Intel Core i9-12900KS vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Processor comparisons   28-09-2022
   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-12900KS vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, programming, streaming, machine learning, video editing. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or many benchmarks. A thorough review of all the specifications, 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 software tests such as 3DMark, PassMark, RealBench, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Handbrake, Furmark, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), SuperPi, Blender, AIDA64, WPrime, 7zip, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, UserBenchmark, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X or Intel Core i9-12900KS.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-12900KS

73%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

59%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KS is 19% better than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900KS

61%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

58%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. 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. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Metro Exodus, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Control, Ghostrunner, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, Monster Hunter World, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, DOTA 2A, Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.6	103.3
Valorant	123.4	117.4
Cyberpunk 2077	69.1	65.7
Apex Legends	116.0	110.3
Call of Duty Warzone	92.6	88.0
Overwatch	100.0	95.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.1	81.0
DOOM Eternal	61.7	58.7
Warzone	96.3	91.6
Assassin's Creed	103.7	98.6
Valheim	102.4	97.4

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 comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So 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 i9-12900KS

48%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

22%

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 i9-12900KS is more energy efficient than the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X as it consumes less power: 150W vs. 180W. 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 machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, 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 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 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 i9-12900KS	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	669	180
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	6984	3187
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1113	449
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	15520	7003
Cinbench 23 Single-core	3930	1127
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	44652	21444

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Single-Core	4211	2484
Multi-Core	76561	30571

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Single-Core	2187	1222
Multi-Core	20189	14988

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 later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. 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 new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
Announcement date	March 27, 2022	August 31, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	sTR4
Core name	Alder Lake	Colfax
Architecture	x86	Zen+
Generation	12	2
Turbo Frequency	5.5 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	4 MHz	3.5 MHz
Cores	16	16
Threads	24	32
Bus rate	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	12 nm
Transistors count	12400 millions	18800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	150 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	2933
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	1.5MB
L2 cache	8 MB	8MB
L3 cache	30 MB	32MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options	YD295XA8UGAAF YD295XA8AFWOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-12900KS is 12% better than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X in terms of CPU frequency. 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 i9-12900KS is better: 33
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is better: 5
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-12900KS and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i9-12900KS - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-12900KS specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X specs and review.