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

Processor comparisons   11-01-2022
   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice after reading the full tests Intel Core i5-12500T vs Intel Core i9-10900X and see which is better for games or normal use for streaming, video editing, rendering, programming, machine learning. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like Furmark, PCMark 10, PassMark, Blender, AIDA64, 3DMark, Dolphin Emulator, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, WPrime, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, VeraCrypt, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), RealBench, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Handbrake, MATLAB, 7zip.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

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

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12500T

56%

Core i9-10900X

56%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12500T

55%

Core i9-10900X

57%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. 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. Therefore, if you think 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 processors were compared: League of Legends (LOL), Control, Metro Exodus, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, Half-Life: Alyx, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, Forza Horizon 4, Ghostrunner, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, Battlefield V, Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	96.9	100.7
Valorant	110.1	114.4
Cyberpunk 2077	61.7	64.1
Apex Legends	103.5	107.5
Call of Duty Warzone	82.6	85.8
Overwatch	89.2	92.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.0	78.9
DOOM Eternal	55.1	57.2
Warzone	85.9	89.2
Assassin's Creed	92.5	96.1
Valheim	91.4	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 tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, 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 i5-12500T

155%

Core i9-10900X

24%

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 i5-12500T is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10900X since it has less power consumption: 35W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate 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 video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software 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 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 i5-12500T	Intel Core i9-10900X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	289	198
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2117	2358
Cinbench 20 Single-core	694	523
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	4807	6165
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1623	1143
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	15847	14301

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

	Intel Core i5-12500T	Intel Core i9-10900X
Single-Core	3803	2745
Multi-Core	22187	22786

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

	Intel Core i5-12500T	Intel Core i9-10900X
Single-Core	1634	1237
Multi-Core	8748	12434

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. 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, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-12500T	Intel Core i9-10900X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	October 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Cascade Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	10
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	6	10
Threads	12	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)	35 W	165 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	256 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 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 i5-12500T in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10900X has 4 more core than Core i5-12500T. 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 i5-12500T is better: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900X is better: 23
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-12500T and Intel Core i9-10900X before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-12500T - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12500T 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.