Intel Core i9-12900KF vs AMD EPYC 7502

Processor comparisons 10-01-2022

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the full tests Intel Core i9-12900KF vs AMD EPYC 7502 and understand which is better for games or normal use for video editing, rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like WPrime, PCMark 10, MATLAB, Furmark, Prime95, VeraCrypt, RealBench, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, AIDA64, Handbrake, Geekbench 5.2, 7zip, 3DMark, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, Dolphin Emulator, SuperPi, Blender, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD EPYC 7502 or Intel Core i9-12900KF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Processor Benchmark

Core i9-12900KF

80%

EPYC 7502

79%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KF is 1% better than EPYC 7502. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900KF

68%

EPYC 7502

86%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that 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 less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: League of Legends (LOL), Half-Life: Alyx, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Control, Monster Hunter World, NBA 2K20, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Ghostrunner, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Hitman 3, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, Metro Exodus.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	119.7	151.5
Valorant	136.0	172.2
Cyberpunk 2077	76.2	96.4
Apex Legends	127.9	161.9
Call of Duty Warzone	102.0	129.2
Overwatch	110.2	139.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	93.9	118.8
DOOM Eternal	68.0	86.1
Warzone	106.1	134.3
Assassin's Creed	114.3	144.7
Valheim	112.9	142.9

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 computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K 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 i9-12900KF

52%

EPYC 7502

17%

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 i9-12900KF is more energy efficient than the EPYC 7502 as it consumes less power: 125W vs. 180W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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 machine learning, streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account 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 run, and all the advantages 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 i9-12900KF	AMD EPYC 7502
Cinbench 15 Single-core	474	160
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	4996	6608
Cinbench 20 Single-core	792	391
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	11107	14007
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2809	740
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	31962	36424

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KF	AMD EPYC 7502
Single-Core	7320	2094
Multi-Core	54642	53430

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KF	AMD EPYC 7502
Single-Core	1967	939
Multi-Core	20514	41117

Comparison of specifications

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KF	AMD EPYC 7502
Announcement date	July 21, 2021	October 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Server
Socket	FCLGA1700	SP3
Core name	Alder Lake	Rome
Architecture	x86	Zen 2
Generation	12	2
Turbo Frequency	5.2 MHz	3.4 MHz
Frequency	3.9 MHz	2.5 MHz
Cores	16	32
Threads	24	64
Bus rate	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12600 millions	64000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	180 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB
L2 cache	14 MB
L3 cache	30 MB	128MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000054 100-100000054WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-12900KF is 35% better than EPYC 7502 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that EPYC 7502 has 16 more core than Core i9-12900KF. 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 i9-12900KF is better: 18
The number of parameters for which AMD EPYC 7502 is better: 19
However, it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-12900KF and AMD EPYC 7502 before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.
• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 5 score

Versus Battle of the Processors
• Vs Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX
• Vs Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
• Vs Core i9-13900K
• Vs EPYC 7702
• Vs EPYC 7763
• Vs EPYC 7713P
• Vs EPYC 75F3
• Vs EPYC 7713
• Vs EPYC 7742
• Vs Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
• Vs Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3975WX

• Intel Core i9-12900KF specs and review.

• AMD EPYC 7502 specs and review.