AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X vs Intel Core 5 120U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains no direct head-to-head benchmark scores for the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X, as its benchmark array is empty. All comparative analysis must therefore rely on the Intel Core 5 120U's measured results and its position among nearest rivals, with the AMD part assessed through its architectural specifications and market positioning.

The Intel Core 5 120U delivers a measured Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6659 and a single-core score of 1756.5. In Geekbench, it records 5888 multi-core and 1727 single-core. PassMark results show a multi-thread score of 15042, single-thread of 3479, and an average benchmark score of 17898. That average places it at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs in the database, a solid mid-to-upper tier result for a mobile processor.

Its nearest rivals in the database include the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT with an average score of 17891 and a delta of 0%, effectively a statistical tie. The Intel Core 5 221TE scores 17860, a 0.2% deficit, while the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 scores 17994, putting the 120U 0.5% behind. The Intel Core 7 350 trails at 17779, meaning the 120U holds a 0.7% advantage. These deltas are all within roughly one percent, indicating the 120U performs in a very tight cluster around the 17800 to 18000 average score range.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X has no recorded benchmark scores, no wins, and no nearest rivals in the database. Its percentile versus all CPUs is listed at 50, and its average benchmark score is 0. This means the database currently holds no measurable performance data for the 9600X, so any comparison of actual workload results between the two parts is impossible from recorded measurements alone.

What can be stated from the data is that the Intel part has verified, reproducible scores across multiple test suites, while the AMD part does not. The 120U's Cinebench R20 results show 5349 multi-core and 755 single-core, while R15 shows 1150.5 multi-core and 245 single-core. PassMark sub-tests reveal integer math at 52280, floating point math at 36026, extended instructions at 9299, data compression at 166432, data encryption at 10453, prime number finding at 53, random string sorting at 19060, and physics at 937. These are the only concrete performance numbers available for either processor in this comparison.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design targets. The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X is built on the Zen 5 (Granite Ridge) architecture, fabricated at TSMC on a 4 nm process node. It uses a 6-core, 12-thread configuration with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.40 GHz. The Intel Core 5 120U uses the Raptor Lake architecture, specifically Raptor Lake-U, fabricated at Intel on a 10 nm process. It has 10 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 1.40 GHz and a boost clock of 5.00 GHz.

The core counts tell an interesting story. The Intel part has four more physical cores but the same thread count, meaning it relies on a mix of performance and efficiency cores to reach 12 threads. The AMD part uses six full Zen 5 cores with simultaneous multithreading to reach 12 threads. The clock speed advantage sits clearly with AMD: 3.90 GHz base versus 1.40 GHz base, and 5.40 GHz boost versus 5.00 GHz boost.

Cache configurations differ substantially. Both use 80 KB of L1 per core. The AMD part has 1 MB of L2 per core, while the Intel part has 1.25 MB per core. The L3 cache shows a major gap: the AMD chip has 32 MB shared, the Intel chip has 12 MB shared. That is nearly three times the L3 capacity on the AMD side, which matters for workloads that repeatedly access large datasets.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD processor supports DDR5 only, through a dual-channel bus with a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and it supports ECC memory. The Intel processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but has no recorded memory bandwidth figure and does not support ECC. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 5 with 24 CPU-only lanes, while the Intel part uses PCIe Gen 4 with 8 CPU-only lanes. That is a significant difference in both generation and lane count, affecting expansion and data transfer capability.

The integrated graphics differ as well. AMD provides Radeon Graphics, while Intel provides Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. The thermal design power figures are starkly different: the AMD part is rated at 65 W, the Intel part at 15 W. This reflects their intended markets, desktop versus mobile, and explains the socket difference: AMD Socket AM5 for the 9600X, Intel BGA 1744 for the 120U.

The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel one does not. The AMD part is part of the 9000 series and the Ryzen Embedded generation, with a codename of Granite Ridge. The Intel part carries the Core 5 branding from the Raptor Lake-U generation. The AMD chip has a recorded transistor count of 8,315 million on a 70.6 mm² die, while the Intel chip has no transistor or die size data recorded. The AMD part was released on 2025-10-06, the Intel part on 2024-01-07.

The Verdict

The database contains no benchmark results for the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X, so a performance verdict cannot be derived from measured scores for that chip. The Intel Core 5 120U, however, has a full set of recorded benchmarks and a validated position at the 72nd percentile of all CPUs.

For the Intel part, the data indicates it performs within one percent of several established desktop and mobile processors. Its average score of 17898 sits between the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT at 17891 and the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 at 17994. The Intel Core 5 221TE trails by 0.2%, and the Intel Core 7 350 trails by 0.7%. This is a tightly grouped field, meaning the 120U delivers performance comparable to those parts despite its 15 W power envelope.

