Core i7-12700K vs EPYC 9475F

CPU

GPU

Core i7-12700K

12 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5 GHz2021

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 9475F

48 Cores96 Thrd400 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2024

Popular choices:

••i7-12700K•••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-12700K

12 / 20

34,347

0.0%

122,476

+256.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX

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 $7,183 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $7,592 MSRP).
✅Delivers 420.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 16.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $7,592 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 400W, a 275W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9475F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9475F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 122,476).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9475F, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9475F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 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 16.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($7,592 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌220% higher power demand at 400W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

EPYC 9475F

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $7,183 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $7,592 MSRP).
✅Delivers 420.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 16.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $7,592 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 400W, a 275W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9475F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 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 9475F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 122,476).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9475F, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($7,592 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌220% higher power demand at 400W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9475F better than Core i7-12700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9475F 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 9475F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.4% more average FPS across 50 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 9475F is the better fit. You are getting 256.6% better PassMark, backed by 48 cores and 96 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 9475F is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9475F is 1756.2% more expensive on MSRP at $7,592 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-12700K is also 420.6% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 16.1 PassMark/$), 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 9475F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 25 MB, more multi-core headroom with 48 cores / 96 threads instead of 12/20, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 i7-12700K Benchmark Check

EPYC 9475F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
1080p
low	314 FPS	315 FPS
medium	295 FPS	289 FPS
high	246 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	278 FPS
medium	225 FPS	230 FPS
high	182 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	191 FPS
medium	142 FPS	157 FPS
high	109 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9475F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
1080p
low	630 FPS	725 FPS
medium	533 FPS	618 FPS
high	450 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	421 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	579 FPS
medium	475 FPS	510 FPS
high	403 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	338 FPS
medium	280 FPS	300 FPS
high	266 FPS	270 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	239 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9475F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
1080p
low	797 FPS	906 FPS
medium	633 FPS	738 FPS
high	556 FPS	668 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	566 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	702 FPS
medium	565 FPS	570 FPS
high	490 FPS	503 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	496 FPS
medium	425 FPS	411 FPS
high	381 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9475F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
1080p
low	859 FPS	1139 FPS
medium	802 FPS	1015 FPS
high	699 FPS	901 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	812 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	888 FPS
medium	678 FPS	782 FPS
high	590 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	598 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	648 FPS
medium	488 FPS	578 FPS
high	437 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9475F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and EPYC 9475F

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 9475F

The EPYC 9475F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 3.65 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 122,476 points. Launch price was $7,592.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the EPYC 9475F offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the EPYC 9475F has 36 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 4.8 GHz on the EPYC 9475F — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.65 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the EPYC 9475F uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the EPYC 9475F's 122,476 — a 112.4% lead for the EPYC 9475F. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9475F.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	48 / 96+300%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+4%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.65 GHz+1%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+924%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	4 nm-60%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	34,347	122,476+257%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,960
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	45,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 9475F uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-6000 on the EPYC 9475F — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9475F supports up to 6144 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-12700K) vs 12 (EPYC 9475F). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9475F) — the EPYC 9475F offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and SP5 (EPYC 9475F).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
Socket	LGA1700	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-6000
Max RAM Capacity	128	6144 GB+5033164700%
RAM Channels	2	12+500%
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 9475F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs AMD-V (EPYC 9475F). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 9475F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 9475F targets Server. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; EPYC 9475F rivals Xeon 6952P.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9475F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the EPYC 9475F debuted at $7592. On MSRP ($409 vs $7592), the Core i7-12700K is $7183 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 16.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 9475F — making the Core i7-12700K the 135.5% better value option.