AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 vs Intel Core 5 120 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clear overall winner: the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 takes 12 of 15 benchmark comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 120 manages only 3 wins. The margin of victory for AMD is often substantial, frequently exceeding 50%.

The largest single advantage for the AMD processor appears in PassMark random string sorting, where it scores 37379 against Intel's 21499, a 73.9% advantage. Extended instructions follow closely: AMD delivers 24773 versus 14264, a 73.7% lead. These two results indicate that the AMD chip handles complex data manipulation and specialized instruction workloads with considerably more throughput.

Integer math shows a 64% gap in AMD's favor (99156 vs 60462), and prime number finding favors AMD by 61% (124 vs 77). Data compression sees AMD at 349463 versus 219535, a 59.2% margin, while data encryption shows a 58.1% advantage (17601 vs 11131). The multithreaded PassMark score is 28986 for AMD against 18597 for Intel, a 55.9% difference. Floating point math favors AMD by 37.5% (62411 vs 45383), and physics tests show AMD ahead by 26.7% (1689 vs 1333). Even the single-thread PassMark score, traditionally an area where Intel's higher clock speeds might dominate, goes to AMD: 3750 vs 3595, a 4.3% edge.

Cinebench R15 multicore is another decisive AMD win: 2672.5 versus 1840, a 45.2% advantage. This older rendering workload responds strongly to core count, and the AMD chip's 10 cores and 20 threads clearly overwhelm Intel's 6 cores and 12 threads.

The Intel Core 5 120 wins the remaining three tests. Cinebench R23 single-core shows the largest Intel margin: 2577 versus 1996.5, a 22.5% lead. Cinebench R23 multicore also goes to Intel, but by a much narrower margin: 18255 versus 17462.5, only 4.3%. Cinebench R15 single-core is close as well: 259 versus 247, a 4.6% edge for Intel.

These results are consistent with two different performance profiles. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 dominates in throughput-oriented workloads, while the Intel Core 5 120 holds an advantage in lightly threaded rendering tasks, particularly in the more modern Cinebench R23 version.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design directions. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 uses the Zen 5 architecture under the Gorgon Point codename, part of the Ryzen AI 400 generation built on a hybrid Zen 5 / Zen 5c layout. It is manufactured by TSMC on a 4 nm process with a die size of 233 mm². The Intel Core 5 120 uses Raptor Lake architecture under the Raptor Lake-R codename, part of the Raptor Lake Refresh generation, produced by Intel on a 10 nm process with a 163 mm² die.

Core counts differ sharply. The AMD part offers 10 cores and 20 threads. The Intel part provides 6 cores and 12 threads. This structural difference explains much of the AMD advantage in multithreaded workloads. Base and boost clocks also differ: AMD runs at 2.00 GHz base and 5.00 GHz boost, while Intel runs at 2.50 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost. Intel's higher base clock contributes to its single-core wins, though AMD's higher boost clock and core count compensate in aggregate benchmarks.

Cache layouts show a meaningful split. Both processors have 80 KB of L1 per core. The L2 cache differs: AMD provides 1 MB per core, while Intel provides 1.25 MB per core. L3 cache also differs in configuration: AMD has 16 MB total, while Intel has 18 MB shared. Intel's slightly larger L3 and per-core L2 may help in workloads that benefit from cache locality.

Memory support separates the two as well. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, but the database records no bandwidth figure. ECC memory is not supported by either. PCIe connectivity differs: AMD offers Gen 4 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while Intel offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), giving Intel a newer PCIe generation.

Integrated graphics differ substantially. AMD uses the Radeon 880M, while Intel uses UHD Graphics 730. The database does not provide comparative graphics benchmarks, but the product positioning differs: the AMD processor is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel processor is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700. The AMD chip has a 28 W TDP, while the Intel chip has a 65 W TDP, reflecting the mobile versus desktop market split.

Production status is Active for both. The AMD part was released on 2025-12-31, while the Intel part was released on 2025-07-30. The Intel part has a recorded launch MSRP of $211. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The benchmark data separates these two processors by workload type rather than by overall superiority. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 wins 12 of 15 head-to-head comparisons and sits at the 88th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 43431. The Intel Core 5 120 wins 3 comparisons and sits at the 77th percentile, with an average benchmark score of 25362.

For multithreaded productivity, the AMD chip is the clear choice. Its wins span data compression, encryption, integer math, floating point math, physics, prime number finding, random string sorting, and the PassMark multithread test. The margins range from 26.7% to 73.9%, which are not marginal differences. The Cinebench R15 multicore result reinforces this: AMD leads by 45.2%.

