Intel Core i5-12600H vs Intel Core i9-7940X

Processor comparisons 09-01-2022

   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-12600H vs Intel Core i9-7940X and see which is better for games or normal use for streaming, machine learning, video editing, rendering, programming. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like 7zip, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, Gears 5, WPrime, Blender, Blender, PCMark 10, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, RealBench, MATLAB, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2, Prime95, 3DMark, Furmark, UserBenchmark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-7940X or Intel Core i5-12600H.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12600H

58%

Core i9-7940X

58%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12600H

55%

Core i9-7940X

58%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low game result, just 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: Metro Exodus, Control, Microsoft Flight Simulator, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Monster Hunter World, Battlefield V, League of Legends (LOL), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K20, Forza Horizon 4, Half-Life: Alyx, Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Ghostrunner, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	98.4	103.4
Valorant	111.8	117.5
Cyberpunk 2077	62.6	65.8
Apex Legends	105.1	110.5
Call of Duty Warzone	83.8	88.2
Overwatch	90.5	95.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.1	81.1
DOOM Eternal	55.9	58.8
Warzone	87.2	91.7
Assassin's Creed	93.9	98.7
Valheim	92.8	97.6

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: 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 i5-12600H

145%

Core i9-7940X

25%

To make a finishing decision 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 i5-12600H is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7940X since it has less power consumption: 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

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video editing or video rendering, 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 performance, the CPU turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will learn 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. Because 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 i5-12600H	Intel Core i9-7940X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	360	188
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2626	2849
Cinbench 20 Single-core	860	607
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5963	5465
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2013	1578
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	19657	15728

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

	Intel Core i5-12600H	Intel Core i9-7940X
Single-Core	4715	2533
Multi-Core	27519	26889

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

	Intel Core i5-12600H	Intel Core i9-7940X
Single-Core	1746	1263
Multi-Core	10166	15127

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-12600H	Intel Core i9-7940X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2017
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	7
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	4.3 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.1 MHz
Cores	12	14
Threads	16	28
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	7800 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	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	85 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 i5-12600H is 6% better than Core i9-7940X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7940X has 2 more core than Core i5-12600H. 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 i5-12600H is better: 14
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-7940X is better: 19
However, it should be realized that all the number in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i5-12600H and Intel Core i9-7940X before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-12600H - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12600H specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-7940X specs and review.