The AMD part's specification sheet shows higher clocks, more L3 cache, newer PCIe generation, ECC support, and a significantly higher TDP. It is a desktop processor with a 65 W rating, an unlocked multiplier, and DDR5-only memory. The Intel part is a 15 W mobile processor with a locked multiplier, DDR4 and DDR5 support, and no ECC. These are different classes of hardware, and the lack of AMD benchmark data prevents any measured performance comparison.

Who should pick which depends entirely on platform requirements rather than recorded performance. The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X suits a desktop system with Socket AM5, DDR5 memory, ECC requirements, and PCIe Gen 5 expansion. The Intel Core 5 120U suits a mobile or embedded platform with BGA 1744, low power consumption, and tolerance for either DDR4 or DDR5. The data cannot support a performance-based recommendation for the AMD part because no scores exist.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors according to the database:

| Specification | AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X | Intel Core 5 120U |

|---|---|---|

| Series | 9000 series | null |

| Cores | 6 | 10 |

| Base clock | 3.90 GHz | 1.40 GHz |

| Boost clock | 5.40 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 15 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM5 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | null | Raptor Lake |

| Codename | Granite Ridge | Raptor Lake-U |

| Generation | Ryzen Embedded (Zen 5 (Granite Ridge)) | Core 5 (Raptor Lake-U) |

| Process node | 4 nm | 10 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | Intel |

| Transistors | 8,315 million | null |

| Die size | 70.6 mm² | null |

| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 32 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 89.6 GB/s | null |

| ECC memory | true | false |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 24 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon Graphics | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU |

| Market segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release date | 2025-10-06 | 2024-01-07 |

| Multiplier unlocked | true | false |

| Part number | 100-000001405E | SRM7P |

| Benchmarks | empty | full set |

| Percentile vs all CPUs | 50 | 72 |

| Average benchmark score | 0 | 17898 |

| Nearest rivals | empty | 4 entries |

Fields that match include thread count at 12, L1 cache at 80 KB per core, and dual-channel memory bus. Both processors are listed as Active in production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U has 10 cores, while the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X has 6 cores. Both have 12 threads.

Q: What is the clock speed difference?

A: The AMD part has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost of 5.40 GHz. The Intel part has a base of 1.40 GHz and a boost of 5.00 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X supports ECC memory. The Intel Core 5 120U does not.

Q: What are the power ratings?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X is rated at 65 W TDP. The Intel Core 5 120U is rated at 15 W TDP.

Q: Which processor has better recorded benchmark performance?

A: The Intel Core 5 120U has recorded benchmarks, including a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 6659 and a Geekbench multi-core score of 5888. The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X has no recorded benchmark scores in the database.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD processor supports DDR5 only. The Intel processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: How does the Intel Core 5 120U compare to its nearest rivals?

A: It is within one percent of all four nearest rivals. It matches the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT at 0% delta, leads the Intel Core 5 221TE by 0.2%, trails the AMD Ryzen 5 1600 by 0.5%, and leads the Intel Core 7 350 by 0.7%.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 120U wins in every category where measured data exists. It has a complete benchmark record, a 72nd percentile standing among all CPUs, and an average score of 17898. Its nearest rival deltas show it holds a slight edge over the Intel Core 5 221TE and Intel Core 7 350, and it essentially ties the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT. It also wins on core count with 10 cores versus 6, on L2 cache per core with 1.25 MB versus 1 MB, on memory flexibility with DDR4 and DDR5 support versus DDR5 only, and on power efficiency with a 15 W TDP versus 65 W.

The AMD Ryzen Embedded 9600X wins on specifications that the database records but has not measured. It has a higher base clock of 3.90 GHz versus 1.40 GHz, a higher boost clock of 5.40 GHz versus 5.00 GHz, a larger L3 cache of 32 MB versus 12 MB, a newer 4 nm process node versus 10 nm, PCIe Gen 5 with 24 lanes versus Gen 4 with 8 lanes, ECC memory support, an unlocked multiplier, a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s, and a desktop socket with expansion potential. Its release date of 2025-10-06 is later than the Intel part's 2024-01-07.

For use-case splits, the data supports the Intel part for any scenario requiring verified performance numbers, low power draw, mobile integration, or DDR4 compatibility. The AMD part is the choice for desktop builds requiring ECC, high-speed DDR5, PCIe Gen 5 bandwidth, or overclocking, but the absence of benchmark data means its actual workload performance remains unquantified in the database. The 50th percentile listing for the AMD part versus the 72nd for the Intel part reflects the lack of recorded scores, not a measured performance deficit.