AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U vs Intel Core i9-12900H Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two processors compare in average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U records an average benchmark score of 28379, while the Intel Core i9-12900H records 28003. Despite the Intel part winning every direct head-to-head test, the AMD part holds a slight edge in the aggregate average.

Q: Which CPU has the higher core and thread count?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900H has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has 8 cores and 16 threads. The Intel part also has a higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz compared to the AMD part's 4.70 GHz.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference between the two?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is rated at 15 W TDP, while the Intel Core i9-12900H is rated at 45 W TDP. This indicates a substantial difference in power envelope, with the AMD part designed for much lower power consumption.

Q: Which chip has the larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900H has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, while the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U has 16 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part also has a larger per-core L1 cache (80 KB vs 64 KB) and L2 cache (1.25 MB vs 512 KB).

Q: In which benchmark does the Intel part show its largest lead?

A: The largest single-benchmark margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Intel Core i9-12900H scores 107 versus the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U's 56, a 47.7% advantage for Intel.

Q: Do both CPUs occupy the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U and Intel Core i9-12900H are at the 80th percentile versus all CPUs. This places them in the same tier despite their different architectural approaches.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is built on the Zen 3+ architecture with the Rembrandt codename, manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC. It uses AMD Socket FP7 and integrates Radeon 680M graphics. The Intel Core i9-12900H uses the Alder Lake architecture with the Alder Lake-H codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel's own foundry, and uses Intel BGA 1744 with Iris Xe 96EU graphics.

The process node difference is notable: the AMD part uses TSMC's 6 nm node, while Intel uses its 10 nm node. Die sizes also differ, with the AMD chip measuring 208 mm² and the Intel chip measuring 217 mm². Both CPUs are for the mobile segment and remain in active production.

The AMD part features 8 cores and 16 threads, a base clock of 2.70 GHz and boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The Intel part has 14 cores and 20 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 5.00 GHz. The Intel architecture uses a hybrid core design characteristic of Alder Lake, which combines performance and efficiency cores, while the AMD part uses a more traditional uniform core layout.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U supports DDR5 only, with dual-channel memory and a rated bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. The Intel Core i9-12900H supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, but has no memory bandwidth figure recorded in the database. Both CPUs support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), and neither supports ECC memory.

Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part's part number is 100-000000538100-000000550, while the Intel part is SRLD4. The AMD release date is 2022-04-18, and the Intel release date is earlier, 2022-01-03.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i9-12900H wins all 15 recorded benchmark comparisons. This means every single workload measured in the database favors the Intel part, from single-threaded tasks to heavily multithreaded workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U does not win a single direct head-to-head test. However, its higher average benchmark score of 28379 versus Intel's 28003 suggests that across the broader database of tests, the AMD part performs competitively when considering the full suite of measurements beyond the shared head-to-head list. This average includes tests not present in the direct comparison, indicating the AMD part's strengths may lie in workloads not captured by the common benchmark set.

The closest margin for the AMD part comes in PassMark integer math, where Intel leads by only 15.3%. The next closest is PassMark data encryption at 13.8% and PassMark single-thread at 13%. These are the areas where the AMD chip comes closest to matching Intel's performance, suggesting its Zen 3+ architecture is relatively strong in integer operations and single-threaded efficiency despite the core count disadvantage.

The Intel part's largest margins appear in PassMark find prime numbers (47.7% lead) and PassMark physics (43.6% lead), along with Cinebench R23 multi-core (37% lead) and PassMark floating point math (36.7% lead). These results indicate Intel's advantage grows with specialized mathematical workloads and heavily threaded rendering tasks.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U | Intel Core i9-12900H |

