Intel Core i7-12700 vs Intel Core i9-9960X

Processor comparisons 10-01-2022

   Let's say there are difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i7-12700 vs Intel Core i9-9960X and see which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, rendering, programming, streaming, video editing. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests such as Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, Blender, Handbrake, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, Prime95, MATLAB, PCMark 10, Dolphin Emulator, RealBench, SuperPi, UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark, VeraCrypt, PassMark, 3DMark, WPrime, AIDA64, DaVinci Resolve Studio.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9960X or Intel Core i7-12700.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-12700

59%

Core i9-9960X

59%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-12700

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	100.0	106.4
Valorant	113.7	120.9
Cyberpunk 2077	63.7	67.7
Apex Legends	106.9	113.6
Call of Duty Warzone	85.3	90.7
Overwatch	92.1	97.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	78.4	83.4
DOOM Eternal	56.8	60.5
Warzone	88.7	94.3
Assassin's Creed	95.5	101.6
Valheim	94.4	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 tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. 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 i7-12700

85%

Core i9-9960X

24%

To make a finishing choice 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 i7-12700 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9960X since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 165W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor 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 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 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 i7-12700	Intel Core i9-9960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	431	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3140	2872
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1029	457
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7127	6671
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2408	1086
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	23496	22943

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

	Intel Core i7-12700	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	5637	2684
Multi-Core	32896	30816

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

	Intel Core i7-12700	Intel Core i9-9960X
Single-Core	1667	1230
Multi-Core	11810	18032

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 i7-12700	Intel Core i9-9960X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	January 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3.1 MHz
Cores	12	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)	65 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	12 MB
L3 cache	25 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 i7-12700 is 13% better than Core i9-9960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9960X has 4 more core than Core i7-12700. 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 i7-12700 is better: 18
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9960X is better: 16
However, it should be realized that all the data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i7-12700 and Intel Core i9-9960X before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i7-12700 - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-12700 specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9960X specs and review.