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

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $85 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 72.6 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i9-12900F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 35,873).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Core i9-12900F

2022

Why buy it

✅+4.4% higher PassMark.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.6 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Core i9-12900F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $85 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 72.6 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i9-12900F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+4.4% higher PassMark.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 35,873).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.6 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900F better than Core i7-12700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-12700K is ahead with a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900F pulls ahead with 4.4% better PassMark. Core i9-12900F also has the bigger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900F is the better fit. You are getting 4.4% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).

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

Core i9-12900F is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900F is 20.8% more expensive on MSRP at $494 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you 4.4% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i7-12700K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-12700K is also 15.6% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 72.6 PassMark/$), 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 i9-12900F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), 20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 12/20. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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

Core i9-12900F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
1080p
low	314 FPS	269 FPS
medium	295 FPS	259 FPS
high	246 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	230 FPS
medium	225 FPS	198 FPS
high	182 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	159 FPS
medium	142 FPS	136 FPS
high	109 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
1080p
low	630 FPS	617 FPS
medium	533 FPS	526 FPS
high	450 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	399 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	533 FPS
medium	475 FPS	470 FPS
high	403 FPS	397 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	340 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	311 FPS
medium	280 FPS	281 FPS
high	266 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
1080p
low	797 FPS	775 FPS
medium	633 FPS	619 FPS
high	556 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	692 FPS
medium	565 FPS	560 FPS
high	490 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	416 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	498 FPS
medium	425 FPS	418 FPS
high	381 FPS	378 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	319 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
1080p
low	859 FPS	894 FPS
medium	802 FPS	809 FPS
high	699 FPS	696 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	626 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	765 FPS
medium	678 FPS	681 FPS
high	590 FPS	586 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	517 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	524 FPS
medium	488 FPS	475 FPS
high	437 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	369 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Core i9-12900F

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.

Core i9-12900F

The Core i9-12900F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 30 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: 35,873 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-12900F offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-12900F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-12900F — a 2% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900F (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-12900F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Core i9-12900F's 35,873 — a 4.3% lead for the Core i9-12900F. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900F.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	16 / 24+33%
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+50%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	34,347	35,873+4%

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Both support up to 4800 memory speed. Both support up to 128 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and Z690,B660 (Core i9-12900F).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	4800
Max RAM Capacity	128	128
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i9-12900F requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Core i9-12900F rivals Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i9-12900F debuted at $494. On MSRP ($409 vs $494), the Core i7-12700K is $85 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 72.6 pts/$ for the Core i9-12900F — making the Core i7-12700K the 14.5% better value option.