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

Processor comparisons 08-01-2022

   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-12900HK vs Intel Core i9-12900K and understand which is better for games or simple use for streaming, video editing, rendering, programming, machine learning. Here you can find all information from many benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like UserBenchmark, WPrime, AIDA64, Handbrake, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt, Prime95, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2, 3DMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, Gears 5, PCMark 10, Blender, 7zip, Blender, MATLAB, Furmark, RealBench, SuperPi.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900K or Intel Core i9-12900HK.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-12900HK

66%

Core i9-12900K

67%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900K is 1% better than Core i9-12900HK. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900HK

57%

Core i9-12900K

64%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	100.7	113.8
Valorant	114.4	129.3
Cyberpunk 2077	64.1	72.4
Apex Legends	107.5	121.5
Call of Duty Warzone	85.8	97.0
Overwatch	92.7	104.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	78.9	89.2
DOOM Eternal	57.2	64.6
Warzone	89.2	100.8
Assassin's Creed	96.1	108.6
Valheim	94.9	107.3

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 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. 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 i9-12900HK

141%

Core i9-12900K

97%

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 i9-12900HK is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900K as it consumes less power: 45W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to 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 plan 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 achieve maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that 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 i9-12900HK	Intel Core i9-12900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	479	489
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	5047	5150
Cinbench 20 Single-core	800	816
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	11221	11450
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2838	2896
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	32291	32950

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

	Intel Core i9-12900HK	Intel Core i9-12900K
Single-Core	7395	7546
Multi-Core	55205	56332

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

	Intel Core i9-12900HK	Intel Core i9-12900K
Single-Core	1916	3641
Multi-Core	12420	25262

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 i9-12900HK	Intel Core i9-12900K
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	July 21, 2021
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCLGA1700
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	5 MHz	5.2 MHz
Frequency	3.8 MHz	3.9 MHz
Cores	14	16
Threads	20	24
Bus rate	16 GT/s	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12400 millions	12400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	45 W	125 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	6400
Memory bandwidth	108 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	2 MB
L2 cache	8 MB	14 MB
L3 cache	24 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 i9-12900K is 2% better than Core i9-12900HK in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900K 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 i9-12900HK is better: 3
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900K is better: 28
However, it should be understood that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-12900HK and Intel Core i9-12900K before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.

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.

Intel Core i9-12900K - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900K specs and review.