMD chip ranking in the 87th percentile of all CPUs and the Intel chip landing in the 50th percentile. The Intel Core 5 120HL has no recorded benchmark scores in the database, which limits direct comparison, but the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has a substantial set of measurements across Cinebench, Geekbench, and Passmark tests.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark results between the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and the Intel Core 5 120HL. The Intel chip's benchmark array is empty, meaning no Cinebench, Geekbench, or Passmark scores have been recorded for it. This absence of data makes a traditional side-by-side comparison impossible. However, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365's scores can be contextualized against its nearest rivals in the database, which provides a useful reference point for its performance class.

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 achieves a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18698 and a single-core score of 1992. In Cinebench R15, it scores 2842 multi-core and 303 single-core. Geekbench results show 13760 multi-core and 2253 single-core. Passmark tests reveal a multi-thread score of 29467, a single-thread score of 3841, integer math at 101831, floating point math at 62802, extended instructions at 25113, and data compression at 354510. These numbers place the chip's average benchmark score at 40048, which is nearly identical to its closest rival, the AMD Ryzen 7 7700, which averages 40081. The delta between them is just -0.1%, indicating the Ryzen AI 9 365 performs essentially at parity with that desktop chip.

The Intel Core 5 120HL has an average benchmark score of 0 in the database, which reflects its lack of recorded measurements. Its percentile ranking of 50 places it at the median of all CPUs, but this is based on incomplete data. The AMD chip's 87th percentile ranking is significantly higher, and its average score of 40048 is well above what the Intel chip would likely achieve based on its specification profile. The Intel part does have a launch MSRP of $279, which can be stated once as a reference point, but no performance numbers exist to evaluate its actual output.

When examining the AMD chip's nearest rivals, the data shows a tight cluster. The Ryzen AI 9 365 sits at 40048 average score, while the Intel Core 5 221E averages 40144 with a -0.2% delta, the AMD Ryzen 9 270 averages 40246 with a -0.5% delta, and the Intel Core i9-13905H averages 40313 with a -0.7% delta. This means the Ryzen AI 9 365 falls within 0.7% of four other processors, all of which are within 265 points of each other. The performance band is extremely narrow, suggesting the AMD chip is competitive with mid-range desktop and high-end mobile parts from both manufacturers.

FAQ

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120HL has 12 cores and 16 threads. The AMD chip has fewer physical cores but more threads due to simultaneous multithreading on all 10 cores, whereas the Intel chip's 12 cores are split between performance and efficiency cores with only 16 total threads.

Q: How do their clock speeds compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core 5 120HL has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. Intel starts at a higher base frequency, but AMD reaches a higher maximum boost frequency.

Q: What is the process node difference between the two chips?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC, while the Intel Core 5 120HL uses a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry. The AMD chip's smaller process node typically allows for better power efficiency and higher transistor density.

Q: Which chip has more cache memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and 16 MB of L3 cache. The Intel Core 5 120HL also has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, but doubles the L2 to 2 MB per core and provides 18 MB of shared L3 cache. Intel leads in both L2 and L3 cache capacity.

Q: What integrated graphics do these processors include?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 includes Radeon 880M integrated graphics. The Intel Core 5 120HL includes Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. Both provide integrated display output without a dedicated graphics card.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with dual-channel configuration and a bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Intel Core 5 120HL supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, but its memory bandwidth is not recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 uses the Zen 5 architecture under the codename Strix Point, belonging to the Ryzen AI 300 generation that combines Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. This is a hybrid design where some cores prioritize performance and others prioritize efficiency, allowing the chip to scale from light workloads to heavy multi-threaded tasks. The chip is built on TSMC's 4 nm process with a die size of 233 mm². Its socket is AMD Socket FP8, which is designed for mobile platforms.

The Intel Core 5 120HL uses the Raptor Lake architecture under the codename Raptor Lake-PS, belonging to the Core 5 generation. Raptor Lake also employs a hybrid core design with performance cores and efficiency cores, but the Intel implementation differs in its thread allocation. The chip is built on Intel's 10 nm process, and its die size is not recorded in the database. It uses Intel Socket 1700, which is a desktop platform socket.

Both processors use per-core L1 cache of 80 KB, but they diverge at L2. AMD allocates 1 MB per core, while Intel allocates 2 MB per core. For L3, AMD provides 16 MB, while Intel provides 18 MB shared. The AMD chip's memory controller supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with a measured bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but has no recorded bandwidth figure.

