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 i9-12900KS

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 58.9 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($739 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌42.9% higher power demand at 150W vs 105W.

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $440 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Delivers 60.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 58.9 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 150W, a 45W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900KS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (15,300 vs 27,796).

Core i9-12900KS

2022

Ryzen 5 7600X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅Costs $440 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Delivers 60.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 94.7 vs 58.9 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Draws 105W instead of 150W, a 45W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 58.9 vs 94.7 PassMark/$ ($739 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
❌42.9% higher power demand at 150W vs 105W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900KS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (15,300 vs 27,796).

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i9-12900KS is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 14.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 81.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 53.7% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-12900KS is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.0% 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 i9-12900KS is the better fit. You are getting 81.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Core i9-12900KS is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 7600X makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900KS is 147.2% more expensive on MSRP at $739 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 7600X is also 60.8% better value on MSRP (94.7 vs 58.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 5 7600X 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 5 7600X is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 i9-12900KS Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	283 FPS	266 FPS
medium	269 FPS	246 FPS
high	225 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	226 FPS
medium	199 FPS	189 FPS
high	162 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	158 FPS	157 FPS
medium	134 FPS	131 FPS
high	104 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i9-12900KS Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	716 FPS	649 FPS
medium	603 FPS	524 FPS
high	501 FPS	436 FPS
ultra	443 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	617 FPS	544 FPS
medium	541 FPS	455 FPS
high	454 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	380 FPS	329 FPS
4K
low	363 FPS	341 FPS
medium	326 FPS	290 FPS
high	306 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i9-12900KS Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	866 FPS	708 FPS
medium	686 FPS	652 FPS
high	605 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	502 FPS	484 FPS
1440p
low	748 FPS	708 FPS
medium	602 FPS	554 FPS
high	523 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	441 FPS	409 FPS
4K
low	523 FPS	463 FPS
medium	432 FPS	392 FPS
high	392 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	332 FPS	281 FPS

Open Core i9-12900KS Open Ryzen 5 7600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
1080p
low	973 FPS	708 FPS
medium	879 FPS	708 FPS
high	763 FPS	708 FPS
ultra	693 FPS	708 FPS
1440p
low	812 FPS	708 FPS
medium	723 FPS	708 FPS
high	626 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	556 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	555 FPS	560 FPS
medium	502 FPS	502 FPS
high	449 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	396 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core i9-12900KS Open Ryzen 5 7600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

Core i9-12900KS

The Core i9-12900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 43,528 points. Launch price was $499.

Ryzen 5 7600X

The Ryzen 5 7600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,325 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-12900KS packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-12900KS has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.3 GHz on the Core i9-12900KS versus 5.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7600X — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.4 GHz vs 4.7 GHz). The Core i9-12900KS uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900KS scores 43,528 against the Ryzen 5 7600X's 28,325 — a 42.3% lead for the Core i9-12900KS. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 27,796 vs 15,300 (58% advantage for the Core i9-12900KS). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,082 vs 2,900, a 32.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 7600X that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900KS vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7600X.

Feature	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+167%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5.3 GHz	5.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+38%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+7%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	6 MB+380%
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm, 6 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	43,528+54%	28,325
Cinebench R23 Multi	27,796+82%	15,300
Geekbench 6 Single	2,082	2,900+39%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	13,800

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900KS uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 7600X uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-12900KS) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7600X) — the Ryzen 5 7600X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: LGA1700 (Core i9-12900KS) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 5 7600X).

Feature	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-12900KS) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 7600X). Both include integrated graphics — UHD 770 (Core i9-12900KS) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 5 7600X) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 7600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 7600X rivals Intel Core i5-13600K.

Feature	Core i9-12900KS	Ryzen 5 7600X
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD 770	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-12900KS launched at $739 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 7600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($739 vs $299), the Ryzen 5 7600X is $440 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-12900KS delivers 58.9 pts/$ vs 94.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7600X — making the Ryzen 5 7600X the 46.6% better value option.