Intel Core i5-12500 vs Intel Core i9-10900K

Processor comparisons   11-01-2022
   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-12500 vs Intel Core i9-10900K tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, rendering. Here you can find useful information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests like GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, RealBench, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, Prime95, 3DMark, Blender, 7zip, PassMark, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, AIDA64, Furmark, WPrime.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Fortnite
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Overwatch
Grand Theft Auto V
Red Dead Redemption 2
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Borderlands 3
Valorant
Watch Dogs Legion
Last Man Standing
Apex Legends
DOOM: Eternal
Valheim
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Cyberpunk 2077
Rainbow Six Siege
Death Stranding
Halo Infinite
Fallout 76

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10900K or Intel Core i5-12500.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-12500

56%

Core i9-10900K

57%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10900K is 1% better than Core i5-12500. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12500

55%

Core i9-10900K

58%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: League of Legends (LOL), Forza Horizon 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), DOTA 2A, Control, Monster Hunter World, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Hitman 3, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V, Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.2	102.7
Valorant	110.5	116.7
Cyberpunk 2077	61.9	65.3
Apex Legends	103.8	109.7
Call of Duty Warzone	82.8	87.5
Overwatch	89.5	94.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.2	80.5
DOOM Eternal	55.2	58.3
Warzone	86.2	91.0
Assassin's Creed	92.8	98.0
Valheim	91.7	96.8

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-12500

86%

Core i9-10900K

43%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-12500 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10900K as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 125W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-10900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	234
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2182	2677
Cinbench 20 Single-core	715	539
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4955	6399
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1672	1418
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16334	17325

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-10900K
Single-Core	3919	3141
Multi-Core	22868	24010

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-10900K
Single-Core	1685	1617
Multi-Core	9016	14374

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-10900K
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1200
Core name	Alder Lake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	10
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	5.3 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	6	10
Threads	12	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	125 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	18 MB	20 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-10900K is 10% better than Core i5-12500 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10900K has 4 more core than Core i5-12500. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-12500 is better: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900K is better: 21
Although it should be understood that all the number in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-12500 and Intel Core i9-10900K before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-12500 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i5-12500 specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10900K specs and review.