Intel Core i5-12600HE vs Intel Core i9-9960X

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i5-12600HE vs Intel Core i9-9960X and understand which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, programming, rendering, streaming, video editing. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A careful review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests such as PassMark, MATLAB, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Gears 5, PCMark 10, 7zip, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, AIDA64, SuperPi, Blender, 3DMark, RealBench, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark, UserBenchmark, Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9960X or Intel Core i5-12600HE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12600HE

58%

Core i9-9960X

59%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-9960X is 1% better than Core i5-12600HE. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12600HE

55%

Core i9-9960X

60%

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 run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a small 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: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Monster Hunter World, DOTA 2A, Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, Ghostrunner, League of Legends (LOL), Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	98.5	106.4
Valorant	111.9	120.9
Cyberpunk 2077	62.7	67.7
Apex Legends	105.2	113.6
Call of Duty Warzone	83.9	90.7
Overwatch	90.6	97.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	77.2	83.4
DOOM Eternal	55.9	60.5
Warzone	87.3	94.3
Assassin's Creed	94.0	101.6
Valheim	92.9	100.3

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 comparing 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. 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 i5-12600HE

130%

Core i9-9960X

24%

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 i5-12600HE is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9960X since it has less power consumption: 45W 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve 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 make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in 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 i5-12600HE	Intel Core i9-9960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	363	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2647	2872
Cinbench 20 Single-core	867	457
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6010	6671
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2029	1086
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	19815	22943

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

	Intel Core i5-12600HE	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	4752	2684
Multi-Core	27739	30816

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

	Intel Core i5-12600HE	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	1760	1230
Multi-Core	10247	18032

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. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in new games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-12600HE	Intel Core i9-9960X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	January 01, 2019
Type	Embedded	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.1 MHz
Cores	12	16
Threads	16	32
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	45 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	22 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
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 i5-12600HE is 6% better than Core i9-9960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9960X has 4 more core than Core i5-12600HE. 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 i5-12600HE is better: 12
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9960X is better: 22
However, it should be understood that all the figures in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-12600HE and Intel Core i9-9960X before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-12600HE - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12600HE specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9960X specs and review.