Intel Core i5-12500 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5500: Which budget CPU to buy?
AMD recently announced a handful of new CPUs as a part of its Spring update. Out of all the available options in the Ryzen 5000 series, the Ryzen 5 5500 is now the most affordable option out there. We already compared the Ryzen 5 5500 and the Ryzen 5 5600 earlier to find out which one’s better. In this article, we’re going to take a look at the Intel Core i5-12500 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5500 CPU comparison to find out which one’s the better budget CPU to buy.Specifications
Before we jump into the comparison, here’s a quick look at the specs sheet of each CPU to see what each processor brings to the table:| Specification | Intel Core i5-12500 | AMD Ryzen 5 5500 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Socket | LGA1700 | AMD AM4 |
| Cores | 6 | 6 |
| Threads | 12 | 12 |
| Lithography | TSMC 7nm FinFET | TSMC 7nm FinFET |
| Base Frequency | 3.0GHz | 3.6GHz |
| Boost Frequency | Up to 4.6GHz | Up to 4.2GHz |
| Unlocked for overclocking? | No | Yes |
| L3 Cache | 18 MB Intel Smart Cache | 16MB |
| Default TDP | 65W | 65W |
| Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax) | 100°C | 90°C |
| Memory Support | Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s | DDR4 up to 3200MHz Up to 128GB |
| Integrated Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | NA |
Intel Core i5-12500 vs AMD Ryzen 5 5500: Performance Difference
Both Intel Core i5-12500 and the Ryzen 5 5500 chips are very similar in terms of the overall specifications. The Core i5-12500 doesn’t have efficiency cores, so we’re looking at six performance cores along with twelve threads. The core configuration is similar to that of the Ryzen 5 5500, which also has six cores and twelve threads with support for SMT. As for the core frequencies, the Core i5 12500 has a base frequency of 3.0GHz whereas the Ryzen 5 5500 has a faster base frequency at 3.6GHz. Intel has a higher max boost frequency coming in at 4.6GHz as opposed to just the 4.2GHz in Ryzen’s case. It’s worth pointing out that the Intel Core o5-12500 lacks the Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 Frequency support as it’s only reserved for the higher-end chips in the portfolio. While the Intel Core i5-12500 has slightly higher cache memory, we don’t think it’s significant enough to cause a difference in performance. If anything, we expect both chips to have the same level of performance. It’s also worth pointing out that the Intel Core i5-12500 comes with integrated graphics, whereas the Ryzen 5 5500 doesn’t. This means you’ll need a dedicated graphics card to use this CPU. That being said, both chips come bundled with their own stock CPU cooler. While the Intel Core i5-12500 comes with a Laminar cooler, the Ryzen 5 5500 comes with a Wraith Stealth cooler. Both stock coolers are equally good, so you won’t have to spend on a third-party cooler.
Lastly, it’s worth pointing out that the Ryze 5 5500 CPU tops out at PCIe 3.0. This means you won’t be able to take advantage of PCIe 4.0 peripherals including the new SSDs, graphics, cards, and more. The Intel chip, in comparison, has support for both PCIe 4.0 as well as PCIe 5.0. The Ryzen 5 5500 is also limited to just DDR4 memory whereas the Intel processor has support for DDR5 memory modules as well. We’re yet to get our hands on this either of these chips, so we’ll have a more detailed comparison once we have a chance to test them.
