Intel Core i5-12500 vs Intel Core i9-9920X

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-12500 vs Intel Core i9-9920X and see which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, rendering, streaming, video editing, programming. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests such as Handbrake, AIDA64, Prime95, GeekBench 6, 5.2, SuperPi, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, Blender, RealBench, UserBenchmark, Furmark, MATLAB, WPrime, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, 7zip, Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, 3DMark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9920X 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 i9-9920X

57%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-9920X 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 i9-9920X

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 this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Half-Life: Alyx, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), Control, DOTA 2A, Metro Exodus, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, Ghostrunner.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.2	102.9
Valorant	110.5	116.9
Cyberpunk 2077	61.9	65.5
Apex Legends	103.8	109.9
Call of Duty Warzone	82.8	87.7
Overwatch	89.5	94.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.2	80.6
DOOM Eternal	55.2	58.4
Warzone	86.2	91.2
Assassin's Creed	92.8	98.2
Valheim	91.7	97.0

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 comparisons 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. You will get more accurate information about how powerful 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 i9-9920X

25%

To make a final 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 i9-9920X as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, 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 i9-9920X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	298	197
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2182	2245
Cinbench 20 Single-core	715	455
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4955	5179
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1672	1484
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16334	14791

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

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-9920X
Single-Core	3919	2650
Multi-Core	22868	25286

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

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-9920X
Single-Core	1685	1282
Multi-Core	9016	14563

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful 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 in your computer. 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, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-12500	Intel Core i9-9920X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	October 01, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.5 MHz
Cores	6	12
Threads	12	24
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	165 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	18 MB	19.25 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
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 i9-9920X is 5% better than Core i5-12500 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9920X has 6 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: 12
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9920X is better: 21
However, it should be understood that all the number in the text above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-12500 and Intel Core i9-9920X before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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 i9-9920X specs and review.