Intel Core i5-12600KF vs Intel Core i9-9990XE

Processor comparisons 11-01-2022

   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-12600KF vs Intel Core i9-9990XE and understand which is better for games or simple use for programming, machine learning, rendering, video editing, streaming. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough review of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as Gears 5, Blender, Blender, MATLAB, SuperPi, Prime95, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, RealBench, 3DMark, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, VeraCrypt, 7zip, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, AIDA64, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, WPrime.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9990XE 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 i9-9990XE

59%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-12600KF is 3% better than Core i9-9990XE. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12600KF

58%

Core i9-9990XE

59%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	102.9	104.6
Valorant	117.0	118.9
Cyberpunk 2077	65.5	66.6
Apex Legends	110.0	111.7
Call of Duty Warzone	87.7	89.1
Overwatch	94.8	96.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	80.7	82.0
DOOM Eternal	58.5	59.4
Warzone	91.2	92.7
Assassin's Creed	98.3	99.8
Valheim	97.1	98.6

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 tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-12600KF

57%

Core i9-9990XE

16%

To make a finishing resolution 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 i9-9990XE as it consumes less power: 125W vs. 260W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to count 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 the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach 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 check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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 i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-9990XE
Cinbench 15 Single-core	485	199
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3543	3215
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1161	455
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	8045	7457
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2715	1115
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	26517	22765

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

	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-9990XE
Single-Core	6362	3072
Multi-Core	37124	31845

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

	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-9990XE
Single-Core	2144	1308
Multi-Core	14653	16263

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 later. The same benefits from the presence of 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! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-9990XE
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	LGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	5.2 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	4.2 MHz
Cores	10	14
Threads	16	28
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)	125 W	260 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	9.5 MB
L3 cache	20 MB	32 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 i9-9990XE is 14% better than Core i5-12600KF in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9990XE has 4 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: 15
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9990XE is better: 19
However, it should be understood that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-12600KF and Intel Core i9-9990XE before making a decision which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

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 i9-9990XE specs and review.