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 i9-12900H

2022

Why buy it

✅+13.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 43.9 vs 118.0 PassMark/$ ($617 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 7600.

Ryzen 5 7600

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Costs $388 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅Delivers 168.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 118.0 vs 43.9 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,500 vs 16,500).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i9-12900H

2022

Ryzen 5 7600

2023

Why buy it

✅+13.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).
✅Costs $388 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅Delivers 168.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 118.0 vs 43.9 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $617 MSRP).
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7600 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (24 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 43.9 vs 118.0 PassMark/$ ($617 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 7600.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (14,500 vs 16,500).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i9-12900H?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 7600 is ahead with a 9.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900H pulls ahead with 13.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 5 7600 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900H is the better fit. You are getting 13.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 7600 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7600 is $388 cheaper on MSRP at $229 MSRP versus $617 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-12900H is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 13.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 168.8% better value on MSRP (118.0 vs 43.9 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 5 7600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 24 MB). 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 i9-12900H Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
1080p
low	267 FPS	261 FPS
medium	257 FPS	238 FPS
high	213 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	183 FPS	175 FPS
1440p
low	229 FPS	225 FPS
medium	197 FPS	187 FPS
high	159 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	157 FPS
medium	136 FPS	131 FPS
high	106 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Ryzen 5 7600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
1080p
low	633 FPS	588 FPS
medium	539 FPS	486 FPS
high	458 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	418 FPS	366 FPS
1440p
low	547 FPS	504 FPS
medium	486 FPS	432 FPS
high	414 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	357 FPS	318 FPS
4K
low	323 FPS	318 FPS
medium	291 FPS	277 FPS
high	277 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	243 FPS	225 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Ryzen 5 7600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
1080p
low	677 FPS	675 FPS
medium	616 FPS	657 FPS
high	545 FPS	575 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	675 FPS
medium	554 FPS	559 FPS
high	485 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	412 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	471 FPS
medium	416 FPS	396 FPS
high	373 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	314 FPS	284 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Ryzen 5 7600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
1080p
low	677 FPS	675 FPS
medium	677 FPS	675 FPS
high	677 FPS	675 FPS
ultra	604 FPS	675 FPS
1440p
low	677 FPS	675 FPS
medium	663 FPS	675 FPS
high	572 FPS	666 FPS
ultra	498 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	525 FPS	567 FPS
medium	476 FPS	504 FPS
high	423 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	392 FPS

Open Core i9-12900H Open Ryzen 5 7600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-12900H and Ryzen 5 7600

Core i9-12900H

The Core i9-12900H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 27,079 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 7600

The Ryzen 5 7600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 14 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 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: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,013 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-12900H packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-12900H has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-12900H versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600 — a 2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7600 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i9-12900H uses the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600 uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900H scores 27,079 against the Ryzen 5 7600's 27,013 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i9-12900H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,500 vs 14,500 (12.9% advantage for the Core i9-12900H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,400 vs 2,800, a 15.4% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,900 vs 12,000 (7.2% advantage for the Core i9-12900H). L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900H vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
Cores / Threads	14 / 20+133%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.8 GHz+52%
L3 Cache	24 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-H (2022)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	27,079	27,013
Cinebench R23 Multi	16,500+14%	14,500
Geekbench 6 Single	2,400	2,800+17%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,900+8%	12,000

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600 uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 7600 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-12900H) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600) — the Ryzen 5 7600 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 600 Series (Mobile) (Core i9-12900H) and A620,B650,X670,B840,B850,X870 (Ryzen 5 7600).

Feature	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
Socket	FCBGA1744	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 5 7600 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: Yes (Core i9-12900H) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Xe Graphics 96EU (Core i9-12900H) and Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 5 7600) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-12900H targets Mobile, Ryzen 5 7600 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600 rivals Core i5-13400.

Feature	Core i9-12900H	Ryzen 5 7600
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Iris Xe Graphics 96EU	Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	Yes	AMD-V
Target Use	Mobile	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-12900H launched at $617 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600 debuted at $229. On MSRP ($617 vs $229), the Ryzen 5 7600 is $388 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-12900H delivers 43.9 pts/$ vs 118.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600 — making the Ryzen 5 7600 the 91.5% better value option.