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: +8.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $148 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $557 MSRP).
✅Delivers 54.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 54.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $557 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 36 MB).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Core i9-14901E

2024

Why buy it

✅+44% larger total L3 cache (36 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 (30,298 vs 34,347).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 54.4 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($557 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Core i7-12700K

2021

Core i9-14901E

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $148 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $557 MSRP).
✅Delivers 54.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 54.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $557 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+44% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 36 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 (30,298 vs 34,347).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 54.4 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($557 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700K better than Core i9-14901E?

Yes. Core i7-12700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 13.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-12700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700K is the better fit. You are getting 13.4% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i7-12700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700K is $148 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $557 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 54.4% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 54.4 PassMark/$), 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 i9-14901E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021) and 44% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 25 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i9-14901E Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
1080p
low	314 FPS	273 FPS
medium	295 FPS	254 FPS
high	246 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	256 FPS
medium	225 FPS	214 FPS
high	182 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	148 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	175 FPS
medium	142 FPS	147 FPS
high	109 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	97 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-14901E

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
1080p
low	630 FPS	757 FPS
medium	533 FPS	677 FPS
high	450 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	479 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	659 FPS
medium	475 FPS	594 FPS
high	403 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	395 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	369 FPS
medium	280 FPS	337 FPS
high	266 FPS	317 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	273 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-14901E

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
1080p
low	797 FPS	757 FPS
medium	633 FPS	653 FPS
high	556 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	481 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	720 FPS
medium	565 FPS	587 FPS
high	490 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	435 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	508 FPS
medium	425 FPS	437 FPS
high	381 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	331 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-14901E

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
1080p
low	859 FPS	757 FPS
medium	802 FPS	757 FPS
high	699 FPS	757 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	729 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	757 FPS
medium	678 FPS	750 FPS
high	590 FPS	656 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	576 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	629 FPS
medium	488 FPS	563 FPS
high	437 FPS	499 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	436 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-14901E

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Core i9-14901E

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 i9-14901E

The Core i9-14901E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Julho 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,298 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-14901E offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.6 GHz on the Core i9-14901E — a 11.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-14901E (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-14901E uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Core i9-14901E's 30,298 — a 12.5% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-14901E.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.6 GHz+12%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+29%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	36 MB (total)+44%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	34,347+13%	30,298
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,894
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	14,262

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-5600 on the Core i9-14901E — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-14901E supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and Intel 600 Series,Intel 700 Series (Core i9-14901E).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128	192 GB+157286300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs Yes (Core i9-14901E). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-14901E) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-14901E
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Yes

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i9-14901E debuted at $557. On MSRP ($409 vs $557), the Core i7-12700K is $148 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 54.4 pts/$ for the Core i9-14901E — making the Core i7-12700K the 42.8% better value option.