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 i9-12900HX

2022

Why buy it

✅+28.6% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8745HX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $606 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 8745HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen 7 8745HX

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,000 vs 23,150).

Core i9-12900HX

2022

Ryzen 7 8745HX

2025

Why buy it

✅+28.6% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅71.4% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 28) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8745HX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $606 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 8745HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (18,000 vs 23,150).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900HX better than Ryzen 7 8745HX?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 8745HX is ahead with a 15.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900HX pulls ahead with 28.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900HX is the better fit. You are getting 28.6% 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 i9-12900HX is the smarter buy today. Core i9-12900HX is at an unclear MSRP at $606 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 28.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 8745HX is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 15.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8745HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 i9-12900HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 8745HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
1080p
low	269 FPS	254 FPS
medium	259 FPS	236 FPS
high	214 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	184 FPS	175 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	218 FPS
medium	198 FPS	183 FPS
high	159 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	152 FPS
medium	136 FPS	127 FPS
high	106 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i9-12900HX Open Ryzen 7 8745HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
1080p
low	611 FPS	620 FPS
medium	523 FPS	518 FPS
high	439 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	397 FPS	387 FPS
1440p
low	527 FPS	529 FPS
medium	470 FPS	463 FPS
high	397 FPS	388 FPS
ultra	340 FPS	332 FPS
4K
low	310 FPS	310 FPS
medium	281 FPS	277 FPS
high	266 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	229 FPS

Open Core i9-12900HX Open Ryzen 7 8745HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
1080p
low	775 FPS	816 FPS
medium	616 FPS	735 FPS
high	545 FPS	653 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	560 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	701 FPS
medium	554 FPS	564 FPS
high	485 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	415 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	486 FPS
medium	416 FPS	405 FPS
high	373 FPS	364 FPS
ultra	314 FPS	304 FPS

Open Core i9-12900HX Open Ryzen 7 8745HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
1080p
low	825 FPS	816 FPS
medium	783 FPS	816 FPS
high	676 FPS	816 FPS
ultra	600 FPS	772 FPS
1440p
low	744 FPS	816 FPS
medium	659 FPS	755 FPS
high	569 FPS	663 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	579 FPS
4K
low	523 FPS	568 FPS
medium	474 FPS	509 FPS
high	421 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	366 FPS	399 FPS

Open Core i9-12900HX Open Ryzen 7 8745HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-12900HX and Ryzen 7 8745HX

Core i9-12900HX

The Core i9-12900HX 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 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 Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 33,018 points. Launch price was $499.

Ryzen 7 8745HX

The Ryzen 7 8745HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 April 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Dragon Range (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 32,620 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-12900HX packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 7 8745HX offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-12900HX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-12900HX versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8745HX — a 2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 8745HX (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i9-12900HX uses the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 8745HX uses Dragon Range (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900HX scores 33,018 against the Ryzen 7 8745HX's 32,620 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i9-12900HX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 23,150 vs 18,000 (25% advantage for the Core i9-12900HX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,426 vs 2,700, a 10.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 8745HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 14,620 vs 13,500 (8% advantage for the Core i9-12900HX). L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900HX vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8745HX.

Feature	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.6 GHz+57%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+7%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-HX (2022)	Dragon Range (2025)
PassMark	33,018+1%	32,620
Cinebench R23 Multi	23,150+29%	18,000
Geekbench 6 Single	2,426	2,700+11%
Geekbench 6 Multi	14,620+8%	13,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 8745HX uses FL1 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i9-12900HX supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 48 (Core i9-12900HX) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 8745HX) — the Core i9-12900HX offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM670,WM690 (Core i9-12900HX) and FL1 (Ryzen 7 8745HX).

Feature	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
Socket	FCBGA1964	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	48+71%	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen 7 8745HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i9-12900HX) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 8745HX). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-12900HX) and Radeon 610M (Ryzen 7 8745HX) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-12900HX targets High-end Mobile Performance, Ryzen 7 8745HX targets High-end Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i9-12900HX rivals Ryzen 9 6900HX; Ryzen 7 8745HX rivals Core i7-14700HX.

Feature	Core i9-12900HX	Ryzen 7 8745HX
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 610M
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	High-end Mobile Performance	High-end Gaming Laptop