Intel Core i3-1220P vs Intel Core i5-12490F Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12490F and Intel Core i3-1220P are both Alder Lake parts, but they serve fundamentally different markets. The benchmark data is unambiguous: the i5-12490F wins every single head-to-head comparison in the database, 17 wins to zero. However, the average benchmark scores tell a closer story than the individual tests suggest, with the i3-1220P posting a slightly higher average score of 21066 against the i5-12490F's 20802. This discrepancy highlights that the i3-1220P, despite losing every direct benchmark, holds its own in the broader CPU landscape. The i5-12490F is a desktop part with a 65 TDP, while the i3-1220P is a mobile processor with a 28 TDP, which explains the performance gulf in sustained workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-12490F wins across the board in every recorded benchmark, making the use-case split a matter of platform rather than performance. The i5-12490F dominates in multi-threaded workloads with a 29.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 17284 against the i3-1220P's 13314. The margin grows even larger in specific compute tasks: the i5-12490F leads by 163.6% in PassMark find prime numbers (87 vs 33) and by 111.1% in PassMark physics (1345 vs 637). The desktop chip also excels in extended instruction workloads, posting a 59.1% advantage in PassMark extended instructions (15993 vs 10051), suggesting a significant edge for scientific and encryption-heavy tasks.

The i3-1220P's only arena of relevance is its mobile platform. As a BGA 1744 part with integrated UHD Graphics 64EU, it is designed for laptops where the i5-12490F, with no integrated graphics and an LGA 1700 socket, cannot exist. The i3-1220P's 10 cores and 12 threads match the i5-12490F's thread count, but the i5's six performance-oriented cores deliver substantially higher throughput. The closest margins are in single-threaded and light multi-threaded tasks: the i5-12490F leads by 9.5% in PassMark single-thread (3682 vs 3362) and by 10% in data encryption (12018 vs 10923). These narrow margins indicate that for basic productivity, the i3-1220P is not far behind, but any sustained or parallel workload heavily favors the desktop part.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Alder Lake architecture and the same 10 nm process node from Intel, but they diverge in their specific implementations. The i5-12490F uses the Alder Lake-S codename for desktop, while the i3-1220P uses Alder Lake-P for mobile. The core counts differ significantly: the i5-12490F has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i3-1220P has 10 cores and 12 threads. This indicates the i3-1220P relies on a hybrid configuration with more efficiency cores to achieve the same thread count, whereas the i5-12490F uses fewer, higher-performance cores.

Cache configurations also separate the two. Both share the same 80 KB L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB L2 cache per core, but the L3 cache differs: the i5-12490F has 20 MB shared L3, while the i3-1220P has only 12 MB shared. This 8 MB difference directly impacts multi-threaded performance and helps explain the i5's 29.8% lead in Cinebench R20 multi-core (7259 vs 5591). The memory support is identical in type (DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel), but the PCIe implementation differs: the i5-12490F supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes, while the i3-1220P supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The i5-12490F also has a higher base clock of 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 4.60 GHz, compared to the i3-1220P's 1500.00 MHz base and 4.40 GHz boost. The i5-12490F has no integrated graphics, while the i3-1220P includes UHD Graphics 64EU, making the mobile part self-sufficient for display output.

The Verdict

The data directs a clear verdict: the Intel Core i5-12490F is the superior processor for any workload where performance is the sole criterion. It wins every benchmark in the comparison, with margins ranging from a modest 9.5% in single-thread to a crushing 163.6% in prime number calculation. The i5-12490F achieves a 74th percentile ranking among all CPUs, matching the i3-1220P's percentile, but its average benchmark score of 20802 is slightly lower than the i3's 21066. This is a statistical anomaly driven by the i3-1220P's performance in other, unlisted benchmarks; within the shared test suite, the i5 is never beaten.

For a desktop user building a system on Intel Socket 1700, the i5-12490F is the obvious choice. Its 65 TDP is manageable with a capable air cooler, and its Gen 5 PCIe support future-proofs storage and graphics. The i3-1220P, as a mobile BGA 1744 part with a 28 TDP, is not a competitor for desktop builds—it is a laptop processor. Its integrated graphics and lower power draw make it suitable for portable systems, but the benchmark data shows it trails the i5-12490F in every measurable way. Users who need a desktop workhorse should pick the i5-12490F; users who need an efficient mobile solution have no choice but the i3-1220P, accepting its lower performance.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-12490F leads significantly in multi-core tests, scoring 17284 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus the i3-1220P's 13314, a 29.8% advantage. It also leads in PassMark multithread with 20202 against 14481, a 39.5% margin.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory?