For single-threaded rendering, the Intel chip holds a measurable advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core margin of 22.5% is substantial, and the R15 single-core margin of 4.6%, while smaller, still goes to Intel. The R23 multicore result also favors Intel, though the 4.3% margin is modest compared to AMD's larger wins elsewhere. Notably, the PassMark single-thread score goes to AMD by 4.3%, which means Intel's single-core leadership is specific to the Cinebench rendering workloads rather than universal.

The data does not support a blanket recommendation. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 is the stronger processor for threaded workloads, encryption, compression, and general math throughput. The Intel Core 5 120 is the stronger processor for Cinebench-style rendering, particularly single-core rendering. The Intel part also belongs to the desktop segment with a 65 W TDP and PCIe Gen 5, while the AMD part is a mobile part with a 28 W TDP and PCIe Gen 4, so platform context matters alongside raw scores.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clock is 2.00 GHz for AMD and 2.50 GHz for Intel. Boost clock is 5.00 GHz for AMD and 4.50 GHz for Intel. TDP is 28 W for AMD and 65 W for Intel. The AMD socket is AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel socket is Intel Socket 1700. Architecture is Zen 5 for AMD and Raptor Lake for Intel. Codename is Gorgon Point for AMD and Raptor Lake-R for Intel. Generation is Ryzen AI 400 (Zen 5 / Zen 5c) for AMD and Core 5 (Raptor Lake Refresh) for Intel. Process node is 4 nm for AMD and 10 nm for Intel. Foundry is TSMC for AMD and Intel for Intel. Die size is 233 mm² for AMD and 163 mm² for Intel.

L2 cache is 1 MB per core for AMD and 1.25 MB per core for Intel. L3 cache is 16 MB for AMD and 18 MB (shared) for Intel. Memory support is DDR5, LPDDR5X for AMD and DDR4, DDR5 for Intel. Memory bandwidth is 89.6 GB/s for AMD and not recorded for Intel. PCIe is Gen 4, 16 Lanes (CPU only) for AMD and Gen 5, 16 Lanes (CPU only) for Intel. Integrated graphics are Radeon 880M for AMD and UHD Graphics 730 for Intel. Market segment is Mobile for AMD and Desktop for Intel. Release date is 2025-12-31 for AMD and 2025-07-30 for Intel. Launch MSRP is not recorded for AMD and $211 for Intel. Part number is 100-000001861 for AMD and SA35V for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 has 10 cores and 20 threads. The Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 leads in Cinebench R23 single-core by 22.5% and in Cinebench R15 single-core by 4.6%. However, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 leads in PassMark single-thread by 4.3%.

Q: How do the processors compare in multithreaded performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 wins Cinebench R15 multicore by 45.2% and PassMark multithread by 55.9%. The Intel Core 5 120 wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 4.3%.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 has an average benchmark score of 43431 and sits at the 88th percentile. The Intel Core 5 120 has an average benchmark score of 25362 and sits at the 77th percentile.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. The Intel Core 5 120 supports DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 has a boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel Core 5 120 has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 wins in data compression (59.2%), data encryption (58.1%), extended instructions (73.7%), prime number finding (61%), floating point math (37.5%), integer math (64%), the PassMark multithread test (55.9%), physics (26.7%), random string sorting (73.9%), the PassMark single-thread score (4.3%), and Cinebench R15 multicore (45.2%). These workloads share a common trait: they scale with thread count and sustained throughput. The 10-core, 20-thread Zen 5 configuration with a 5.00 GHz boost clock is well suited to these demands.

The Intel Core 5 120 wins in Cinebench R23 single-core (22.5%), Cinebench R15 single-core (4.6%), and Cinebench R23 multicore (4.3%). The R23 wins are notable because they occur in a rendering benchmark that typically rewards both core count and single-core efficiency. Intel's 2.50 GHz base clock and 18 MB shared L3 cache help in these specific workloads. The 6-core, 12-thread configuration is sufficient to edge out the AMD part in R23 multicore despite having fewer threads, which suggests that per-core efficiency in this rendering workload favors Intel.

The passmark results tell a different story. In every PassMark test except single-thread, AMD's margin exceeds 26%, and in several cases it exceeds 60%. The Intel wins are concentrated entirely in the Cinebench suite, which means the choice between these processors depends heavily on whether the target application uses Cinebench-style rendering or PassMark-style general math and data workloads. The database records 15 head-to-head comparisons, and the distribution is lopsided: 12 for AMD, 3 for Intel.

For mobile platforms, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 offers a 28 W TDP, Radeon 880M integrated graphics, and LPDDR5X support. For desktop platforms, the Intel Core 5 120 offers a 65 W TDP, UHD Graphics 730, PCIe Gen 5, and DDR4 support. The market segments do not overlap directly, so the benchmark results should be interpreted within each platform context. The data shows that AMD dominates the PassMark suite and older Cinebench multicore, while Intel holds the newer Cinebench R23 results, both single-core and multicore.