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

✅+16.1% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Ryzen 9 8945HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i7-12700K.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (29,584 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i7-12700K

2021

Ryzen 9 8945HS

2023

Why buy it

✅+16.1% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i7-12700K.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (29,584 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 8945HS better than Core i7-12700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 8945HS is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700K pulls ahead with 16.1% better PassMark. Core i7-12700K also has the bigger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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 16.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 8945HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 8945HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-12700K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 16.1% better PassMark. Core i7-12700K is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 8945HS 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

Ryzen 9 8945HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	314 FPS	265 FPS
medium	295 FPS	240 FPS
high	246 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	234 FPS
medium	225 FPS	192 FPS
high	182 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	162 FPS
medium	142 FPS	135 FPS
high	109 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	630 FPS	488 FPS
medium	533 FPS	401 FPS
high	450 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	305 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	427 FPS
medium	475 FPS	369 FPS
high	403 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	269 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	281 FPS
medium	280 FPS	255 FPS
high	266 FPS	239 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	205 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	797 FPS	740 FPS
medium	633 FPS	740 FPS
high	556 FPS	729 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	623 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	740 FPS
medium	565 FPS	644 FPS
high	490 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	540 FPS
medium	425 FPS	474 FPS
high	381 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
1080p
low	859 FPS	740 FPS
medium	802 FPS	740 FPS
high	699 FPS	740 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	740 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	740 FPS
medium	678 FPS	740 FPS
high	590 FPS	657 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	574 FPS
medium	488 FPS	511 FPS
high	437 FPS	455 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen 9 8945HS

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 9 8945HS

The Ryzen 9 8945HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 29,584 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 8945HS — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945HS (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945HS uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Ryzen 9 8945HS's 29,584 — a 14.9% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.2 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+56%	16 MB (total)
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)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	34,347+16%	29,584
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	17,200
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,686
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,283

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945HS uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus LPDDR5x-7500, DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 8945HS — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 8945HS supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 66.7% 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 FP7,FP8 (Ryzen 9 8945HS).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	LPDDR5x-7500, DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128	256 GB+209715100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 8945HS supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 8945HS). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 8945HS) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 8945HS targets Premium Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Ryzen 9 8945HS rivals Core Ultra 9 185H.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945HS
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Premium Performance Laptop