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: +3.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7645HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Ryzen 5 7645HX

2023

Why buy it

✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (26,097 vs 34,347).

Core i7-12700K

2021

Ryzen 5 7645HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Why buy it

✅+28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7645HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (26,097 vs 34,347).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700K better than Ryzen 5 7645HX?

Yes. Core i7-12700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 31.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

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 3.1% 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 i7-12700K is the better fit. You are getting 31.6% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i7-12700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700K is at an unclear MSRP at $409 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7645HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021) and 28% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB). 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 5 7645HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 5 7645HX
1080p
low	314 FPS	272 FPS
medium	295 FPS	249 FPS
high	246 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	229 FPS
medium	225 FPS	190 FPS
high	182 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	160 FPS
medium	142 FPS	133 FPS
high	109 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 5 7645HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 5 7645HX
1080p
low	630 FPS	638 FPS
medium	533 FPS	515 FPS
high	450 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	385 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	546 FPS
medium	475 FPS	459 FPS
high	403 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	335 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	347 FPS
medium	280 FPS	294 FPS
high	266 FPS	273 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	236 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 5 7645HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 5 7645HX
1080p
low	797 FPS	652 FPS
medium	633 FPS	652 FPS
high	556 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	590 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	652 FPS
medium	565 FPS	598 FPS
high	490 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	513 FPS
medium	425 FPS	433 FPS
high	381 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	306 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 5 7645HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 5 7645HX
1080p
low	859 FPS	652 FPS
medium	802 FPS	652 FPS
high	699 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	652 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	652 FPS
medium	678 FPS	652 FPS
high	590 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	570 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	586 FPS
medium	488 FPS	525 FPS
high	437 FPS	474 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	405 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 5 7645HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen 5 7645HX

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 5 7645HX

The Ryzen 5 7645HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Dragon Range (Zen4) (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 26,097 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7645HX 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 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7645HX — identical boost frequencies (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 5 7645HX uses Dragon Range (Zen4) (2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Ryzen 5 7645HX's 26,097 — a 27.3% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7645HX.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 5 7645HX
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+28%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	5 nm-50%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Dragon Range (Zen4) (2023)
PassMark	34,347+32%	26,097
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	13,985
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,588
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,717

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 7645HX uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 5 7645HX — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-12700K supports up to 128 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 i7-12700K) vs 28 (Ryzen 5 7645HX) — the Ryzen 5 7645HX offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and SoC (Ryzen 5 7645HX).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 5 7645HX
Socket	LGA1700	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	128	64 GB+52428700%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 5 7645HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 5 7645HX). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and Radeon 610M (Ryzen 5 7645HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 7645HX targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Ryzen 5 7645HX rivals Core i5-13500HX.