AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 vs Intel Core 5 120 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 uses 12 cores and 24 threads, while the Intel Core 5 120 uses 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the performance gap in the most lopsided benchmark?

A: In PassMark extended instructions, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 scores 32803 against 14264 for the Intel Core 5 120, a 130% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core 5 120 win any benchmark?

A: Yes. The Intel Core 5 120 wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 2577 points versus 2054 points for the AMD part, a 20.3% margin.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in overall database percentile ranking?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 sits in the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core 5 120 sits in the 77th percentile.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 has an average benchmark score of 56306, compared to 25362 for the Intel Core 5 120.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory types?

A: No. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X, while the Intel Core 5 120 supports DDR4 and DDR5. The AMD part also supports ECC memory; the Intel part does not.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 is built on Zen 5 architecture under the Gorgon Point codename, part of the Ryzen AI PRO 400 generation that mixes Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. The Intel Core 5 120 uses Raptor Lake architecture under the Raptor Lake-R codename, part of the Core 5 Raptor Lake Refresh generation. The process nodes differ sharply: AMD uses a 4 nm process from TSMC, while Intel uses a 10 nm process from Intel. Die sizes also differ, with the AMD chip at 233 mm² and the Intel chip at 163 mm².

Cache layouts diverge. Both allocate 80 KB of L1 per core. The AMD part provides 1 MB of L2 per core and 16 MB of L3, while the Intel part provides 1.25 MB of L2 per core and 18 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip has more total L3 by 2 MB, but the AMD chip carries twice the core count.

Memory support separates the two further. The AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a dual-channel bus with 89.6 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC memory support. The Intel Core 5 120 supports DDR4 and DDR5 on a dual-channel bus, but no ECC memory and no recorded memory bandwidth figure. PCIe capability also differs: AMD provides Gen 4 with 16 CPU-only lanes, Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU-only lanes.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The AMD processor uses a Radeon 890M iGPU, while the Intel processor uses UHD Graphics 730. The market segments reflect these design choices: the AMD chip is a mobile part on AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel chip is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1700. The AMD part has a 28 TDP, the Intel part a 65 TDP. The AMD chip boosts to 5.20 GHz from a 2.00 GHz base; the Intel chip boosts to 4.50 GHz from a 2.50 GHz base. Neither multiplier is unlocked.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a dominant multi-threaded and throughput advantage for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 across nearly every workload. The biggest single win comes in PassMark extended instructions, where the AMD part scores 32803 versus 14264 for the Intel Core 5 120, a 130% delta. PassMark random string sorting follows closely at 127.1% ahead (48824 versus 21499). PassMark integer math shows a 111% advantage, with the AMD chip at 127573 and the Intel chip at 60462. PassMark data compression lands at 110.1% ahead, 461195 versus 219535. Data encryption is nearly identical in proportional terms, with a 106% margin: 22929 versus 11131.

The multi-threaded PassMark suite reinforces the pattern. PassMark multithread shows a 95.7% lead for the AMD part, 36402 versus 18597. PassMark find prime numbers delivers a 76.6% gain (136 versus 77), and PassMark floating point math shows 76.3% (80023 versus 45383). Cinebench R15 multicore gives the AMD chip a 75.8% advantage, 3234 versus 1840. PassMark physics shows a smaller but still clear 43.7% lead, 1915 versus 1333. Cinebench R23 multicore is the closest multi-threaded result: the AMD part scores 19095 against 18255, a 4.6% margin.

Single-thread results tell a different story. The Intel Core 5 120 takes Cinebench R23 single-core by 20.3%, scoring 2577 versus 2054. However, the AMD part still wins the other single-thread tests. Cinebench R15 single-core goes to AMD at 313 versus 259, a 20.8% margin. PassMark single-thread and PassMark singlethread both record 4050 for AMD and 3595 for Intel, a 12.7% lead.

