Core i7-12700K vs EPYC 73F3

CPU

GPU

Core i7-12700K

12 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5 GHz2021

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 73F3

16 Cores32 Thrd240 WWMax: 4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

••i7-12700K•••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-12700K

12 / 20

34,347

0.0%

46,103

+34.2%

Ryzen 7 5800

Ryzen 9 PRO 8945HS

Ryzen 7 7700X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

About PassMark

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 i7-12700K

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,112 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 541.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 240W, a 115W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 73F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 46,103).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 73F3, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 73F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌92% higher power demand at 240W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

EPYC 73F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,112 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Delivers 541.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $3,521 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 240W, a 115W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 73F3 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 73F3 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 46,103).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 73F3, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($3,521 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌92% higher power demand at 240W vs 125W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 73F3 better than Core i7-12700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 73F3 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-12700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 73F3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 25 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 73F3 is the better fit. You are getting 34.2% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 924% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 25 MB).

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

EPYC 73F3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 73F3 is 760.9% more expensive on MSRP at $3,521 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-12700K is also 541.4% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 13.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

EPYC 73F3 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 i7-12700K Benchmark Check

EPYC 73F3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	314 FPS	200 FPS
medium	295 FPS	159 FPS
high	246 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	166 FPS
medium	225 FPS	128 FPS
high	182 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	74 FPS
medium	142 FPS	61 FPS
high	109 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	39 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 73F3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	630 FPS	510 FPS
medium	533 FPS	446 FPS
high	450 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	290 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	418 FPS
medium	475 FPS	375 FPS
high	403 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	244 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	257 FPS
medium	280 FPS	235 FPS
high	266 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 73F3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	797 FPS	979 FPS
medium	633 FPS	819 FPS
high	556 FPS	760 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	678 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	675 FPS
medium	565 FPS	564 FPS
high	490 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	453 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	482 FPS
medium	425 FPS	382 FPS
high	381 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 73F3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
1080p
low	859 FPS	1146 FPS
medium	802 FPS	1015 FPS
high	699 FPS	873 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	758 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	842 FPS
medium	678 FPS	733 FPS
high	590 FPS	620 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	539 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	608 FPS
medium	488 FPS	542 FPS
high	437 FPS	471 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	407 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 73F3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and EPYC 73F3

Core i7-12700K

The Core i7-12700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 November 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture. It features 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 34,347 points. Launch price was $409.

EPYC 73F3

The EPYC 73F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 46,103 points. Launch price was $3,521.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the EPYC 73F3 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 73F3 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 4 GHz on the EPYC 73F3 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the EPYC 73F3 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the EPYC 73F3's 46,103 — a 29.2% lead for the EPYC 73F3. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 73F3.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	16 / 32+33%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+25%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+3%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+924%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm+-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Milan (2021−2023)
PassMark	34,347	46,103+34%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 73F3 uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus 3200 on the EPYC 73F3 — the Core i7-12700K supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 73F3 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-12700K) vs 8 (EPYC 73F3). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12700K) vs 128 (EPYC 73F3) — the EPYC 73F3 offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and SP3,C621A (EPYC 73F3).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
Socket	LGA1700	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+50%	3200
Max RAM Capacity	128	4096+3100%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the EPYC 73F3 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 73F3 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; EPYC 73F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8362.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 73F3
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the EPYC 73F3 debuted at $3521. On MSRP ($409 vs $3521), the Core i7-12700K is $3112 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 13.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 73F3 — making the Core i7-12700K the 146% better value option.