Intel Core i5-12600 vs Intel Core i9-10900KF

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   If you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-12600 vs Intel Core i9-10900KF and understand which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, rendering, streaming, programming, video editing. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special test applications like DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, Blender, Furmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, Gears 5, WPrime, PCMark 10, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, 3DMark, Handbrake, SuperPi, RealBench, VeraCrypt, AIDA64, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10900KF or Intel Core i5-12600.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12600

57%

Core i9-10900KF

57%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12600

55%

Core i9-10900KF

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: Ghostrunner, DOTA 2A, NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Forza Horizon 4, Control, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), League of Legends (LOL), Half-Life: Alyx, Metro Exodus, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Horizon Zero Dawn, Battlefield V, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.6	101.4
Valorant	110.9	115.2
Cyberpunk 2077	62.1	64.5
Apex Legends	104.3	108.3
Call of Duty Warzone	83.2	86.4
Overwatch	89.8	93.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.5	79.5
DOOM Eternal	55.5	57.6
Warzone	86.5	89.9
Assassin's Creed	93.2	96.8
Valheim	92.1	95.6

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: 4K, 2K or FullHD. 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 i5-12600

96%

Core i9-10900KF

39%

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 i5-12600 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10900KF since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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

For example 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 includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will learn 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. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-12600	Intel Core i9-10900KF
Cinbench 15 Single-core	326	234
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2380	2677
Cinbench 20 Single-core	780	539
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5404	6399
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1824	1418
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	17812	17325

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

	Intel Core i5-12600	Intel Core i9-10900KF
Single-Core	4273	3105
Multi-Core	24937	23797

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

	Intel Core i5-12600	Intel Core i9-10900KF
Single-Core	1877	1471
Multi-Core	9425	13125

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-12600	Intel Core i9-10900KF
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	4.8 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 i9-10900KF is 10% better than Core i5-12600 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10900KF has 4 more core than Core i5-12600. 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 i5-12600 is better: 13
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10900KF is better: 19
Although it should be realized that all the data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-12600 and Intel Core i9-10900KF before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-12600 - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12600 specs and review.

Intel Core i9-10900KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-10900KF specs and review.