Intel Core i5-12600K vs Intel Core i9-9980XE

Processor comparisons   11-01-2022
   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-12600K vs Intel Core i9-9980XE and see which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, video editing, rendering, programming, streaming. Here you can find useful information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software like Handbrake, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, Blender, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, AIDA64, Prime95, WPrime, UserBenchmark, PassMark, VeraCrypt, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, Furmark, SuperPi, 7zip, Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PCMark 10, 3DMark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-9980XE or Intel Core i5-12600K.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-12600K

60%

Core i9-9980XE

59%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-12600K is 1% better than Core i9-9980XE. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-12600K

57%

Core i9-9980XE

60%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	101.8	106.2
Valorant	115.7	120.7
Cyberpunk 2077	64.8	67.6
Apex Legends	108.7	113.5
Call of Duty Warzone	86.8	90.5
Overwatch	93.7	97.8
Red Dead Redemption 2	79.8	83.3
DOOM Eternal	57.8	60.3
Warzone	90.2	94.1
Assassin's Creed	97.2	101.4
Valheim	96.0	100.2

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 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 i5-12600K

53%

Core i9-9980XE

23%

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 i5-12600K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-9980XE since it has less power consumption: 125W vs. 165W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. 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

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor includes 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 software you are going to use on your computer supports 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 are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-12600K	Intel Core i9-9980XE
Cinbench 15 Single-core	466	201
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3407	3240
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1116	459
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7736	7516
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2611	1124
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	25497	22944

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

	Intel Core i5-12600K	Intel Core i9-9980XE
Single-Core	6117	2551
Multi-Core	35696	32096

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

	Intel Core i5-12600K	Intel Core i9-9980XE
Single-Core	2009	1178
Multi-Core	13528	17856

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. 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 the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-12600K	Intel Core i9-9980XE
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	October 01, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA2066
Core name	Alder Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	9
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	10	18
Threads	16	36
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	10200 millions	8600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	165 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache	9.5 MB
L3 cache	20 MB	24.75 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
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 i5-12600K is 16% better than Core i9-9980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9980XE has 8 more core than Core i5-12600K. 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 i5-12600K is better: 17
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-9980XE is better: 17
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 video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-12600K and Intel Core i9-9980XE before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-12600K - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-12600K specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-9980XE specs and review.