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 i9-12900H

2022

Why buy it

✅+44.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,400 vs 2,677).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 43.9 vs 112.0 PassMark/$ ($617 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).

Core Ultra 5 225T

2025

Why buy it

✅+11.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $377 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅Delivers 155.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.0 vs 43.9 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (8,943 vs 12,900).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i9-12900H

2022

Core Ultra 5 225T

2025

Why buy it

✅+44.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+11.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $377 less on MSRP ($240 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅Delivers 155.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.0 vs 43.9 PassMark/$ ($240 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (2,400 vs 2,677).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 43.9 vs 112.0 PassMark/$ ($617 MSRP vs $240 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (8,943 vs 12,900).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225T better than Core i9-12900H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 225T is ahead with a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900H pulls ahead with 44.2% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i9-12900H also has the bigger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900H is the better fit. You are getting 44.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 20 MB).

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

Core Ultra 5 225T is the smarter buy today. Core Ultra 5 225T is $377 cheaper on MSRP at $240 MSRP versus $617 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-12900H is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 44.2% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 155.1% better value on MSRP (112.0 vs 43.9 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 5 225T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 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 i9-12900H Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 225T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	267 FPS	253 FPS
medium	257 FPS	244 FPS
high	213 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	183 FPS	175 FPS
1440p
low	229 FPS	217 FPS
medium	197 FPS	186 FPS
high	159 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	148 FPS
medium	136 FPS	126 FPS
high	106 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Core Ultra 5 225T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	635 FPS	595 FPS
medium	539 FPS	508 FPS
high	458 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	418 FPS	377 FPS
1440p
low	549 FPS	498 FPS
medium	486 FPS	438 FPS
high	414 FPS	370 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	317 FPS
4K
low	324 FPS	299 FPS
medium	291 FPS	264 FPS
high	277 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	243 FPS	217 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Core Ultra 5 225T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	677 FPS	672 FPS
medium	616 FPS	672 FPS
high	545 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	522 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	672 FPS
medium	554 FPS	588 FPS
high	485 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	439 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	504 FPS
medium	416 FPS	422 FPS
high	373 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	314 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Core Ultra 5 225T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
1080p
low	677 FPS	672 FPS
medium	677 FPS	672 FPS
high	677 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	604 FPS	672 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	672 FPS
medium	663 FPS	672 FPS
high	572 FPS	611 FPS
ultra	498 FPS	535 FPS
4K
low	525 FPS	550 FPS
medium	476 FPS	501 FPS
high	423 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Core Ultra 5 225T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-12900H and Core Ultra 5 225T

Core i9-12900H

The Core i9-12900H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 27,079 points. Launch price was $299.

Core Ultra 5 225T

The Core Ultra 5 225T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2025 (recentemente). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 26,874 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-12900H packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 225T offers 10 cores / 10 threads — the Core i9-12900H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-12900H versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225T — a 2% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i9-12900H uses the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 225T uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900H scores 27,079 against the Core Ultra 5 225T's 26,874 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i9-12900H. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,400 vs 2,677, a 10.9% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,900 vs 8,943 (36.2% advantage for the Core i9-12900H). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900H vs 20 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 225T.

Feature	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+40%	10 / 10
Boost Clock	5 GHz+2%	4.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)+20%	20 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+140%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Alder Lake-H (2022)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	27,079	26,874
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,400	2,677+12%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,900+44%	8,943

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 225T uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 225T supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-12900H) vs 24 (Core Ultra 5 225T) — the Core Ultra 5 225T offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 Series (Mobile) (Core i9-12900H) and Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 5 225T).

Feature	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
Socket	FCBGA1744	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	256 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i9-12900H has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: Yes (Core i9-12900H) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 5 225T). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe Graphics 96EU (Core i9-12900H) and Arc Graphics (16EU) (Core Ultra 5 225T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-12900H targets Mobile, Core Ultra 5 225T targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core Ultra 5 225T rivals Ryzen 5 9600X.

Feature	Core i9-12900H	Core Ultra 5 225T
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe Graphics 96EU	Arc Graphics (16EU)
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Mobile	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-12900H launched at $617 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 225T debuted at $240. On MSRP ($617 vs $240), the Core Ultra 5 225T is $377 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-12900H delivers 43.9 pts/$ vs 112.0 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 5 225T — making the Core Ultra 5 225T the 87.4% better value option.