AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B vs Intel Pentium Gold G5600 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B and Intel Pentium Gold G5600 are near-identical in raw compute performance, but the data reveals a clear split in suitability. The Ryzen Embedded V1202B wins all five head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, yet the margins are razor-thin, ranging from 0.3% to 0.6%. The Pentium Gold G5600 counters with a massive clock speed advantage, a larger L3 cache, ECC memory support, and a higher TDP envelope, making it the better choice for systems where sustained throughput and memory integrity matter more than the marginal benchmark deltas. The Ryzen Embedded part, with its 15W TDP and integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics, is the efficiency-focused pick for compact, thermally constrained designs.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B wins every single head-to-head test. Across Cinebench R15 multicore, R20 multicore and singlecore, and R23 multicore and singlecore, the AMD chip takes the top spot. The widest margin is a 0.6% lead in Cinebench R20 singlecore (176 vs 175), while the narrowest is a 0.3% edge in Cinebench R15 multicore (300 vs 299). These are not performance victories in any practical sense; they are statistical ties. The average benchmark score for the AMD part is 1027, versus 1022 for the Intel part, a difference of less than 0.5%.

The real wins for the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 are architectural and feature-based, not benchmark-based. It operates at a fixed 3.90 GHz base clock with no boost, while the AMD chip boosts from 2.30 GHz to 3.20 GHz. In single-threaded workloads that are clock-bound, the Intel part’s 3.90 GHz should theoretically provide an advantage, but the Cinebench single-core scores show the AMD chip actually leading by 0.5-0.6%. This suggests the Zen architecture’s IPC offsets the clock deficit. The Intel part also has 4 MB of shared L3 cache versus 2 MB on the AMD, and it supports ECC memory, which the AMD does not. For workloads like file servers or error-sensitive computation, the Intel part is the clear winner on capability, even if the benchmarks do not reflect it.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B is built on the Zen architecture, specifically the Great Horned Owl generation, using a 14nm process at GlobalFoundries. It features 2 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The cache hierarchy is 128 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 2 MB shared L3. The die size is 210 mm² with 4,950 million transistors. It uses the AMD Socket FP5 and integrates Radeon Vega 3 graphics. The TDP is just 15W, making it an ultra-low-power part.

The Intel Pentium Gold G5600 is a Coffee Lake desktop chip on a 14nm Intel process. It also has 2 cores and 4 threads, but runs at a fixed 3.90 GHz with no boost capability. The cache is smaller per core — 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 — but the shared L3 is doubled at 4 MB. The die size is 126 mm², notably smaller than the AMD part, and Intel does not list transistor count. It uses Intel Socket 1151 and integrates UHD Graphics 630. The TDP is 54W, which is 3.6 times higher than the AMD part. The Intel chip supports ECC memory and has a PCIe Gen 3 interface with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD part does not list PCIe lanes or support ECC. The Intel part is marked as end-of-life, while the AMD part is still active.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is remarkably consistent. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B scores 300 against the Intel Pentium Gold G5600’s 299, a 0.3% delta. Moving to Cinebench R20 multicore, the AMD part scores 1253 against 1247, a 0.5% lead. The single-core tests tell the same story: Cinebench R20 singlecore shows 176 vs 175 (0.6% lead for AMD), and Cinebench R23 singlecore shows 421 vs 419 (0.5% lead for AMD). The largest absolute gap is in Cinebench R23 multicore, where AMD scores 2985 versus Intel’s 2971 — a 14-point difference that translates to 0.5%.

These scores place both CPUs at the 28th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are firmly in the entry-level performance tier. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the Intel Core i7-5650U (average score 1027, 0% delta) and the Intel Core i3-4340 (1026, 0.1% delta). The Intel part’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-975 (1023, -0.1% delta) and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2500U (1024, -0.1% delta). The data shows both parts are interchangeable in raw throughput; the AMD chip wins every test by a margin that is well within run-to-run variance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B wins all multi-core Cinebench tests, but by margins of 0.3% to 0.5%. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 2985 versus 2971 for the Intel Pentium Gold G5600.

Q: Does the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 have any performance advantage?

A: No, according to the benchmark data. The Intel part loses all five head-to-head tests. However, it has a higher fixed clock speed of 3.90 GHz versus a 3.20 GHz boost on the AMD part, which may help in non-Cinebench workloads not captured here.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 supports ECC memory. The AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B does not list ECC support in its specifications.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has a TDP of 15W, while the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has a TDP of 54W. This makes the AMD part significantly more power-efficient for embedded or slim builds.

Q: Are these processors comparable in overall performance?

A: Yes. The AMD part has an average benchmark score of 1027, and the Intel part scores 1022. Both sit at the 28th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rivals overlap in score range (1020-1029).

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache, double the 2 MB on the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B. However, the AMD part has larger L1 (128 KB vs 64 KB per core) and L2 (512 KB vs 256 KB per core) caches.

Specification Differences

• Base Clock: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B at 2.30 GHz; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 at 3.90 GHz.
• Boost Clock: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B at 3.20 GHz; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has none.
• TDP: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B at 15W; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 at 54W.
• Socket: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B uses AMD Socket FP5; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 uses Intel Socket 1151.
• Foundry: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B uses GlobalFoundries; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 uses Intel.
• Transistors: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has 4,950 million; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has no listed count.
• Die Size: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B is 210 mm²; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 is 126 mm².
• L1 Cache: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has 128 KB per core; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has 64 KB per core.
• L2 Cache: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has 512 KB per core; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has 256 KB per core.
• L3 Cache: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has 2 MB shared; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has 4 MB shared.
• ECC Memory: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B does not support; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 supports.
• Memory Bandwidth: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has no listed value; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has 38.4 GB/s.
• PCIe: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has no listed value; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only).
• Integrated Graphics: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has Radeon Vega 3; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has UHD Graphics 630.
• Production Status: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B is Active; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 is End-of-life.
• Release Date: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B released on 2018-02-20; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 released on 2018-04-01.
• Part Number: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has none listed; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has SR3YB.
• Launch MSRP: AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B has none listed; Intel Pentium Gold G5600 has $86.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is clear: the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B wins every single head-to-head Cinebench test, albeit by margins under 1%. If pure benchmark score is the only criterion, the AMD part is the winner. However, the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 offers features that the benchmarks do not capture. Its 3.90 GHz fixed clock is significantly higher than the AMD part’s 3.20 GHz boost, which could translate to faster response in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive tasks. The 4 MB L3 cache is double that of the AMD part, and ECC memory support makes it the only viable option for error-correcting memory configurations. The Intel part also has a defined memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s and a 16-lane PCIe Gen 3 interface, while the AMD part lists neither.

For embedded and low-power applications, the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B is the obvious pick. Its 15W TDP is a fraction of the Intel part’s 54W, making it suitable for fanless or passively cooled designs. The Radeon Vega 3 integrated graphics may also offer better compute capabilities than Intel’s UHD Graphics 630, though the benchmark data does not cover GPU performance. The AMD part is still in active production, while the Intel part is end-of-life.

For desktop builds where power draw is not a concern, the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 is the more compelling option. The higher clock speed and larger L3 cache provide a theoretical edge in single-threaded performance, even if Cinebench does not show it. ECC memory support is a hard requirement for certain workstation or server use cases, and the Intel part is the only one that offers it. The launch MSRP of $86 for the Intel part provides a pricing reference, though the AMD part has no listed MSRP. Ultimately, the data shows two evenly matched CPUs, with the AMD part winning benchmark bragging rights and the Intel part winning on features and headroom. Choose the AMD for efficiency and compactness; choose the Intel for ECC support and clock speed.