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 i7-12850HX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12850HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 30,596).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Core i7-12850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i7-12850HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.

Core i7-12850HX

2022

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 5 5600X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12850HX across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (21,845 vs 30,596).
❌Launch MSRP is still $299 MSRP, while Core i7-12850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i7-12850HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12850HX better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

Yes. Core i7-12850HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 40.1% 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, Core i7-12850HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.8% 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 i7-12850HX is the better fit. You are getting 40.1% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Core i7-12850HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12850HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5600X is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (73.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i7-12850HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1964 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 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 i7-12850HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12850HX	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	269 FPS	203 FPS
medium	259 FPS	174 FPS
high	214 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	184 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	169 FPS
medium	198 FPS	141 FPS
high	159 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	85 FPS
medium	136 FPS	76 FPS
high	106 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i7-12850HX Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12850HX	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	313 FPS	464 FPS
medium	265 FPS	387 FPS
high	224 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	258 FPS	397 FPS
medium	228 FPS	334 FPS
high	199 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	173 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	263 FPS
medium	142 FPS	226 FPS
high	135 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i7-12850HX Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12850HX	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	765 FPS	546 FPS
medium	616 FPS	473 FPS
high	545 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	508 FPS
medium	554 FPS	413 FPS
high	485 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	348 FPS
medium	416 FPS	292 FPS
high	373 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	314 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i7-12850HX Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12850HX	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	765 FPS	546 FPS
medium	765 FPS	546 FPS
high	672 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	597 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	742 FPS	546 FPS
medium	658 FPS	546 FPS
high	566 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	522 FPS	529 FPS
medium	473 FPS	484 FPS
high	419 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i7-12850HX Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12850HX and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i7-12850HX

The Core i7-12850HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,596 points. Launch price was $499.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12850HX packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-12850HX has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-12850HX versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 4.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-12850HX (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i7-12850HX uses the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12850HX scores 30,596 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 33.4% lead for the Core i7-12850HX. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12850HX vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i7-12850HX	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+167%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+4%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.7 GHz+76%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	32 MB+28%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-HX (2022)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	30,596+40%	21,845

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12850HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i7-12850HX versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the Core i7-12850HX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12850HX) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i7-12850HX	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	FCBGA1964	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i7-12850HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12850HX) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). The Core i7-12850HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-12850HX targets Mobile Workstation, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop.