Intel Core i5-12600KF vs Intel Core i9-12900KF

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   For example you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-12600KF vs Intel Core i9-12900KF tests and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, streaming, rendering, machine learning, programming. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like PCMark 10, SuperPi, PassMark, Gears 5, Prime95, MATLAB, 7zip, 3DMark, WPrime, Blender, VeraCrypt, Furmark, Handbrake, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, UserBenchmark, RealBench, DaVinci Resolve Studio, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900KF or Intel Core i5-12600KF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12600KF

61%

Core i9-12900KF

66%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KF is 7% better than Core i5-12600KF. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12600KF

58%

Core i9-12900KF

61%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	102.9	108.9
Valorant	117.0	123.8
Cyberpunk 2077	65.5	69.3
Apex Legends	110.0	116.4
Call of Duty Warzone	87.7	92.8
Overwatch	94.8	100.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	80.7	85.4
DOOM Eternal	58.5	61.9
Warzone	91.2	96.5
Assassin's Creed	98.3	104.0
Valheim	97.1	102.7

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 i5-12600KF

57%

Core i9-12900KF

52%

To make a finishing decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-12600KF is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900KF since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 125W. Power consumption is particularly 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 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, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, 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 i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-12900KF
Cinbench 15 Single-core	485	474
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3543	4996
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1161	792
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	8045	11107
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2715	2809
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	26517	31962

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

	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-12900KF
Single-Core	6362	7320
Multi-Core	37124	54642

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

	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-12900KF
Single-Core	2144	1967
Multi-Core	14653	20514

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful 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 later. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in the newest games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-12900KF
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	July 21, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1700
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	5.2 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3.9 MHz
Cores	10	16
Threads	16	24
Bus rate	8 GT/s	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	12600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	125 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		6400
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache		2 MB
L2 cache	9.5 MB	14 MB
L3 cache	20 MB	30 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 i9-12900KF is 7% better than Core i5-12600KF in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900KF has 6 more core than Core i5-12600KF. 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 i5-12600KF is better: 6
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900KF is better: 26
Although it should be realized that all the figures in the table above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Core i9-12900KF before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-12600KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12600KF specs and review.

Intel Core i9-12900KF - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900KF specs and review.