Intel Core i5-12500 vs Intel Core i5-1345U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-12500 and Intel Core i5-1345U present a clear study in design philosophy: one is a desktop part built for sustained throughput, the other a mobile chip engineered for efficiency within a thermal envelope. Benchmark data shows the i5-12500 winning 16 of the 17 head-to-head tests, with the i5-1345U managing a single narrow victory. The average benchmark scores tell a similar story—the desktop chip posts 19668 against the mobile chip’s 19411—but the distribution of wins reveals that the real differentiator is not raw capability, but how that capability scales with workload and power constraints.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-12500 dominates every multi-threaded and heavily parallel workload in the dataset. Its wins in Cinebench R23 multicore (16759 vs 7724, a 117% delta) and PassMark multithread (19893 vs 14511, a 37.1% delta) are the most dramatic examples. This is a processor that rewards sustained, all-core workloads like rendering, compiling, and scientific computation. The data also shows decisive advantages in PassMark physics (1242 vs 818, 51.8% delta) and extended instructions (16090 vs 9178, 75.3% delta), suggesting that the desktop part is the clear choice for any task that leverages AVX or similar instruction sets for extended periods.

The i5-1345U’s sole victory comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it edges out the i5-12500 by a marginal 0.8% (240 vs 238). This is a slim margin, but it hints at the mobile chip’s ability to hit high boost clocks on a single core for brief, bursty tasks. In practice, this could translate to slightly snappier UI responsiveness or faster single-threaded script execution, but the effect is negligible in the broader context. The i5-1345U’s other single-thread results, such as PassMark single-thread (3415 vs 3666, a 7.3% deficit), actually show the desktop chip pulling ahead, meaning the R15 result is more of an outlier than a trend.

Looking at the use-case split, the i5-12500 is the workstation champion for sustained multi-core loads. The i5-1345U, with its 15 W TDP, is optimized for mobility and battery life, where its lower power draw matters more than raw benchmark scores. Data compression (45.6% delta favoring the i5-12500) and floating-point math (33.6% delta) are additional domains where the desktop part’s higher power budget allows it to run at higher clocks for longer, translating to tangible real-world gains.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and target different sockets. The i5-12500 is an Alder Lake-S desktop part on the Intel Socket 1700 platform, while the i5-1345U is a Raptor Lake-U mobile part on the Intel BGA 1744 socket. Both are built on Intel’s 10 nm process, but the fundamental design goals diverge sharply.

Core counts differ significantly: the i5-12500 has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-1345U has 10 cores and 12 threads. The mobile chip’s higher core count is offset by its lower base clock of 1600 MHz compared to the desktop’s 3000 MHz. Boost clocks are closer—4.70 GHz for the i5-1345U versus 4.60 GHz for the i5-12500—but the desktop part’s higher sustained clocks are what drive its benchmark dominance. The TDP figures are starkly different: 65 W for the desktop versus 15 W for the mobile chip, which explains the performance gap in multi-threaded tests.

Cache allocation also differs. The i5-12500 offers 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-1345U has 12 MB. Both share the same per-core L1 (80 KB) and L2 (1.25 MB) allocations, but the desktop’s larger L3 gives it a significant advantage in workloads that benefit from larger working sets. PCIe support is another differentiator: the i5-12500 supports Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-1345U is limited to Gen 4 with 8 lanes. This makes the desktop part more suitable for high-bandwidth peripherals like modern GPUs and NVMe storage.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-12500 features UHD Graphics 770, while the i5-1345U is equipped with Iris Xe Graphics 80EU. The mobile part’s graphics solution is generally more capable for light gaming or media tasks, but this is a secondary consideration given the primary compute focus of the benchmarks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result is Cinebench R23 multicore, where the i5-12500 scores 16759 against the i5-1345U’s 7724, a 117% advantage. This is more than a 2x improvement and reflects the desktop chip’s ability to maintain high clocks across all 6 physical cores under sustained load. Cinebench R20 multicore shows a similar pattern: 7038 versus 4942, a 42.4% delta. These results underscore that the i5-12500 is built for rendering and multi-threaded production work.

PassMark extended instructions is another standout, with the i5-12500 achieving 16090 versus 9178, a 75.3% delta. This test often stresses AVX/AVX2 workloads, and the desktop part’s superior power delivery and cooling headroom allow it to sustain higher frequencies. PassMark find prime numbers also shows a large gap: 75 versus 47, a 59.6% delta, which is a pure compute test where core clock and cache matter.