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

| Cores | 8 | 14 |

| Threads | 16 | 20 |

| Base clock | 2.70 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.70 GHz | 5.00 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP7 | Intel BGA 1744 |

| Architecture | Zen 3+ | Alder Lake |

| Codename | Rembrandt | Alder Lake-H |

| Process node | 6 nm (TSMC) | 10 nm (Intel) |

| Die size | 208 mm² | 217 mm² |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 512 KB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 16 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR5 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | 76.8 GB/s | Not recorded |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon 680M | Iris Xe 96EU |

| Release date | 2022-04-18 | 2022-01-03 |

The most striking specification differences are the core count (14 vs 8), TDP (45 W vs 15 W), and boost clock (5.00 GHz vs 4.70 GHz). The AMD part has a higher base clock (2.70 GHz vs 2.50 GHz), but the Intel part's higher boost clock and additional cores define its performance profile. The cache hierarchy also favors Intel with larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations and a larger shared L3 pool.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records 15 head-to-head comparisons, and the Intel Core i9-12900H wins every one. The largest margin is in PassMark find prime numbers, where Intel scores 107 against AMD's 56, a 47.7% delta. This is followed by PassMark physics, where Intel scores 1753 versus 989, a 43.6% lead. These two tests show the widest performance gaps, indicating Intel's strong advantage in prime-number enumeration and physics simulation workloads.

In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel part scores 15946.5 against the AMD part's 10047, a 37% advantage. This is a significant margin for a heavily threaded rendering workload. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows a similar pattern: Intel scores 2576.5 versus 1766, a 31.5% lead. The multi-core rendering tests consistently favor Intel by around one-third.

Single-threaded performance also favors Intel, though by smaller margins. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel leads 1863.5 to 1501, a 19.5% delta. Cinebench R15 single-core shows Intel at 266 versus 238, a 10.5% lead. PassMark single-thread shows Intel at 3717 versus 3234, a 13% lead. These results indicate Intel's per-core performance advantage is real but not as overwhelming as the multi-core gap.

PassMark floating point math shows Intel at 67940 versus 42999, a 36.7% lead. PassMark multi-thread shows Intel at 27340 versus 20716, a 24.2% lead. PassMark random string sorting shows Intel at 35296 versus 26716, a 24.3% lead. PassMark data compression shows Intel at 316714 versus 249799, a 21.1% lead. PassMark extended instructions shows Intel at 18875 versus 16054, a 14.9% lead. PassMark data encryption shows Intel at 18548 versus 15995, a 13.8% lead. PassMark integer math shows Intel at 93828 versus 79479, a 15.3% lead.

The pattern is consistent: Intel wins across all measured categories, with the largest gaps in specialized math and physics workloads, moderate gaps in general multi-threaded tasks, and smaller but still clear margins in single-threaded and integer workloads.

The Verdict

The data directs a clear conclusion. The Intel Core i9-12900H is the faster processor in every benchmark shared between the two. It wins all 15 head-to-head tests, with margins ranging from 10.5% in Cinebench R15 single-core to 47.7% in PassMark find prime numbers. Its 14 cores, 20 threads, 5.00 GHz boost clock, and 24 MB L3 cache provide a substantial performance advantage across the board.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U, however, is not without a case. Its average benchmark score of 28379 exceeds Intel's 28003, and it does so at a 15 W TDP compared to Intel's 45 W TDP. This means the AMD part delivers comparable aggregate performance at one-third of the rated power envelope. For users prioritizing energy efficiency, battery life, and lower thermal output, the AMD part is the appropriate choice.

The Intel Core i9-12900H is the pick for users who need maximum performance in multi-threaded rendering, physics simulation, prime number computation, and floating point math. Its 37% and 36.7% leads in Cinebench R23 multi-core and PassMark floating point math, respectively, make it the stronger option for demanding computational workloads.

The AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U is the choice for those who value efficiency and portability. Its 15 W TDP and smaller die size of 208 mm² versus Intel's 217 mm² suggest it is designed for thinner, lighter systems with less aggressive cooling. The data shows it can still hold its own in the 80th percentile versus all CPUs, matching Intel's percentile ranking despite the performance gap.

The final recommendation follows the data: choose the Intel Core i9-12900H for raw performance and multi-threaded workloads; choose the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850U for efficiency and a more favorable power profile, accepting that it will trail Intel in every direct benchmark comparison.