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

✅+39.9% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Delivers 36.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 61.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 7840U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
2.3% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌346.4% higher power demand at 125W vs 28W.

Ryzen 7 7840U

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $9 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 125W, a 97W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,547 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.4 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Ryzen 7 7840U

2023

Why buy it

✅+39.9% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Delivers 36.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 61.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 7840U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Costs $9 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 125W, a 97W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
2.3% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌346.4% higher power demand at 125W vs 28W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,547 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.4 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 7840U better than Core i7-12700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 7840U is ahead with a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700K pulls ahead with 39.9% better PassMark. Core i7-12700K also has the bigger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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 39.9% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 7840U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 7840U is $9 cheaper on MSRP at $400 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-12700K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 39.9% better PassMark. Core i7-12700K is also 36.8% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 61.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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 2021). 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 7 7840U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	314 FPS	257 FPS
medium	295 FPS	237 FPS
high	246 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	228 FPS
medium	225 FPS	191 FPS
high	182 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	159 FPS
medium	142 FPS	134 FPS
high	109 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 7840U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	630 FPS	477 FPS
medium	533 FPS	395 FPS
high	450 FPS	342 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	306 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	417 FPS
medium	475 FPS	364 FPS
high	403 FPS	315 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	270 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	275 FPS
medium	280 FPS	251 FPS
high	266 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	206 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 7840U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	797 FPS	614 FPS
medium	633 FPS	614 FPS
high	556 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	595 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	614 FPS
medium	565 FPS	614 FPS
high	490 FPS	526 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	525 FPS
medium	425 FPS	459 FPS
high	381 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	345 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 7840U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
1080p
low	859 FPS	614 FPS
medium	802 FPS	614 FPS
high	699 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	614 FPS
medium	678 FPS	614 FPS
high	590 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	549 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	560 FPS
medium	488 FPS	502 FPS
high	437 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	384 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 7 7840U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen 7 7840U

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 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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7840U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7840U — a 2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7840U (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7840U uses Phoenix-U (Zen 4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Ryzen 7 7840U's 24,547 — a 33.3% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7840U.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+9%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+56%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	4 nm-60%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Phoenix-U (Zen 4) (2023)
PassMark	34,347+40%	24,547

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 7840U uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) / not specified (Ryzen 7 7840U). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 7 7840U requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 7 7840U
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 7840U debuted at $400. On MSRP ($409 vs $400), the Ryzen 7 7840U is $9 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 61.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7840U — making the Core i7-12700K the 31.1% better value option.