Core i5-12600HX vs Ryzen 7 7840U

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 i5-12600HX

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 7840U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7840U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (24,396 vs 24,547).
❌96.4% higher power demand at 55W vs 28W.

Ryzen 7 7840U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 55W, a 27W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Core i5-12600HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-12600HX

2022

Ryzen 7 7840U

2023

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 7840U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 55W, a 27W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 7840U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (24,396 vs 24,547).
❌96.4% higher power demand at 55W vs 28W.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Core i5-12600HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7840U better than Core i5-12600HX?

Yes. Ryzen 7 7840U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 20.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% 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, Ryzen 7 7840U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.5% 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, Ryzen 7 7840U is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 7840U is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 7840U is at an unclear MSRP at $400 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 20.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (61.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 7840U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 12/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-12600HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 7840U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	170 FPS	257 FPS
medium	154 FPS	237 FPS
high	127 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	228 FPS
medium	123 FPS	191 FPS
high	99 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	159 FPS
medium	74 FPS	134 FPS
high	59 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen 7 7840U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	546 FPS	477 FPS
medium	465 FPS	395 FPS
high	389 FPS	342 FPS
ultra	355 FPS	306 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	417 FPS
medium	401 FPS	364 FPS
high	344 FPS	315 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	270 FPS
4K
low	275 FPS	275 FPS
medium	243 FPS	251 FPS
high	228 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	206 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen 7 7840U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	610 FPS	614 FPS
medium	519 FPS	614 FPS
high	477 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	595 FPS
1440p
low	567 FPS	614 FPS
medium	475 FPS	614 FPS
high	427 FPS	526 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	449 FPS	525 FPS
medium	368 FPS	459 FPS
high	327 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	267 FPS	345 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen 7 7840U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	610 FPS	614 FPS
medium	610 FPS	614 FPS
high	610 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	588 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	610 FPS	614 FPS
medium	610 FPS	614 FPS
high	563 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	549 FPS
4K
low	507 FPS	560 FPS
medium	463 FPS	502 FPS
high	414 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	384 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen 7 7840U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12600HX and Ryzen 7 7840U

Core i5-12600HX

The Core i5-12600HX 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 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 18 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: 24,396 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 7840U

The Ryzen 7 7840U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Maio 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix-U (Zen 4) (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600. Passmark benchmark score: 24,547 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12600HX packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7840U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-12600HX has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12600HX versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7840U — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7840U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-12600HX uses the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7840U uses Phoenix-U (Zen 4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12600HX scores 24,396 against the Ryzen 7 7840U's 24,547 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 7840U. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600HX vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7840U.

Feature	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen 7 7840U
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	5.1 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.3 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-HX (2022)	Phoenix-U (Zen 4) (2023)
PassMark	24,396	24,547
Geekbench 6 Single	2,434	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12600HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 7840U uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen 7 7840U
Socket	FCBGA1964	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	48	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12600HX) / not specified (Ryzen 7 7840U). The Core i5-12600HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 7 7840U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12600HX targets Workstation Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12600HX rivals Ryzen 7 6800H.