Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i9-12900K

Processor comparisons   28-08-2022
   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i9-12900K and understand which is better for games or simple use for streaming, programming, rendering, machine learning, video editing. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or different benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like VeraCrypt, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, Furmark, PassMark, 7zip, AIDA64, SuperPi, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB, Handbrake, Blender, Gears 5, Prime95, PCMark 10, RealBench, WPrime, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900K 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%

Core i9-12900K

67%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KS is 8% better than Core i9-12900K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900KS

61%

Core i9-12900K

64%

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 play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a small 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: Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, Half-Life: Alyx, Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), DOTA 2A, League of Legends (LOL), Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, Control, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Ghostrunner, Horizon Zero Dawn.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.6	113.8
Valorant	123.4	129.3
Cyberpunk 2077	69.1	72.4
Apex Legends	116.0	121.5
Call of Duty Warzone	92.6	97.0
Overwatch	100.0	104.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.1	89.2
DOOM Eternal	61.7	64.6
Warzone	96.3	100.8
Assassin's Creed	103.7	108.6
Valheim	102.4	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 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: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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 i9-12900KS

48%

Core i9-12900K

97%

To make a finishing decision 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 Core i9-12900KS since it has less power consumption: 150W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video editing or video rendering, streaming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the CPU turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, 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 i9-12900KS	Intel Core i9-12900K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	669	489
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	6984	5150
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1113	816
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	15520	11450
Cinbench 23 Single-core	3930	2896
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	44652	32950

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i9-12900K
Single-Core	4211	7546
Multi-Core	76561	56332

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

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i9-12900K
Single-Core	2187	3641
Multi-Core	20189	25262

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The newer the processor, 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. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new 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 i9-12900KS	Intel Core i9-12900K
Announcement date	March 27, 2022	July 21, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1700
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	5.5 MHz	5.2 MHz
Frequency	4 MHz	3.9 MHz
Cores	16	16
Threads	24	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)	150 W	125 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
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400	6400
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	2 MB
L2 cache	8 MB	14 MB
L3 cache	30 MB	30 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-12900KS is 2% better than Core i9-12900K 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: 12
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900K is better: 15
However, it should be realized that all the figures that you have looked at here do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-12900KS and Intel Core i9-12900K before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

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.

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.