AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 vs Intel Core 5 120 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 and Intel Core 5 120 are both 6-core, 12-thread processors, but they target different platforms and design philosophies. The data shows a clear split in benchmark performance, with the AMD part taking the majority of the head-to-head wins while the Intel chip secures specific, and sometimes large, victories in other areas. The recorded scores position these chips in different performance percentiles, and the underlying architecture differences explain much of the observed behavior.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 wins 8 of the 11 recorded head-to-head benchmark comparisons. Its largest margin of victory comes in the PassMark random string sorting test, where it scores 25,181 against the Intel Core 5 120's 21,499, a 17.1% advantage. This suggests a significant efficiency in handling sorting algorithms, likely related to memory subsystem design. The AMD chip also shows a strong lead in extended instructions, scoring 16,520 versus 14,264, a 15.8% difference. This indicates better performance on specialized instruction sets, which can matter for encryption, media processing, and other SIMD-heavy workloads.

In multi-threaded performance, the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 scores 19,262 in the PassMark multithread test, which is 3.6% higher than the Intel Core 5 120's 18,597. The AMD part also wins the integer math test with a score of 62,249 against 60,462, a 3% lead. Data compression favors AMD at 230,437 versus 219,535, a 5% margin, and data encryption shows a smaller 2.8% edge with scores of 11,444 and 11,131. In single-thread performance, the AMD part leads with 3,713 against 3,595, a 3.3% advantage. This is notable because the Intel chip has a higher base clock, but the AMD chip's boost behavior and architecture compensate in the recorded benchmarks.

The Intel Core 5 120 wins 3 of the head-to-head tests, and its victories are substantial. The largest is in the find prime numbers test, where Intel scores 77 against AMD's 57, a 26% advantage. This test is often sensitive to integer division and branch prediction, and the Intel architecture clearly handles it better. The physics test also goes to Intel with a score of 1,333 versus 1,022, a 23.3% lead. This test often reflects the efficiency of the memory controller and cache hierarchy under heavy random access. Floating point math also favors Intel, with 45,383 against 42,248, a 6.9% margin.

The average benchmark scores from the database tell a different story. The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 has an average benchmark score of 37,804 and sits in the 86th percentile of all CPUs. The Intel Core 5 120 has an average score of 25,362 and sits in the 77th percentile. The nearest rivals for each chip confirm their respective performance tiers. The AMD chip's closest rival is the Intel Core 5 211E with an average score of 37,829 and a delta of -0.1%, followed closely by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 at 37,904 with a delta of -0.3%. The Intel Core 5 120's closest rival is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D with a score of 25,365 and a delta of 0%, and the Intel Core i5-13400F at 25,292 with a delta of 0.3%. The average score gap between the two chips is substantial, reflecting that the AMD part belongs to a higher performance class despite sharing core and thread counts.

The Verdict

The data indicates that the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 is the stronger overall performer. Its average benchmark score of 37,804 is far above the Intel Core 5 120's 25,362, and it holds an 86th percentile ranking versus 77th. The AMD part wins the majority of the head-to-head tests, including the crucial single-thread and multithread categories. The Intel chip does have decisive wins in prime number finding, physics, and floating point math, but these are not enough to offset the AMD chip's broader superiority.

The Intel Core 5 120 is a desktop processor, while the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 is a mobile part. The AMD chip uses an AMD Socket FP8, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700. The Intel part has a 65 watt TDP versus the AMD part's 28 watts, which suggests the AMD chip is designed for more power-constrained environments. The AMD part also features ECC memory support, which the Intel chip lacks. For workloads that align with the Intel chip's strengths, such as prime number calculations or physics simulations, the Intel part is viable. For general-purpose computing, the data favors the AMD chip.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 wins in data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, integer math, multithreading, random string sorting, and single-thread performance. These categories span a broad range of typical computing tasks, from file compression and encryption to general number crunching and sorting operations. The 17.1% lead in random string sorting and the 15.8% lead in extended instructions are particularly strong indicators for mixed workloads. The AMD chip's 3.3% single-thread advantage matters for responsiveness in everyday applications.

The Intel Core 5 120 wins in find prime numbers, physics, and floating point math. The 26% margin in prime number finding is the largest single delta in either direction across all tests. The 23.3% lead in physics suggests the Intel chip handles certain types of simulation and physics calculations with greater efficiency. The 6.9% lead in floating point math makes it a reasonable choice for workloads dominated by floating point operations, such as scientific computing or certain rendering tasks. These wins are narrow in scope but significant in magnitude.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 has an average benchmark score of 37,804, while the Intel Core 5 120 has an average score of 25,362.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-thread performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 scores 3,713 in the PassMark single-thread test, which is 3.3% higher than the Intel Core 5 120's score of 3,595.

Q: What is the largest benchmark win for each processor?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132's largest win is in random string sorting with a 17.1% lead. The Intel Core 5 120's largest win is in find prime numbers with a 26% lead.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 and the Intel Core 5 120 have 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 5 120 does not.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 has a TDP of 28 watts, while the Intel Core 5 120 has a TDP of 65 watts.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 uses the Gorgon Point codename and belongs to the Ryzen AI Embedded generation based on Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. It is manufactured on a 4 nm process by TSMC. The Intel Core 5 120 uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, belonging to the Core 5 generation from the Raptor Lake Refresh. It is manufactured on a 10 nm process by Intel. The die size of the Intel chip is recorded as 163 mm², while no die size is recorded for the AMD chip. The AMD chip is fabricated by TSMC, and the Intel chip is fabricated by Intel.

The cache layouts differ as well. Each core on the AMD chip has 80 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache, with 4 MB of L3 cache. Each core on the Intel chip also has 80 KB of L1 cache, but the L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core, and the L3 cache is 18 MB shared. The Intel chip has a significantly larger L3 cache. The AMD chip supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X memory in a dual-channel configuration, while the Intel chip supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The AMD chip has a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, while no memory bandwidth figure is recorded for the Intel chip. The AMD chip supports ECC memory, and the Intel chip does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The base clock of the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132 is 2.00 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 120 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz. Both have the same boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The AMD chip has a TDP of 28 watts, and the Intel chip has a TDP of 65 watts. The AMD chip uses AMD Socket FP8, and the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1700. The AMD chip supports PCIe Gen 4 with 14 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics differ, with the AMD chip featuring a Radeon 840M and the Intel chip featuring UHD Graphics 730. The AMD chip is classified as a mobile processor, and the Intel chip is classified as a desktop processor. The Intel Core 5 120 has a launch MSRP of $211, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the AMD Ryzen AI Embedded P132. The Intel chip is listed with the part number SA35V, while the AMD chip's part number is unknown. The release dates differ as well.