Core 5 220H vs Core i5-12600

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core 5 220H

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,192 vs 21,383).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12600.

Core i5-12600

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core 5 220H needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Core 5 220H.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $233 MSRP, while Core 5 220H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core 5 220H

2024

Core i5-12600

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core 5 220H needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Core 5 220H.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,192 vs 21,383).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12600.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $233 MSRP, while Core 5 220H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 220H better than Core i5-12600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core 5 220H is ahead with a 2.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12600 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12600 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core 5 220H is the smarter buy by a wide margin for any fresh desktop build. Core 5 220H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $233 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12600 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop CPU, not because it is a serious desktop gaming option. It simply cannot keep up with modern games, especially when the gap is already 2.7% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 5 220H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core 5 220H Benchmark Check

Core i5-12600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12600
1080p
low	277 FPS	274 FPS
medium	249 FPS	260 FPS
high	210 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	188 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	240 FPS
medium	186 FPS	204 FPS
high	152 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	145 FPS
4K
low	161 FPS	167 FPS
medium	131 FPS	142 FPS
high	101 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	97 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12600
1080p
low	530 FPS	523 FPS
medium	521 FPS	438 FPS
high	427 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	326 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	434 FPS
medium	449 FPS	375 FPS
high	376 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	279 FPS
4K
low	330 FPS	289 FPS
medium	279 FPS	256 FPS
high	256 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12600
1080p
low	530 FPS	535 FPS
medium	530 FPS	535 FPS
high	530 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	535 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	535 FPS
medium	530 FPS	535 FPS
high	530 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	476 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	508 FPS
medium	492 FPS	451 FPS
high	439 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	327 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12600
1080p
low	530 FPS	535 FPS
medium	530 FPS	535 FPS
high	530 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	535 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	535 FPS
medium	530 FPS	535 FPS
high	530 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	521 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	535 FPS
medium	530 FPS	501 FPS
high	500 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	369 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 220H and Core i5-12600

Core 5 220H

The Core 5 220H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 December 2024 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4X-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 21,192 points. Launch price was $342.

Core i5-12600

The Core i5-12600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5x, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,383 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core 5 220H packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-12600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 5 220H has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core 5 220H versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-12600 — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core 5 220H (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core 5 220H uses the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-12600 uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 220H scores 21,192 against the Core i5-12600's 21,383 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-12600. Both processors carry 18 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12600
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+2%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	3.3 GHz+22%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+60%	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	21,192	21,383
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,400
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,400

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 220H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-12600 uses FP7/FP8 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12600
Socket	FCBGA1744	FP7/FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	20

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 220H) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12600). The Core i5-12600 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core 5 220H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12600 targets Mainstream Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12600 rivals Ryzen 5 5600.