AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D vs Intel Core 5 120 Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data points to a clear overall winner: the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D takes 16 of 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the Intel Core 5 120. The single Intel victory is a narrow one in floating-point math, while the AMD part dominates in multi-threaded workloads, data compression, encryption, and physics simulations. For users prioritizing productivity, content creation, or general desktop responsiveness, the Ryzen 5 7600X3D is the stronger choice based on these measurements. The Intel Core 5 120 remains competitive in single-threaded tasks, where its score trails by only 0.3%, and in floating-point math, where it leads by 2.4%. However, the magnitude of AMD's wins in other tests, such as a 203.9% advantage in prime number finding and a 118% lead in physics, makes the Ryzen part the data-backed recommendation for most workloads. The Intel chip could be considered by users who specifically need DDR4 memory support or whose workloads are heavily floating-point oriented, but the benchmark evidence overwhelmingly favors AMD.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D is built on the Zen 4 architecture with the Raphael codename, manufactured on a 5 nm process at TSMC. It features 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 4.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The chip integrates 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 1 MB of L2 cache per core, and a substantial 96 MB of shared L3 cache. This large L3 cache is the defining feature of the X3D series and explains its strong performance in cache-sensitive workloads like data compression and encryption. The processor uses AMD Socket AM5 and supports DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 83.2 GB/s. It also supports ECC memory, a feature absent from the Intel part.

The Intel Core 5 120 relies on the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, produced on Intel's 10 nm process. It also has 6 cores and 12 threads, but its base clock is significantly lower at 2.50 GHz, with a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The cache hierarchy differs notably: 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but only 18 MB of shared L3 cache. This is roughly one-fifth the L3 capacity of the AMD chip, which directly impacts performance in workloads that repeatedly access large datasets. The Intel processor uses Socket 1700 and supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, though no memory bandwidth figure is recorded in the database. It does not support ECC memory. The integrated graphics differ as well: AMD includes Radeon Graphics, while Intel pairs the chip with UHD Graphics 730. Both processors have unlocked multipliers disabled, meaning neither supports overclocking via multiplier adjustment.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite reveals a consistent and substantial AMD advantage. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Ryzen 5 7600X3D scores 2193 against 1840 for the Intel Core 5 120, a 19.2% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a similar margin: 309 versus 259, a 19.3% difference. Cinebench R20 multicore follows the same pattern with 9138 versus 7667, again a 19.2% gap, while the single-core R20 test delivers 1289 versus 1082, a 19.1% lead. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 21758 versus 18255, and R23 single-core shows 3071 versus 2577, both at 19.2% deltas. These results indicate that the AMD chip's clock speed advantage, combined with its larger cache, translates into consistent gains across both lightly threaded and heavily threaded rendering workloads.

The Passmark suite amplifies the AMD lead in several specialized areas. Data compression shows the Ryzen 5 7600X3D scoring 281665 versus 219535, a 28.3% margin. Data encryption is even more lopsided: 16237 versus 11131, a 45.9% difference. Extended instructions testing shows a 48% gap with scores of 21108 versus 14264. The most extreme result is in prime number finding, where AMD scores 234 against Intel's 77, representing a 203.9% advantage. Integer math also favors AMD by 22.1% with scores of 73804 versus 60462. Physics simulation shows a massive 118% lead, with 2906 versus 1333. Random string sorting goes to AMD by 59.6% with 34318 versus 21499.

The Intel Core 5 120 secures its only win in floating-point math, scoring 45383 versus the AMD chip's 44289, a modest 2.4% lead. This suggests that in pure floating-point arithmetic, the Intel architecture retains a slight edge, likely due to its different execution unit configuration. Single-threaded Passmark scores are nearly identical: 3605 for AMD and 3595 for Intel, a 0.3% difference that falls within measurement noise. The multi-thread Passmark score, however, shows a 39% AMD advantage with 25855 versus 18597, emphasizing that the Ryzen part scales better across all cores.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D has a base clock of 4.10 GHz, while the Intel Core 5 120 operates at 2.50 GHz, a 1.60 GHz gap. Boost clocks are closer: 4.70 GHz versus 4.50 GHz. Both have a 65 W TDP, so power consumption is nominally equal, though the AMD chip achieves higher clocks within that envelope. The AMD part uses a 5 nm process from TSMC with 11,270 million transistors on a 71 mm² die. The Intel processor is built on a 10 nm process from Intel with a 163 mm² die size; transistor count is not recorded. Cache configurations differ substantially: AMD offers 64 KB L1 per core, 1 MB L2 per core, and 96 MB shared L3, while Intel provides 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and only 18 MB shared L3. Memory support is another differentiator: AMD uses DDR5 exclusively with 83.2 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support, while Intel supports both DDR4 and DDR5 without ECC. PCIe lane counts differ too: AMD provides Gen 5 with 24 CPU lanes, Intel provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The integrated graphics are Radeon Graphics on AMD versus UHD Graphics 730 on Intel. The release dates show the AMD chip launched on 2024-08-29, while the Intel part arrived later on 2025-07-30. The launch MSRP for AMD is $299, and for Intel it is $211. Both processors have their multipliers locked and are currently in active production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D has 96 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core 5 120 has only 18 MB. This 78 MB difference is the most significant architectural gap between the two and explains AMD's dominance in cache-sensitive workloads like data compression and encryption.

Q: How do the single-threaded scores compare?

A: In Passmark single-thread tests, the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D scores 3605 versus 3595 for the Intel Core 5 120, a 0.3% difference. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD leads 3071 versus 2577, a 19.2% margin. The Passmark result is nearly a tie, but the Cinebench result shows a clear AMD advantage.

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

A: Yes, the Intel Core 5 120 wins a single head-to-head test: Passmark floating-point math, where it scores 45383 versus 44289 for the AMD chip, a 2.4% lead. This is the only benchmark among the 17 recorded comparisons where Intel comes out ahead.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D supports DDR5 memory only, with a dual-channel bus and 83.2 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core 5 120 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, but its memory bandwidth is not recorded in the database. The Intel part does not support ECC memory, while the AMD part does.

Q: How do the two processors compare in terms of core and thread counts?

A: Both processors have 6 cores and 12 threads, so they are identical in core and thread configuration. The performance differences recorded in benchmarks therefore stem from architectural factors such as clock speeds, cache size, and process node rather than core counts.

Q: What is the launch MSRP difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D has a launch MSRP of $299, while the Intel Core 5 120 has a launch MSRP of $211. The AMD part costs more at launch, but the benchmark data shows it delivers substantially higher scores in most tests, particularly in multi-threaded and cache-intensive workloads.