Intel Core i9-12900K vs AMD EPYC 7543

Processor comparisons 22-07-2021

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i9-12900K vs AMD EPYC 7543 tests and see which is better for games or normal use for rendering, video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications such as RealBench, Gears 5, AIDA64, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, WPrime, VeraCrypt, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 3DMark, Furmark, Handbrake, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, Blender, Prime95, MATLAB, UserBenchmark, 7zip, Cinebench 23 (20, 15).
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD EPYC 7543 or Intel Core i9-12900K.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-12900K

67%

EPYC 7543

66%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900K is 1% better than EPYC 7543. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900K

64%

EPYC 7543

67%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	113.8	118.9
Valorant	129.3	135.1
Cyberpunk 2077	72.4	75.7
Apex Legends	121.5	127.0
Call of Duty Warzone	97.0	101.3
Overwatch	104.7	109.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	89.2	93.2
DOOM Eternal	64.6	67.6
Warzone	100.8	105.4
Assassin's Creed	108.6	113.5
Valheim	107.3	112.2

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 participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-12900K

97%

EPYC 7543

20%

To make a finishing choice 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 i9-12900K is more energy efficient than the EPYC 7543 since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 225W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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 plan 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 achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes 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 make sure that 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 run, 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 i9-12900K	AMD EPYC 7543
Cinbench 15 Single-core	489	164
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	5150	6747
Cinbench 20 Single-core	816	307
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	11450	14301
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2896	756
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	32950	37190

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

	Intel Core i9-12900K	AMD EPYC 7543
Single-Core	7546	1592
Multi-Core	56332	54553

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

	Intel Core i9-12900K	AMD EPYC 7543
Single-Core	3641	1391
Multi-Core	25262	30306

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 later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-12900K	AMD EPYC 7543
Announcement date	July 21, 2021	March 15, 2021
Type	Desktop	Server
Socket	FCLGA1700	SP3
Core name	Alder Lake	Milan
Architecture	x86	Zen 3
Generation	12	3
Turbo Frequency	5.2 MHz	3.7 MHz
Frequency	3.9 MHz	2.8 MHz
Cores	16	32
Threads	24	64
Bus rate	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12400 millions	68000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	225 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	3200
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	204.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB
L2 cache	14 MB
L3 cache	30 MB	256MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000345 100-100000319WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-12900K is 28% better than EPYC 7543 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that EPYC 7543 has 16 more core than Core i9-12900K. 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 i9-12900K is better: 18
The number of parameters for which AMD EPYC 7543 is better: 18
Although it should be realized that all the data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-12900K and AMD EPYC 7543 before making a decision which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

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.

AMD EPYC 7543 - all data

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

• AMD EPYC 7543 specs and review.