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: +97.5% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+212.5% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Delivers 82.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 46.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Processor U300 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
111.9% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$193 MSRP
❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Processor U300

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $216 less on MSRP ($193 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,897 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($193 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Processor U300

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +97.5% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+212.5% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Delivers 82.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 46.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Processor U300 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Costs $216 less on MSRP ($193 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
111.9% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$193 MSRP
❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,897 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($193 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 i7-12700K better than Processor U300?

Yes. Core i7-12700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 97.5% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data and 286.1% 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 97.5% more average FPS across 47 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 286.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 212.5% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i7-12700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700K is 111.9% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $193 MSRP, and it gives you a 97.5% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 82.2% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 46.1 PassMark/$), 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?

Processor U300 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021). 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

Processor U300 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
1080p
low	314 FPS	183 FPS
medium	295 FPS	150 FPS
high	246 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	150 FPS
medium	225 FPS	118 FPS
high	182 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	84 FPS
medium	142 FPS	72 FPS
high	109 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Processor U300

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
1080p
low	630 FPS	166 FPS
medium	533 FPS	137 FPS
high	450 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	146 FPS
medium	475 FPS	123 FPS
high	403 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	99 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	113 FPS
medium	280 FPS	98 FPS
high	266 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	72 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Processor U300

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
1080p
low	797 FPS	222 FPS
medium	633 FPS	222 FPS
high	556 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	222 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	222 FPS
medium	565 FPS	222 FPS
high	490 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	222 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	222 FPS
medium	425 FPS	222 FPS
high	381 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	163 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Processor U300

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
1080p
low	859 FPS	222 FPS
medium	802 FPS	222 FPS
high	699 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	222 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	222 FPS
medium	678 FPS	222 FPS
high	590 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	222 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	222 FPS
medium	488 FPS	222 FPS
high	437 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	222 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Processor U300

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Processor U300

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.

Processor U300

The Processor U300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U (2023) architecture. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 8,897 points. Launch price was $193.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Processor U300 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 7 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 4.4 GHz on the Processor U300 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.2 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Processor U300 uses Raptor Lake-U (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Processor U300's 8,897 — a 117.7% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 8 MB (total) on the Processor U300.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+140%	5 / 6
Boost Clock	5 GHz+14%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+200%	1.2 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+213%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Raptor Lake-U (2023)
PassMark	34,347+286%	8,897

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Processor U300 uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) / not specified (Processor U300). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Processor U300 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Processor U300
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Processor U300 debuted at $193. On MSRP ($409 vs $193), the Processor U300 is $216 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 46.1 pts/$ for the Processor U300 — making the Core i7-12700K the 58.2% better value option.