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

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-12500E vs Intel Core i9-10900K tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for streaming, rendering, video editing, machine learning, programming. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software such as Furmark, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64, UserBenchmark, Blender, Handbrake, 3DMark, Blender, 7zip, PCMark 10, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, WPrime, Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PassMark, RealBench, MATLAB, VeraCrypt, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10900K or Intel Core i5-12500E.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12500E

56%

Core i9-10900K

57%

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

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12500E

55%

Core i9-10900K

58%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play 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, 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), NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Control, Ghostrunner, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, Metro Exodus, Battlefield V, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.0	102.7
Valorant	110.2	116.7
Cyberpunk 2077	61.7	65.3
Apex Legends	103.6	109.7
Call of Duty Warzone	82.7	87.5
Overwatch	89.3	94.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.1	80.5
DOOM Eternal	55.1	58.3
Warzone	86.0	91.0
Assassin's Creed	92.6	98.0
Valheim	91.5	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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. Therefore, 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 i5-12500E

84%

Core i9-10900K

43%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-12500E 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. 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit 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 i5-12500E	Intel Core i9-10900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	292	234
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2138	2677
Cinbench 20 Single-core	701	539
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4856	6399
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1639	1418
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	16007	17325

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

	Intel Core i5-12500E	Intel Core i9-10900K
Single-Core	3841	3141
Multi-Core	22411	24010

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

	Intel Core i5-12500E	Intel Core i9-10900K
Single-Core	1651	1617
Multi-Core	8836	14374

Comparison of specifications

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

	Intel Core i5-12500E	Intel Core i9-10900K
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2020
Type	Embedded	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1200
Core name	Alder Lake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	10
Turbo Frequency	4.5 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 i5-12500E in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10900K has 4 more core than Core i5-12500E. 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 i5-12500E is better: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900K is better: 21
However, it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-12500E and Intel Core i9-10900K before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-12500E - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12500E specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10900K specs and review.