The win tally is stark: the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 wins 14 of the 15 head-to-head benchmarks, with the Intel Core 5 120 winning only Cinebench R23 single-core. The average benchmark score comparison confirms the overall gap: 56306 for AMD versus 25362 for Intel. In the nearest rivals table, the AMD chip sits within 0.1% of the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 (56273) and 0.5% above the Intel Core i9-14900HX (56004). The Intel Core 5 120, by contrast, sits within 0% of the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D (25365) and 0.3% above the Intel Core i5-13400F (25292). The two CPUs are not in the same performance tier, despite the Intel part's single-core Cinebench R23 win.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts are the largest differentiators: 12 cores and 24 threads for the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 versus 6 cores and 12 threads for the Intel Core 5 120. Clock speeds differ, with the AMD part at a 2.00 GHz base and 5.20 GHz boost, while the Intel part runs a 2.50 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost. TDP differs substantially: 28 for AMD versus 65 for Intel.

Process technology separates them: 4 nm TSMC for AMD versus 10 nm Intel for the Intel chip. Die size is 233 mm² for AMD and 163 mm² for Intel. Cache differs per core and in total: AMD has 1 MB L2 per core and 16 MB L3; Intel has 1.25 MB L2 per core and 18 MB shared L3. The L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core.

Memory support varies. The AMD part supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X with 89.6 GB/s bandwidth and ECC memory. The Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5, has no recorded bandwidth figure, and no ECC support. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700. PCIe generation differs: Gen 4 with 16 CPU-only lanes for AMD versus Gen 5 with 16 CPU-only lanes for Intel.

Integrated graphics differ: Radeon 890M on the AMD side, UHD Graphics 730 on the Intel side. Market segment is mobile for AMD and desktop for Intel. Release dates differ, with the AMD part listed as 2026-01-04 and the Intel part as 2025-07-30. The Intel part has a launch MSRP of $211; the AMD part has no recorded launch MSRP. The architectures are Zen 5 for AMD and Raptor Lake for Intel, with codenames Gorgon Point and Raptor Lake-R respectively. The part numbers are 100-000001937 for AMD and SA35V for Intel.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 as the stronger processor for almost all workloads. It leads in 14 of 15 head-to-head tests, including massive margins in data compression, encryption, integer math, and extended instructions. The 110.1% advantage in data compression and 106% advantage in data encryption indicate a wide throughput gap that favors the 12-core, 24-thread AMD design. The 95.7% lead in PassMark multithread and the 75.8% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore reinforce that assessment. The AMD part also occupies the 92nd percentile of all CPUs, versus the 77th percentile for the Intel part, and its average benchmark score of 56306 is more than double the Intel part's 25362.

The Intel Core 5 120 has one clear strength: Cinebench R23 single-core, where it beats the AMD chip by 20.3% with 2577 points versus 2054. That result shows the Raptor Lake design can outperform the Zen 5 chip in a specific lightly threaded rendering test. However, the AMD part wins the other single-thread tests, including Cinebench R15 single-core by 20.8% and PassMark single-thread by 12.7%. The Intel part also carries a higher TDP of 65 versus 28, which means the AMD chip delivers its throughput advantage at a much lower power envelope. The Intel part does offer Gen 5 PCIe support and DDR4 compatibility, which may matter for specific desktop configurations.

For a mobile platform, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 470 delivers the higher multi-threaded performance, lower TDP, ECC support, and more cores and threads. For a desktop system where single-core Cinebench R23 performance is the priority, the Intel Core 5 120 has the better recorded score. The data otherwise favors the AMD processor across the majority of the benchmark suite, with a 92nd percentile ranking that places it near the AMD Ryzen AI Max 390 and above the Intel Core i9-14900HX. The Intel Core 5 120's nearest rivals are the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D and Intel Core i5-13400F, which puts it in a lower performance class entirely. The choice depends on the workload: the AMD part for multi-threaded and mixed tasks, the Intel part specifically for Cinebench R23 single-core performance.