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 i9-12900E

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 5800X3D needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,170 vs 28,298).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 56.3 vs 63.0 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Costs $51 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 63.0 vs 56.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900E across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i9-12900E moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-12900E

2022

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 5800X3D needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅+220% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 30 MB).
✅Costs $51 less on MSRP ($449 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 63.0 vs 56.3 PassMark/$ ($449 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (28,170 vs 28,298).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (30 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 56.3 vs 63.0 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900E across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i9-12900E moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900E better than Ryzen 7 5800X3D?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-12900E is ahead with a 13.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X3D pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 5800X3D also has the bigger cache pool with 220% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 30 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 220% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 30 MB).

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

Core i9-12900E is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 5800X3D makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900E is 11.4% more expensive on MSRP at $500 MSRP versus $449 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 5800X3D is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.5% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 5800X3D is also 11.9% better value on MSRP (63.0 vs 56.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 7 5800X3D 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?

Core i9-12900E is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 i9-12900E Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 5800X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	254 FPS	191 FPS
medium	239 FPS	165 FPS
high	201 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	172 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	220 FPS	161 FPS
medium	187 FPS	135 FPS
high	153 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	151 FPS	85 FPS
medium	128 FPS	77 FPS
high	100 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	49 FPS

Open Core i9-12900E Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	646 FPS	704 FPS
medium	552 FPS	615 FPS
high	462 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	432 FPS
1440p
low	557 FPS	570 FPS
medium	497 FPS	510 FPS
high	419 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	351 FPS	351 FPS
4K
low	330 FPS	332 FPS
medium	299 FPS	299 FPS
high	282 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	245 FPS

Open Core i9-12900E Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	704 FPS	706 FPS
medium	704 FPS	607 FPS
high	704 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	498 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	568 FPS
medium	704 FPS	490 FPS
high	704 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	656 FPS	397 FPS
4K
low	596 FPS	410 FPS
medium	502 FPS	342 FPS
high	447 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	376 FPS	256 FPS

Open Core i9-12900E Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
1080p
low	704 FPS	707 FPS
medium	704 FPS	707 FPS
high	704 FPS	707 FPS
ultra	704 FPS	707 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	707 FPS
medium	704 FPS	707 FPS
high	696 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	591 FPS	625 FPS
4K
low	659 FPS	658 FPS
medium	584 FPS	590 FPS
high	513 FPS	531 FPS
ultra	435 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i9-12900E Open Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-12900E and Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Core i9-12900E

The Core i9-12900E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 28,170 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 5800X3D

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 28,298 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-12900E packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-12900E has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-12900E versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900E (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i9-12900E uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900E scores 28,170 against the Ryzen 7 5800X3D's 28,298 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900E vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.

Feature	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+11%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+220%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	28,170	28,298
Cinebench R23 Multi	13,420	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	13,107	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900E uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i9-12900E versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D — the Core i9-12900E 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 i9-12900E) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 5800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 5800X3D offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: LGA1700 (Core i9-12900E) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series (Ryzen 7 5800X3D).

Feature	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Socket	LGA1700	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

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-12900E) / not specified (Ryzen 7 5800X3D). The Core i9-12900E includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Core i9-12900E	Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i9-12900E launched at $500 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 5800X3D debuted at $449. On MSRP ($500 vs $449), the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is $51 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-12900E delivers 56.3 pts/$ vs 63.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 5800X3D the 11.2% better value option.