Intel Core i9-12900 vs Intel Core i9-12900HK

Processor comparisons 10-01-2022

   For example there are difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i9-12900 vs Intel Core i9-12900HK and decide which is better for games or normal use for video editing, rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or different benchmarks. A careful review of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, AIDA64, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, Prime95, RealBench, Blender, PCMark 10, Handbrake, Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, SuperPi, 7zip, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, GeekBench 6, 5.2, WPrime, 3DMark, Blender, MATLAB.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900HK or Intel Core i9-12900.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-12900

65%

Core i9-12900HK

66%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900HK is 1% better than Core i9-12900. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900

59%

Core i9-12900HK

57%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. 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 low 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: Horizon Zero Dawn, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, NBA 2K20, DOTA 2A, Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Control, Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	104.3	100.7
Valorant	118.6	114.4
Cyberpunk 2077	66.4	64.1
Apex Legends	111.5	107.5
Call of Duty Warzone	88.9	85.8
Overwatch	96.0	92.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	81.8	78.9
DOOM Eternal	59.3	57.2
Warzone	92.5	89.2
Assassin's Creed	99.6	96.1
Valheim	98.4	94.9

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 i9-12900

96%

Core i9-12900HK

141%

To make a final 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 i9-12900HK is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900 as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 45W. 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 want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can 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 i9-12900	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Cinbench 15 Single-core	445	479
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	4687	5047
Cinbench 20 Single-core	743	800
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	10420	11221
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2635	2838
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	29985	32291

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

	Intel Core i9-12900	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Single-Core	6867	7395
Multi-Core	51262	55205

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

	Intel Core i9-12900	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Single-Core	1885	1916
Multi-Core	16028	12420

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-12900	Intel Core i9-12900HK
Announcement date	July 21, 2021	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCBGA1744
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	5.1 MHz	5 MHz
Frequency	3.8 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	16	14
Threads	24	20
Bus rate	16 GT/s	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12600 millions	12400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	45 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 Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	6400
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	108 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	2 MB
L2 cache	12 MB	8 MB
L3 cache	30 MB	24 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. Another difference is that Core i9-12900 has 2 more core than Core i9-12900HK. 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 i9-12900 is better: 19
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900HK is better: 12
Although it should be realized that the summary data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-12900 and Intel Core i9-12900HK before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i9-12900 - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900 specs and review.

Intel Core i9-12900HK - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900HK specs and review.