Intel 12th-gen CPUs vs Ryzen 5000 series: 3 Things To Know

Computers or work desktops are the main tools used by many employees to accomplish their tasks and add value to the company. Thus, it only makes sense to invest in a good desktop setup that has ample power to breeze through whatever workload is thrown at them. One of the most critical parts that make up any work-ready computer is its processor, i.e. the brains of the whole system. The processor provides the instructions and processing power necessary for the computer to complete the actions desired by its user, whether it is opening programs, filling out spreadsheets, and more. 

Having a sufficiently powerful processor means a computer can work faster and allow employees to do more work as fast and as efficiently as they can uninhibited by technological limitations. With Intel releasing a new generation of CPUs codename ‘Alder Lake’, let us see an overview of how they perform against their competition, the AMD Ryzen 5000 series, and help you decide if it is worth upgrading to them for your business.

 

The processors 

For reference, we will be looking at Intel’s entire 12th-gen lineup of currently available CPUs for all tiers － enthusiast, mid-range, and budget － in order: 

1. Core i9 12900K/KF | 8/8 Performance/Efficiency Cores | 24 Threads | $590/570
2. Core i7 12700K/KF | 8/4 Performance/Efficiency Cores | 20 Threads | $410/390
3. Core i5 12600K/KF | 6/4 Performance/Efficiency Cores | 16 Threads | $290/270

And their AMD Ryzen 5000 series equivalents, plus their most powerful chip for good measure:

1. Ryzen 9 5950X | 16 Performance Cores | 32 Threads | $800
2. Ryzen 9 5900X | 12 Performance Cores | 24 Threads | $550
3. Ryzen 7 5800X | 8 Performance Cores | 16 Threads | $450
4. Ryzen 5 5600X | 6 Performance Cores | 12 Threads | $300

 

3 things to know based on independent reviews

 

1. Alder Lake surpasses Ryzen 5000 – for the most part 

Based on benchmarks (standardised tests that assess the relative performance of given hardware) conducted by many independent reviewers, Alder Lake CPUs tend to outperform the competition. For instance, when it comes to real-world performance i.e. using productivity software such as the Microsoft Office Suite of programs, Intel’s offerings scored higher than the Ryzen series in the Procyon 2.0 Office Productivity benchmark conducted by PCWorld.

Specifically, tests saw the i9-12900K and i5-12600K score 9273 and 8403, respectively, while the Ryzen 9 5950X and Ryzen 5 5600X score 7980 and 7456, respectively. Higher scores mean better performance. Even the budget 15-12600K beats out the top-end Ryzen 9 5950X at a fraction of the price, and had a respectable 13% lead on average over its Ryzen 5 5600X equivalent. Furthermore, the Procyon test revealed that Intel’s 12th-gen Core i9 CPU was 16% faster on average than its rival in the same price bracket.

While the ‘Alder Lake’ CPUs are overall faster than the competition, they are not without their shortcomings, primarily in power consumption and multi-threaded performance. Under heavy loads, Intel’s CPUs can be huge power hogs, and their performance is not up to par with Ryzen in multi-threaded workloads, such as compressing files.

 

2. Alder Lake offers more future-proofing headroom than current AMD hardware

Alder Lake supports the newest DDR5 memory and PCIe 5 expansion standards, which essentially means doubled data bandwidth for future graphics cards and increased speeds for RAM (Random Access Memory) modules. In contrast, the Ryzen series supports only the current generation of these standards, DDR4 and PCIe 4, the highest available on their release.

Although this current generation of standards is no slouch, it may be best to consider if having this extra upgrade ceiling will benefit the business down the line, especially those that deal in intensive tasks like video rendering and other graphics-related and RAM-heavy workloads.

 

3. Upgrading to the latest Intel CPUs may be a costly move

Finding computer hardware these days at their retail price is a challenging feat for both the average consumer and businesses alike. Due to a variety of factors driving costs up, like high demand and short supply, buying the new ‘Alder Lake’ chips themselves and their compatible motherboards units at the very least may cost more than desired. 

Since investing in any kind of computer hardware is already a costly move in and of itself, it may be best to understand whether you should buy or lease IT equipment. IT leasing is just like any other lease; the lessee pays a fixed monthly price for the leased goods, in this case, IT equipment, and they get to keep items up until the end of their lease terms. Moreover, many companies that offer these leases also have a purchase option available, letting lessees permanently own the equipment they borrow after their lease expires. 

 

Conclusion 

Intel’s 12th-gen ‘Alder Lake’ CPUs certainly bring in the performance gains expected of the new generation and even surprisingly outperform the competition in some cases. However, as with any technology, computers that feature either these new processors or otherwise still need maintenance to keep them running, especially when paired with Windows 11, which still has some issues that need to be worked out.

To ensure your business stays online at all times, get in touch with us today at JK Tech for IT support and maintenance services in Singapore. We are a reliable one-stop IT solution-sourcing centre in Singapore that can help your business find the best tools to suit your needs.