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 i7-12700

2022

Why buy it

✅+22.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 235H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 235H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 235H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌225% higher power demand at 65W vs 20W.

Core Ultra 5 235H

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 65W, a 45W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,607 vs 21,568).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-12700.

Core i7-12700

2022

Core Ultra 5 235H

2025

Why buy it

✅+22.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 235H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 20W instead of 65W, a 45W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 235H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 235H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌225% higher power demand at 65W vs 20W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,607 vs 21,568).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i7-12700.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 235H better than Core i7-12700?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 235H is ahead with a 20.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700 pulls ahead with 22.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i7-12700 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 i7-12700 is the better fit. You are getting 22.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 Ultra 5 235H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 235H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-12700 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 22.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i7-12700 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (120.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core Ultra 5 235H 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 i7-12700 Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 235H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	257 FPS	299 FPS
medium	248 FPS	262 FPS
high	207 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	187 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	245 FPS
medium	194 FPS	193 FPS
high	156 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	168 FPS
medium	134 FPS	134 FPS
high	103 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Core Ultra 5 235H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	312 FPS	746 FPS
medium	265 FPS	625 FPS
high	224 FPS	499 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	257 FPS	704 FPS
medium	228 FPS	566 FPS
high	198 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	172 FPS	379 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	415 FPS
medium	141 FPS	339 FPS
high	133 FPS	311 FPS
ultra	118 FPS	268 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Core Ultra 5 235H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	751 FPS	746 FPS
medium	610 FPS	746 FPS
high	540 FPS	746 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	653 FPS
1440p
low	683 FPS	746 FPS
medium	547 FPS	721 FPS
high	479 FPS	624 FPS
ultra	411 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	628 FPS
medium	412 FPS	519 FPS
high	369 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	311 FPS	383 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Core Ultra 5 235H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
1080p
low	751 FPS	746 FPS
medium	751 FPS	746 FPS
high	664 FPS	746 FPS
ultra	590 FPS	741 FPS
1440p
low	730 FPS	746 FPS
medium	651 FPS	746 FPS
high	560 FPS	677 FPS
ultra	487 FPS	579 FPS
4K
low	513 FPS	604 FPS
medium	468 FPS	538 FPS
high	414 FPS	486 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	423 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Core Ultra 5 235H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700 and Core Ultra 5 235H

Core i7-12700

The Core i7-12700 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 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): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 30,055 points. Launch price was $349.

Core Ultra 5 235H

The Core Ultra 5 235H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-H (2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 20 MB + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 29,820 points. Launch price was $354.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700 packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 235H offers 14 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 235H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-12700 versus 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235H — a 2% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235H (base: 2.1 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i7-12700 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 235H uses Arrow Lake-H (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700 scores 30,055 against the Core Ultra 5 235H's 29,820 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i7-12700. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,568 vs 17,607 (20.2% advantage for the Core i7-12700). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,497 vs 2,693, a 7.6% lead for the Core Ultra 5 235H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,448 vs 14,040 (12% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235H). L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700 vs 18 MB on the Core Ultra 5 235H.

Feature	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	14 / 14+17%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	4.4 GHz+110%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+39%	18 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Arrow Lake-H (2025)
PassMark	30,055	29,820
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,568+22%	17,607
Geekbench 6 Single	2,497	2,693+8%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,448	14,040+13%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core Ultra 5 235H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core Ultra 5 235H supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12700) vs 28 (Core Ultra 5 235H) — the Core Ultra 5 235H offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,Z790 (Core i7-12700) and WM880,HM870 (Core Ultra 5 235H).

Feature	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core Ultra 5 235H has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i7-12700) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core Ultra 5 235H). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700) and Intel Arc 140T Graphics (Core Ultra 5 235H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-12700 targets Gaming, Core Ultra 5 235H targets Thin-and-light Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700 rivals Ryzen 7 5700X; Core Ultra 5 235H rivals Ryzen 7 9800H.

Feature	Core i7-12700	Core Ultra 5 235H
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel Arc 140T Graphics
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x / VT-d / EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	Thin-and-light Performance Laptop