AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 vs Intel Core i9-12900KS Comparison

The Intel Core i9-12900KS and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 represent two fundamentally different approaches to high-end computing: a desktop flagship designed for maximum throughput versus a mobile processor engineered for efficiency. Benchmark data shows the Intel part winning all 17 head-to-head comparisons, yet both processors occupy the 89th percentile among all CPUs, with near-identical average benchmark scores. The Intel Core i9-12900KS averages 45094, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 averages 46030, a difference of just 2%. This reflects a split where the desktop part dominates raw compute, while the mobile chip's efficiency allows it to compete in overall standing within a far lower power envelope.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12900KS is the clear victor in every measured benchmark category, making it the choice for workloads that demand maximum multi-threaded performance. Its largest margins come in Cinebench R23 single-core (161.7% ahead) and multi-core (69% ahead), plus a 51% lead in PassMark data encryption. For content creation, the i9-12900KS delivers 36859 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus 21812 for the AMD part, a gap that translates to meaningfully faster rendering times. The data also shows substantial wins in floating-point math (48.3% ahead) and integer math (21.2% ahead), indicating strong general-purpose compute across diverse workloads.

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, despite losing all head-to-head tests, posts a higher average benchmark score (46030) than its rival (45094) due to different benchmark weighting across its suite. Its strengths lie in efficiency rather than raw performance: it runs at a 28 W TDP compared to 150 W for the Intel chip. For mobile users prioritizing battery life and sustained performance in thin-and-light chassis, the AMD part's architecture delivers competitive results without the thermal demands of a desktop-class processor. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-13900HX (deltaPct -0.1%), showing it trades blows with previous-generation desktop-class mobile silicon.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge sharply on core configuration. The Intel Core i9-12900KS packs 16 cores and 24 threads, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 offers 12 cores and 24 threads. Clock speeds favor Intel substantially: the i9-12900KS boosts to 5.50 GHz with a 3.40 GHz base, versus 5.10 GHz boost and 2.00 GHz base for the AMD chip. Power consumption tells the efficiency story: the Intel part carries a 150 W TDP, while the AMD processor is rated at just 28 W.

Memory support also differs. The Intel chip supports DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory and 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with dual-channel memory and a higher 89.6 GB/s bandwidth. Notably, the Intel chip supports ECC memory, while the AMD part does not. PCIe connectivity favors Intel with Gen 5 and 16 lanes (CPU only), while AMD offers Gen 4 with the same lane count. Integrated graphics differ as well: Intel bundles UHD Graphics 770, while AMD includes Radeon 890M. The Intel part features an unlocked multiplier, whereas the AMD chip is locked.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is generational. Intel's Core i9-12900KS uses Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry, with a die size of 215 mm². It employs a hybrid core design typical of Alder Lake-S, with 80 KB L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 30 MB shared L3 cache. This was launched on 2022-04-04 for the desktop segment with a launch MSRP of $739.

AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 uses Zen 5 architecture on a 4 nm process from TSMC, with a larger die at 233 mm². It features a hybrid design of Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores, with 80 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 16 MB L3 cache. This mobile processor launched on 2024-06-30 and targets the mobile segment with AMD Socket FP8. The manufacturing process difference (10 nm versus 4 nm) helps explain the AMD chip's dramatically lower power draw despite higher memory bandwidth. The Intel part's larger L3 cache (30 MB versus 16 MB) contributes to its strong single-threaded performance in cache-sensitive workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900KS wins all single-threaded benchmarks. It scores 5203 in Cinebench R23 single-core versus 1988 for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, a 161.7% advantage. The gap is 15.5% in Geekbench single-core (2408 vs 2084) and 12% in PassMark single-thread (4330 vs 3867).

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900KS has a 150 W TDP, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 is rated at 28 W. This represents a more than fivefold difference in thermal design power, reflecting the AMD chip's mobile optimization versus Intel's desktop-class performance focus.

Q: Which processor has more memory bandwidth?

A: Despite being a mobile part, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 offers higher memory bandwidth at 89.6 GB/s versus 76.8 GB/s for the Intel Core i9-12900KS. Both use dual-channel memory, but AMD supports LPDDR5X in addition to DDR5, which contributes to the bandwidth advantage.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core i9-12900KS includes ECC memory support, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 does not. This makes the Intel chip more suitable for error-sensitive workstation tasks.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has a slightly higher average benchmark score of 46030 versus 45094 for the Intel Core i9-12900KS. Both sit in the 89th percentile of all CPUs, with the AMD chip's nearest rival being the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 at a -0.1% delta, and the Intel chip's nearest rival being the AMD EPYC 4344P at -0.1% delta.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900KS has 30 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 has 16 MB. The Intel chip also has more L2 cache per core (1.25 MB versus 1 MB), though both have 80 KB L1 per core.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest single victory for the Intel Core i9-12900KS comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 5203 against 1988 for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375. That 161.7% delta is the biggest margin in the entire comparison and indicates a massive per-thread performance advantage, likely driven by the Intel chip's 5.50 GHz boost clock versus 5.10 GHz for the AMD part. The multi-core version of the same test shows a 69% lead (36859 vs 21812), demonstrating that the Intel chip's core count and clock advantage scale well across all threads.

Cinebench R15 tells a similar but more nuanced story. In multi-core, the Intel part leads 3715 to 3334, an 11.4% margin that is the closest result across all benchmarks. However, in single-core, the gap explodes to 74.1% (524 vs 301), reinforcing that the AMD chip's architecture struggles in lightly-threaded workloads relative to Intel's high-clocked Alder Lake design.

Geekbench results show a tighter race in single-core (2408 vs 2084, a 15.5% lead for Intel) but a 32.8% advantage in multi-core (18538 vs 13957). This suggests that in more modern, mixed workloads, the AMD part's efficiency-oriented cores close some of the per-thread gap seen in Cinebench, though the overall throughput advantage remains firmly with Intel.

PassMark results reveal consistent Intel dominance across diverse compute types. The floating-point math test shows a 48.3% lead (111429 vs 75153), while integer math is closer at 21.2% (147575 vs 121754). Data compression shows a 39.2% advantage (563709 vs 404918), and data encryption a 51% lead (31403 vs 20802). The extended instructions test (35089 vs 29269, a 19.9% delta) indicates the Intel chip also handles SIMD and specialized instruction sets more effectively.

The closest margins appear in PassMark single-thread tests, where Intel leads by 12% (4330 vs 3867), and the aforementioned Cinebench R15 multi-core at 11.4%. These narrower gaps in single-threaded tests, combined with the AMD chip's higher average benchmark score, suggest that the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 offers respectable per-core performance when power is not a constraint. The physics test shows a 34% lead for Intel (2437 vs 1819), while random string sorting favors Intel by 35.9% (60539 vs 44552). Prime number finding is 29.5% faster on Intel (158 vs 122), and multithread performance shows a 32.8% advantage (43698 vs 32916).

In summary, the benchmark data paints a complete picture: the Intel Core i9-12900KS wins every head-to-head test, often by substantial margins, making it the superior choice for raw performance. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, however, achieves comparable overall benchmark standing while consuming a fraction of the power, making it the rational pick for mobile systems where efficiency is paramount.