The i5-12500 also wins PassMark physics by 51.8% (1242 vs 818), a test that simulates rigid body dynamics. Data compression shows a 45.6% delta (238753 vs 164005), and floating-point math a 33.6% delta (48004 vs 35939). Integer math is closer at 16.6% (61626 vs 52847), and encryption at 17% (12033 vs 10288). Random string sorting shows a 24.5% delta (23523 vs 18888). All of these point to the same conclusion: the desktop chip is faster in every measurable compute category.

The narrowest wins are in single-thread tests. PassMark single-thread shows a 7.3% delta (3666 vs 3415) favoring the i5-12500, while Cinebench R15 single-core is the only test the i5-1345U wins, by 0.8% (240 vs 238). Cinebench R20 single-core, however, swings decisively toward the desktop part: 993 versus 697, a 42.5% delta. This inconsistency in single-thread results suggests that the i5-1345U can spike to high clocks for short bursts, but cannot sustain them, whereas the i5-12500 delivers more consistent performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The i5-12500 has 6 cores, while the i5-1345U has 10—both with 12 threads. Base clocks are 3000 MHz versus 1600 MHz, and boost clocks are 4.60 GHz versus 4.70 GHz. TDP is 65 W versus 15 W. Sockets are Intel Socket 1700 versus Intel BGA 1744. Architecture is Alder Lake-S versus Raptor Lake-U. The i5-12500 has a die size of 163 mm², while the i5-1345U has no listed die size. L3 cache is 18 MB shared versus 12 MB shared. PCIe support is Gen 5 with 20 lanes versus Gen 4 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 770 versus Iris Xe Graphics 80EU. The i5-12500 uses a desktop platform, while the i5-1345U is mobile. Release dates are January 3, 2022, for the desktop chip and January 3, 2023, for the mobile chip. Part numbers are SRL5V and SRMLZ, respectively. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i5-12500 is clearly faster. It wins Cinebench R23 multicore by 117% (16759 vs 7724) and PassMark multithread by 37.1% (19893 vs 14511). Its 65 W TDP allows sustained high clocks across all cores, unlike the 15 W mobile chip.

Q: Is the i5-1345U ever faster than the i5-12500?

A: Yes, in one specific test: Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 240 versus 238, a 0.8% margin. This suggests a slight advantage in short, single-threaded bursts, but the i5-12500 wins the other single-thread tests, including Cinebench R20 single-core by 42.5% and PassMark single-thread by 7.3%.

Q: How do the core counts compare, and does it matter?

A: The i5-1345U has 10 cores versus the i5-12500’s 6, both with 12 threads. Despite more cores, the mobile chip’s lower base clock (1600 MHz vs 3000 MHz) and 15 W TDP limit its multi-thread performance. The desktop chip’s larger L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB) and higher sustained clocks are more impactful.

Q: Which processor has better integrated graphics?

A: The i5-1345U features Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while the i5-12500 has UHD Graphics 770. The mobile chip’s graphics solution is typically more capable for media and light gaming, but the benchmark data provided does not include graphics tests.

Q: What are the platform differences?

A: The i5-12500 uses the Intel Socket 1700 with PCIe Gen 5 and 20 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-1345U uses Intel BGA 1744 with PCIe Gen 4 and 8 lanes. The desktop platform supports more high-bandwidth peripherals and has a 65 W TDP, versus 15 W for the mobile platform.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i5-12500 has an average benchmark score of 19668, while the i5-1345U averages 19411. Both sit at the 73rd percentile of all CPUs. The desktop chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-11600KF (0.3% delta), and the mobile chip’s nearest rival is the Intel Core Ultra 5 226V (0.2% delta).

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-12500 is the superior processor for almost any compute task. It wins 16 of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, with an average score 1.3% higher than the i5-1345U (19668 vs 19411). For users building a desktop system for rendering, compilation, scientific computing, or any multi-threaded workload, the i5-12500’s 117% advantage in Cinebench R23 multicore and 75.3% advantage in PassMark extended instructions make it the clear choice. Its larger L3 cache, higher base clock, and 65 W TDP are all factors that enable sustained performance.

The i5-1345U is not without merit, but its strengths lie outside the benchmark data. Its 15 W TDP makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where battery life and thermal management are paramount. Its single-core Cinebench R15 win suggests it can handle bursty tasks adequately, and its Iris Xe Graphics 80EU is a functional integrated solution. However, for anyone prioritizing raw compute performance, the i5-12500 is the only rational pick from this dataset. The mobile chip’s higher core count does not compensate for its lower power budget and reduced L3 cache. In short, the i5-12500 is the performance leader, while the i5-1345U is a power-efficient mobile alternative that sacrifices significant multi-thread performance.