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: +39.8% higher average FPS across 42 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 33.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 63.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $311 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
31.5% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$311 MSRP

Xeon W-1350P

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $98 less on MSRP ($311 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 42 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,611 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 63.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($311 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Xeon W-1350P

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +39.8% higher average FPS across 42 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 33.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 63.1 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $311 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $98 less on MSRP ($311 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
31.5% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$311 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 42 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,611 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 63.1 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($311 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700K better than Xeon W-1350P?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-1350P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-12700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

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 39.8% more average FPS across 42 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 75.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 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 31.5% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $311 MSRP, and it gives you a 39.8% average FPS lead across 42 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 33.2% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 63.1 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i7-12700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 20 threads instead of 6/12. 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

Xeon W-1350P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
1080p
low	314 FPS	261 FPS
medium	295 FPS	239 FPS
high	246 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	227 FPS
medium	225 FPS	189 FPS
high	182 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	156 FPS
medium	142 FPS	130 FPS
high	109 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Xeon W-1350P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
1080p
low	630 FPS	326 FPS
medium	533 FPS	274 FPS
high	450 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	225 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	290 FPS
medium	475 FPS	245 FPS
high	403 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	226 FPS
medium	280 FPS	194 FPS
high	266 FPS	182 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	148 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Xeon W-1350P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
1080p
low	797 FPS	490 FPS
medium	633 FPS	490 FPS
high	556 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	388 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	490 FPS
medium	565 FPS	475 FPS
high	490 FPS	403 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	351 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	391 FPS
medium	425 FPS	345 FPS
high	381 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	252 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Xeon W-1350P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
1080p
low	859 FPS	490 FPS
medium	802 FPS	490 FPS
high	699 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	490 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	490 FPS
medium	678 FPS	490 FPS
high	590 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	490 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	490 FPS
medium	488 FPS	490 FPS
high	437 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Xeon W-1350P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Xeon W-1350P

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.

Xeon W-1350P

The Xeon W-1350P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 6 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake-S (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,611 points. Launch price was $311.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon W-1350P offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.1 GHz on the Xeon W-1350P — a 2% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1350P (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon W-1350P uses Rocket Lake-S (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Xeon W-1350P's 19,611 — a 54.6% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 12 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1350P.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+108%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Rocket Lake-S (2021)
PassMark	34,347+75%	19,611

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon W-1350P uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
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 (Xeon W-1350P). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon W-1350P requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Xeon W-1350P
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 Xeon W-1350P debuted at $311. On MSRP ($409 vs $311), the Xeon W-1350P is $98 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 63.1 pts/$ for the Xeon W-1350P — making the Core i7-12700K the 28.5% better value option.