AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 vs Intel Core 5 120 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the Intel Core 5 120 represent two distinctly different design philosophies, one a mobile-first hybrid architecture and the other a desktop-focused refresh. The benchmark data in the database shows a clear overall winner, but the single significant victory for Intel reveals a nuanced story about workload-specific strengths.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are overwhelmingly one-sided. Out of the 15 recorded comparisons, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 takes 14 wins, while the Intel Core 5 120 secures only one. The magnitude of AMD's victories is substantial, often doubling or more than doubling Intel's scores in specific workloads.

The largest deltas appear in the PassMark suite. In random string sorting, the AMD part scores 48723 against Intel's 21499, a 126.6% advantage. This is followed by extended instructions, where AMD's 31653 is 121.9% higher than Intel's 14264. Integer math shows a 103.3% delta, with AMD at 122933 and Intel at 60462. Data compression follows closely at 103%, with scores of 445719 and 219535 respectively. Data encryption shows a 99.9% gap, with AMD's 22252 versus Intel's 11131.

Multi-threaded rendering tests also favor AMD heavily. In Cinebench R15 multicore, AMD's 3409.5 is 85.3% ahead of Intel's 1840. The PassMark multithread score shows an 89% delta, with AMD at 35148 and Intel at 18597. Floating point math is another strong point for AMD, delivering 76892 against 45383, a 69.4% lead. Prime number finding shows a 63.6% advantage, with AMD at 126 and Intel at 77.

Physics simulation in PassMark reveals a 41.1% gap, with AMD scoring 1881 to Intel's 1333. Even in single-threaded PassMark tests, AMD leads by 10.5%, posting 3973 versus 3595. Cinebench R15 single-core shows an 18.3% delta in AMD's favor, with scores of 306.5 and 259.

The Intel Core 5 120's sole victory comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 2577 against AMD's 2018. This is a 21.7% lead for Intel. However, in Cinebench R23 multicore, AMD reverses the result, scoring 21761 against Intel's 18255, a 19.2% advantage. This pattern suggests Intel's single-core architecture has a raw speed advantage per thread, but AMD's additional cores and threads dominate when the workload scales.

The Verdict

The data indicates a decisive overall performance advantage for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. Its average benchmark score is 37904, placing it in the 86th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 120 averages 25362, which puts it in the 77th percentile. The difference in average scores is substantial, roughly 49.5% higher for AMD.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database provides context. The AMD chip's closest competitor is the Intel Core i9-14901E, with an average score of 37911 and a delta of 0%. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is also nearby at 37943, a -0.1% delta. The Intel Core 5 120's nearest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D at 25365 (0% delta), followed by the Intel Core i7-11700KF at 25423 (-0.2%). This positioning shows that the AMD part competes in a higher performance tier entirely.

For users focused on multi-threaded productivity, rendering, and data-heavy tasks, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 is the clear choice based on the recorded benchmarks. Its 12 cores and 24 threads provide a massive parallel processing advantage. For those whose primary workload is lightly threaded and depends on maximum single-core speed, the Intel Core 5 120's Cinebench R23 single-core result suggests it may have an edge in specific applications. However, this is a narrow niche given the breadth of AMD's wins.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 uses the Zen 5 architecture with the Strix Point codename, manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. It features a hybrid core layout with the Ryzen AI 300 generation, combining Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. The die size is 233 mm².

The Intel Core 5 120 is based on the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R codename from the Raptor Lake Refresh generation. It is manufactured on Intel's 10 nm process, with a die size of 163 mm². This is a desktop processor on the Intel Socket 1700, while the AMD part uses the AMD Socket FP8 for mobile.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. The AMD chip has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel chip has 6 cores and 12 threads. This explains the large multi-threaded performance gaps. Cache configurations also differ. Both have 80 KB of L1 cache per core. The L2 cache is 1 MB per core for AMD, while Intel has 1.25 MB per core. The L3 cache is 16 MB for AMD, but Intel has 18 MB shared. The Intel part's larger L3 cache may contribute to its single-core advantage.

Process node and foundry choices are starkly different. AMD uses a 4 nm TSMC process, while Intel uses its own 10 nm process. The smaller node typically allows for better power efficiency and higher transistor density, which may explain AMD's performance per watt in multi-threaded tasks.

Memory support and PCIe capabilities also separate the two. AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory with dual-channel configuration, offering 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but the database does not list its bandwidth. AMD uses PCIe Gen 4 with 16 lanes, while Intel uses the newer PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics differ as well: AMD has the Radeon 890M, while Intel has the UHD Graphics 730.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120 has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core 5 120 scores 2577, which is 21.7% higher than the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370's 2018 in Cinebench R23 single-core.

Q: How does the multi-core performance compare in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 scores 21761, which is 19.2% higher than the Intel Core 5 120's 18255 in Cinebench R23 multicore.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has an average score of 37904, compared to the Intel Core 5 120's 25362.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has a boost clock of 5.10 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 120 has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz.

Q: What are the process node differences?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while the Intel Core 5 120 uses a 10 nm process from Intel.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 dominates in nearly every recorded benchmark category. Its strongest areas are data compression, integer math, and random string sorting, where it more than doubles Intel's scores. It also leads in extended instructions, floating point math, and data encryption by significant margins. Multi-threaded rendering in Cinebench R15 and R23 shows a clear advantage, as does PassMark's multithread and physics tests. Even in single-threaded PassMark tests, AMD holds a 10.5% lead.

The Intel Core 5 120 has one clear victory: Cinebench R23 single-core. This result indicates that for applications that rely heavily on a single thread and cannot utilize multiple cores effectively, the Intel architecture may deliver better raw per-core performance. The larger L3 cache of 18 MB and higher base clock of 2.50 GHz may contribute to this result. However, this is the only category where Intel prevails, and the margin of 21.7% is notable but isolated.

For users running heavily threaded workloads such as video rendering, data analysis, or compilation, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370's 12-core, 24-thread configuration provides a substantial advantage. The data shows that multi-threaded performance is consistently 19% to 89% higher across various tests. For users whose primary workload is a single-threaded application that is sensitive to per-core speed, the Intel Core 5 120 may offer a better experience in that specific scenario.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across several key specification fields. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 has a base clock of 2.00 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The Intel Core 5 120 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The TDP differs significantly: AMD is rated at 28 W, while Intel is rated at 65 W.

The sockets are incompatible: AMD uses AMD Socket FP8, while Intel uses Intel Socket 1700. The market segments also differ, with AMD targeting Mobile and Intel targeting Desktop. Release dates are different as well: AMD was released on 2024-06-30, while Intel was released on 2025-07-30.

Memory support shows a split: AMD supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD part has a listed memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while Intel's is not listed. PCIe generations differ: AMD uses Gen 4 with 16 lanes, while Intel uses Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The integrated graphics are distinct: AMD has Radeon 890M, while Intel has UHD Graphics 730.

The process node and foundry are different: AMD uses 4 nm from TSMC, while Intel uses 10 nm from its own foundry. The die size also differs: AMD is 233 mm², while Intel is 163 mm². Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both are listed as Active in production status. The launch MSRP for the Intel Core 5 120 is $211, while the AMD part has no launch MSRP listed.