Intel Core i7-12650HX vs Intel Core i9-9960X

Processor comparisons 30-08-2022

   Let's say you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i7-12650HX vs Intel Core i9-9960X and understand which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, streaming, rendering, video editing, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing 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 video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests like GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, VeraCrypt, WPrime, Gears 5, Handbrake, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB, SuperPi, RealBench, Furmark, Blender, Prime95, 7zip, PCMark 10, 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, AIDA64.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9960X or Intel Core i7-12650HX.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-12650HX

59%

Core i9-9960X

59%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-12650HX

56%

Core i9-9960X

60%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	100.2	106.4
Valorant	113.9	120.9
Cyberpunk 2077	63.8	67.7
Apex Legends	107.0	113.6
Call of Duty Warzone	85.4	90.7
Overwatch	92.2	97.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	78.6	83.4
DOOM Eternal	56.9	60.5
Warzone	88.8	94.3
Assassin's Creed	95.6	101.6
Valheim	94.5	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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. 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 i7-12650HX

124%

Core i9-9960X

24%

To make a final 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 i7-12650HX is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9960X since it has less power consumption: 55W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, streaming, video rendering or video editing, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will find out 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages 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 i7-12650HX	Intel Core i9-9960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	428	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3094	2872
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1018	457
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7017	6671
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2373	1086
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	23118	22943

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

	Intel Core i7-12650HX	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	5551	2684
Multi-Core	32362	30816

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

	Intel Core i7-12650HX	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	2059	1230
Multi-Core	11959	18032

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful 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 in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-12650HX	Intel Core i9-9960X
Announcement date	June 24, 2022	January 01, 2019
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1964	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.7 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.1 MHz
Cores	14	16
Threads	20	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)	55 W	165 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
L3 cache	24 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 i7-12650HX is 6% better than Core i9-9960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9960X has 2 more core than Core i7-12650HX. 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 i7-12650HX is better: 17
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9960X is better: 16
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-12650HX and Intel Core i9-9960X before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i7-12650HX - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-12650HX specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9960X specs and review.