Core 5 220H vs Core i7-12700T

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

✅Better for gaming: +24.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,192 vs 21,195).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700T

2022

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.
✅+38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core 5 220H needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 220H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $339 MSRP, while Core 5 220H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core 5 220H

2024

Core i7-12700T

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅+0% higher PassMark.
✅+38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core 5 220H needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (21,192 vs 21,195).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 220H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $339 MSRP, while Core 5 220H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700T better than Core 5 220H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core 5 220H is ahead with a 24.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700T pulls ahead with 0% better PassMark. Core i7-12700T also has the bigger cache pool with 38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700T is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i7-12700T is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700T is at an unclear MSRP at $339 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core 5 220H is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 24.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (62.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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 i7-12700T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i7-12700T
1080p
low	277 FPS	177 FPS
medium	249 FPS	165 FPS
high	210 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	148 FPS
medium	186 FPS	128 FPS
high	152 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	87 FPS
4K
low	161 FPS	84 FPS
medium	131 FPS	77 FPS
high	101 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	48 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i7-12700T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i7-12700T
1080p
low	530 FPS	307 FPS
medium	521 FPS	261 FPS
high	427 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	200 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	257 FPS
medium	449 FPS	228 FPS
high	376 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	172 FPS
4K
low	330 FPS	157 FPS
medium	279 FPS	141 FPS
high	256 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	118 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i7-12700T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i7-12700T
1080p
low	530 FPS	530 FPS
medium	530 FPS	530 FPS
high	530 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	461 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	530 FPS
medium	530 FPS	530 FPS
high	530 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	413 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	496 FPS
medium	492 FPS	414 FPS
high	439 FPS	371 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	312 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i7-12700T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i7-12700T
1080p
low	530 FPS	530 FPS
medium	530 FPS	530 FPS
high	530 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	530 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	530 FPS
medium	530 FPS	530 FPS
high	530 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	488 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	515 FPS
medium	530 FPS	469 FPS
high	500 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	361 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i7-12700T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 220H and Core i7-12700T

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 i7-12700T

The Core i7-12700T 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 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,195 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core 5 220H packs 12 cores / 16 threads, matching the Core i7-12700T's 12 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core 5 220H versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-12700T — a 4.2% clock advantage for the Core 5 220H (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core 5 220H uses the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i7-12700T uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 220H scores 21,192 against the Core i7-12700T's 21,195 — a 0% lead for the Core i7-12700T. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core 5 220H vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700T.

Feature	Core 5 220H	Core i7-12700T
Cores / Threads	12 / 16	12 / 20
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+4%	4.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+93%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+39%
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	21,195
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,568
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,256
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,560

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 220H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-12700T uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 220H	Core i7-12700T
Socket	FCBGA1744	LGA1700
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 i7-12700T). The Core i7-12700T includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core 5 220H requires a dedicated GPU.