A: Yes, both the i5-12490F and the i3-1220P support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the i3-1220P wins?

A: No. In the 17 head-to-head benchmarks recorded, the i5-12490F wins all of them. The i3-1220P does not win a single test, although its average benchmark score of 21066 is slightly higher than the i5-12490F's 20802.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i5-12490F has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i3-1220P has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having more cores, the i3-1220P's threads do not translate into higher performance in the benchmark data.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The i3-1220P includes UHD Graphics 64EU, while the i5-12490F has no integrated graphics. This makes the i3-1220P suitable for systems without a discrete GPU, whereas the i5-12490F requires a separate graphics card.

Q: How do the clock speeds compare?

A: The i5-12490F has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The i3-1220P has a base clock of 1500.00 MHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, making the i5-12490F faster in both metrics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the i5-12490F comes in PassMark find prime numbers, where it scores 87 against the i3-1220P's 33, a 163.6% advantage. This indicates a massive difference in integer-heavy computational tasks, likely due to the i5's higher clock speeds and larger L3 cache. The PassMark physics test tells a similar story: the i5-12490F scores 1345 versus 637, a 111.1% lead, showing superior floating-point execution in simulation-style workloads. These two tests alone demonstrate that the i5-12490F is not just marginally faster but categorically better at raw processing.

The Cinebench suite reinforces the i5's dominance across all thread counts. In Cinebench R15, the i5-12490F scores 1742 multi-core and 245 single-core, versus the i3-1220P's 1341 and 189, representing 29.9% and 29.6% leads respectively. The margins are almost identical in R20 (29.8% for both multi and single core) and R23 (29.8% multi, 29.9% single). This consistency suggests a fundamental architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. The i5-12490F also wins PassMark extended instructions by 59.1% (15993 vs 10051), a test that measures SIMD and advanced instruction set performance, critical for modern scientific and media applications.

Narrower wins still favor the i5-12490F. In PassMark data encryption, the i5 leads by 10% (12018 vs 10923), a modest margin that indicates the i3-1220P is competitive in AES-type workloads. The single-thread tests are similarly close: PassMark single-thread shows a 9.5% gap (3682 vs 3362), and the i5's advantage in Cinebench R23 single-core is 29.9% (2440 vs 1879). The i5-12490F also wins PassMark integer math by 13.2% (60548 vs 53507) and floating-point math by 26.9% (47326 vs 37294). The largest non-compute win is in data compression, where the i5 leads by 31.4% (237304 vs 180528), and random string sorting shows a 14.1% edge (23791 vs 20846). Across all 17 tests, the i5-12490F posts an average lead of roughly 30-40%, confirming its status as the clear performance winner.

Specification Differences

The most critical specification difference is the socket: the i5-12490F uses Intel Socket 1700, while the i3-1220P uses Intel BGA 1744. This makes the i5-12490F a desktop processor and the i3-1220P a mobile processor, with no interchangeability. The TDP also differs dramatically: the i5-12490F has a 65 TDP, while the i3-1220P has a 28 TDP, reflecting the i5's higher power ceiling and the i3's efficiency focus. The die size is listed for the i5-12490F at 163 mm², while the i3-1220P's die size is not provided.

The cache hierarchy is identical at L1 and L2 levels (80 KB per core and 1.25 MB per core), but the L3 cache differs: the i5-12490F has 20 MB shared L3, while the i3-1220P has 12 MB shared L3. This 8 MB difference is substantial and correlates with the i5's multi-threaded performance gains. The base clocks are starkly different: the i5-12490F runs at 3.00 GHz base, while the i3-1220P runs at 1500.00 MHz base, a 2x difference. Boost clocks are closer, with the i5 at 4.60 GHz and the i3 at 4.40 GHz. The i5-12490F supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 lanes, while the i3-1220P supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, giving the desktop part a bandwidth advantage for future expansion. The i5-12490F has no integrated graphics, while the i3-1220P includes UHD Graphics 64EU. Both processors share the same 10 nm process node, foundry (Intel), memory support (DDR4, DDR5 dual-channel), and lack of ECC memory support. The i5-12490F was released with part number SRL4X, while the i3-1220P has part number SRLFY and a release date of 2022-02-22. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.