PCI Express connectivity also differs. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 provides Gen 4 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel Core 5 120HL provides Gen 4 with 8 lanes from the CPU. This gives the AMD chip double the PCIe lane count for connecting expansion devices or storage. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers, meaning they are not designed for overclocking.

The AMD chip's integrated graphics are Radeon 880M, while Intel uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. The AMD part is classified as a mobile segment processor, while the Intel part is classified as desktop segment. The AMD chip was released on June 30, 2024, and the Intel chip was released on April 7, 2024.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across multiple specification fields. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120HL has 12 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 2.00 GHz for AMD and 2.60 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks are 5.00 GHz for AMD and 4.70 GHz for Intel. Thermal design power is 28 watts for AMD and 45 watts for Intel, a significant gap that reflects the mobile versus desktop positioning.

Sockets differ completely: AMD uses Socket FP8, Intel uses Socket 1700. The process node is 4 nm at TSMC for AMD, 10 nm at Intel for Intel. The AMD chip has a die size of 233 mm², while Intel's die size is not recorded. Cache configurations differ in L2 (1 MB per core for AMD, 2 MB per core for Intel) and L3 (16 MB for AMD, 18 MB for Intel). Memory support differs in that AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD, not recorded for Intel.

PCIe lanes differ: 16 for AMD, 8 for Intel, both Gen 4. Integrated graphics are Radeon 880M for AMD and Iris Xe Graphics 80EU for Intel. Market segments are mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel. Release dates are June 30, 2024 for AMD and April 7, 2024 for Intel. The Intel chip has a recorded launch MSRP of $279, while AMD's launch MSRP is not available. Part numbers are 100-000001530 for AMD and SRPFR for Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 demonstrates clear strengths in multi-threaded performance based on its recorded benchmarks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 18698, Geekbench multi-core score of 13760, Passmark multi-thread score of 29467, and Passmark integer math score of 101831 all indicate strong parallel processing capability. Its 20 threads give it an advantage in workloads that scale with thread count, such as video rendering, scientific computation, and software compilation. Its single-thread scores are also robust, with a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 1992 and a Geekbench single-core score of 2253, positioning it well for general responsiveness and lightly threaded applications.

The Intel Core 5 120HL's strengths are harder to quantify because it has no benchmark data in the database. Its specification profile suggests certain advantages: a higher base clock of 2.60 GHz versus 2.00 GHz, more L2 cache at 2 MB per core versus 1 MB, more L3 cache at 18 MB versus 16 MB, and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, which offers platform flexibility. Its desktop market segment and 45 watt TDP indicate it is designed for sustained operation in systems with adequate cooling, unlike the AMD mobile chip's 28 watt TDP, which targets power-constrained laptops.

The AMD chip's 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth and 16 PCIe lanes versus Intel's 8 lanes give it an edge in memory-intensive tasks and systems requiring more expansion capacity. The AMD chip's 4 nm process node compared to Intel's 10 nm node suggests better power efficiency per unit of performance, though the database does not record efficiency metrics. The AMD chip's 87th percentile ranking versus Intel's 50th percentile ranking, based on all CPUs in the database, indicates that the AMD part sits much higher in the overall performance distribution.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365. It has extensive recorded scores across multiple test suites, an average benchmark score of 40048, and a percentile ranking of 87 among all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 120HL has no recorded benchmarks, an average score of 0, and a percentile ranking of 50. For any workload measured by Cinebench, Geekbench, or Passmark, the AMD chip has verifiable performance numbers, while the Intel chip has none.

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 is the appropriate choice for users who need proven multi-threaded performance in a mobile form factor. Its 10 cores and 20 threads, combined with a 5.00 GHz boost clock and 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, make it suitable for content creation, programming, and productivity tasks on laptops. Its 28 watt TDP allows it to fit in thinner and lighter systems while still delivering competitive performance.

The Intel Core 5 120HL is positioned as a desktop processor with 12 cores and 16 threads, a 45 watt TDP, and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. Its higher base clock and larger cache allocations suggest it may perform well in specific scenarios, but without recorded benchmark data, its actual performance cannot be verified against the AMD chip. Users considering the Intel part would be making a decision based on specifications alone, with no measured scores to confirm expectations.

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 delivers a higher level of confirmed performance, sits in a higher performance percentile, and offers more PCIe lanes and higher memory bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 120HL offers a lower launch MSRP of $279, more cache, and broader memory compatibility, but its lack of benchmark results leaves its real-world capabilities undefined. The verdict from the recorded data is that the AMD chip is the stronger performer, while the Intel chip remains an unverified option with a lower price point.