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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 34,827).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌
2.3% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $9 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Costs $9 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 34,827).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌
2.3% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 better than Core i7-12700K?

Yes. Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 33.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 33.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the better fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is $9 cheaper on MSRP at $400 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 33.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 3.7% better value on MSRP (87.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i7-12700K can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021), 28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 12/20. 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

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	314 FPS	248 FPS
medium	295 FPS	231 FPS
high	246 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	218 FPS
medium	225 FPS	183 FPS
high	182 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	152 FPS
medium	142 FPS	127 FPS
high	109 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	630 FPS	616 FPS
medium	533 FPS	516 FPS
high	450 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	525 FPS
medium	475 FPS	461 FPS
high	403 FPS	387 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	331 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	308 FPS
medium	280 FPS	276 FPS
high	266 FPS	259 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	228 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	797 FPS	871 FPS
medium	633 FPS	871 FPS
high	556 FPS	871 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	871 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	871 FPS
medium	565 FPS	870 FPS
high	490 FPS	788 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	581 FPS
medium	425 FPS	499 FPS
high	381 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
1080p
low	859 FPS	871 FPS
medium	802 FPS	871 FPS
high	699 FPS	871 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	847 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	871 FPS
medium	678 FPS	871 FPS
high	590 FPS	765 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	646 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	680 FPS
medium	488 FPS	599 FPS
high	437 FPS	530 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

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.

Ryzen 7 PRO 7745

The Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 June 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 34,827 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 — a 5.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 uses Raphael (2023−2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745's 34,827 — a 1.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.3 GHz+6%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	3.8 GHz+6%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+28%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	5 nm-50%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Raphael (2023−2025)
PassMark	34,347	34,827+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus 5200 on the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 — the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 supports 8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12700K) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 PRO 7745) — the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and AM5 (Ryzen 7 PRO 7745).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	5200+8%
Max RAM Capacity	128	128
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs AMD-V, IOMMU (Ryzen 7 PRO 7745). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and AMD Radeon Graphics (Ryzen 7 PRO 7745) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 rivals Core i7-13700.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 PRO 7745
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	AMD Radeon Graphics
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, IOMMU

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 debuted at $400. On MSRP ($409 vs $400), the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 is $9 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 87.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 — making the Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 the 3.6% better value option.