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 i7-12700

2022

Why buy it

✅+23.6% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Ryzen 9 7940HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,443 vs 21,568).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i7-12700

2022

Ryzen 9 7940HS

2023

Why buy it

✅+23.6% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (17,443 vs 21,568).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940HS better than Core i7-12700?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 7940HS is ahead with a 25.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700 pulls ahead with 23.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i7-12700 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 i7-12700 is the better fit. You are getting 23.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 9 7940HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7940HS is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it gives you a 25.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-12700 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 23.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i7-12700 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (120.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 9 7940HS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). 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 i7-12700 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 9 7940HS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	257 FPS	267 FPS
medium	248 FPS	242 FPS
high	207 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	177 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	226 FPS	235 FPS
medium	194 FPS	193 FPS
high	156 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	163 FPS
medium	134 FPS	136 FPS
high	103 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	312 FPS	497 FPS
medium	265 FPS	408 FPS
high	224 FPS	349 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	311 FPS
1440p
low	257 FPS	434 FPS
medium	228 FPS	376 FPS
high	198 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	172 FPS	274 FPS
4K
low	157 FPS	286 FPS
medium	141 FPS	259 FPS
high	133 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	118 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	751 FPS	750 FPS
medium	610 FPS	750 FPS
high	540 FPS	730 FPS
ultra	458 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	683 FPS	750 FPS
medium	547 FPS	646 FPS
high	479 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	411 FPS	467 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	544 FPS
medium	412 FPS	475 FPS
high	369 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	311 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
1080p
low	751 FPS	750 FPS
medium	751 FPS	750 FPS
high	664 FPS	750 FPS
ultra	590 FPS	750 FPS
1440p
low	730 FPS	750 FPS
medium	651 FPS	750 FPS
high	560 FPS	658 FPS
ultra	487 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	513 FPS	574 FPS
medium	468 FPS	511 FPS
high	414 FPS	456 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i7-12700 Open Ryzen 9 7940HS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700 and Ryzen 9 7940HS

Core i7-12700

The Core i7-12700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 30,055 points. Launch price was $349.

Ryzen 9 7940HS

The Ryzen 9 7940HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 29,986 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700 packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7940HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-12700 versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940HS — a 5.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940HS (base: 2.1 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-12700 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940HS uses Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700 scores 30,055 against the Ryzen 9 7940HS's 29,986 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-12700. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 21,568 vs 17,443 (21.1% advantage for the Core i7-12700). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,497 vs 2,646, a 5.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940HS that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 12,448 vs 11,591 (7.1% advantage for the Core i7-12700). L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940HS.

Feature	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz	5.2 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	4 GHz+90%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+56%	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-S (2022)	Phoenix-HS (Zen 4) (2023)
PassMark	30,055	29,986
Cinebench R23 Multi	21,568+24%	17,443
Geekbench 6 Single	2,497	2,646+6%
Geekbench 6 Multi	12,448+7%	11,591

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940HS uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 9 7940HS supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,Z790 (Core i7-12700) and FP8,FP7 (Ryzen 9 7940HS).

Feature	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 7940HS has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 7940HS supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i7-12700) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 7940HS). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 7940HS) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-12700 targets Gaming, Ryzen 9 7940HS targets Thin-and-light Performance. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700 rivals Ryzen 7 5700X; Ryzen 9 7940HS rivals Core i9-13900H.

Feature	Core i7-12700	Ryzen 9 7940HS
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	Radeon 780M
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x / VT-d / EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Thin-and-light Performance