Intel Core i5-12500H vs Intel Core i9-10900X

Processor comparisons 10-01-2022

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-12500H vs Intel Core i9-10900X tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, programming, rendering, streaming. Here is all information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like WPrime, 3DMark, 7zip, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, PassMark, PCMark 10, Gears 5, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, AIDA64, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, Prime95, RealBench, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15).
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10900X or Intel Core i5-12500H.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12500H

57%

Core i9-10900X

56%

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

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12500H

55%

Core i9-10900X

57%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	98.6	100.7
Valorant	112.0	114.4
Cyberpunk 2077	62.7	64.1
Apex Legends	105.3	107.5
Call of Duty Warzone	84.0	85.8
Overwatch	90.7	92.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.3	78.9
DOOM Eternal	56.0	57.2
Warzone	87.4	89.2
Assassin's Creed	94.1	96.1
Valheim	93.0	95.0

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 i5-12500H

143%

Core i9-10900X

24%

To make a final choice 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 i5-12500H is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10900X as it consumes less power: 40W vs. 165W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must 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 want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach 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 check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, 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 i5-12500H	Intel Core i9-10900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	312	198
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2282	2358
Cinbench 20 Single-core	748	523
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5183	6165
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1749	1143
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17085	14301

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

	Intel Core i5-12500H	Intel Core i9-10900X
Single-Core	4099	2745
Multi-Core	23919	22786

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

	Intel Core i5-12500H	Intel Core i9-10900X
Single-Core	1721	1237
Multi-Core	10346	12434

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. 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 can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce 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 i5-12500H	Intel Core i9-10900X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	October 01, 2019
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Cascade Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	10
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	12	10
Threads	16	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s DMI3
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	40 W	165 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	64 Gb	256 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	94 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	18 MB	19.25 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 i9-10900X is 10% better than Core i5-12500H in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-12500H has 2 more core than Core i9-10900X. 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 i5-12500H is better: 13
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900X is better: 20
The summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-12500H and Intel Core i9-10900X before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-12500H - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12500H specs and review.

Intel Core i9-10900X - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-10900X specs and review.