The Core i7-12700K is among the highly demanded processors of Intel. It delivers a very good performance in typical and demanding applications and gaming. On the other hand, Ryzen 9 5900X is one of the successful processors of AMD. The two processors are well known for their brilliant performance. In this guide, we will cover Core i7-12700K vs. R9 5900X.
Key Takeaways
- There are 12 cores in AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel Core i7-12700K, but the R9 5900X has more threads (24) than the Intel i7-12700K (20).
- The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X does not support DDR5 and has no integrated graphics, while the Core i7-12700K supports DDR5 and provides you with the Intel UHD Graphics 770.
- The TDP and maximum working temperature of the Intel Core i7-12700K are 190 W and 100°C, respectively, compared to 105 W power and 90°C max temperature of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X.
- In gaming tests, the Intel Core i7-12700K achieves overall superiority with ~8.9% prevailing higher performance, but the performance of both CPUs is fantastic.
Core i7-12700K Vs R9 5900X
Comparison Table
| Feature | Intel Core i7-12700K | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X |
| Architecture | Intel Alder Lake | AMD Zen 3 core architecture |
| Socket | FCLGA1700 | AM4 |
| Cores | P-cores: 8
E-cores: 4 Total cores: 12 |
Total: 12 |
| Threads | 20 | 24 |
| Base Clock | P-Core: 3.60 GHz
E-Core: 2.70 GHz |
3.7 GHz |
| Boost Clock | P-Core: 4.9 GHz
E-Core: 3.8 GHz Max Turbo Clock: 5.00 GHz |
4.8 GHz |
| Fabrication Technology | 10 nm FinFET at TSMC | 7 nm FinFET at TSMC |
| Memory | DDR4 + DDR5 | Only DDR4 |
| Cache | 25MB Intel Smart Cache | 64MB L3 |
| TDP | Base power: 125 W
Turbo power: 190 W |
105 W |
| Max Temperature | 100°C | 90°C |
| Thermal Solution | PCG 2020A | NA |
| Integrated Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | NA |
| PCI Version | 5.0 and 4.0 | Only 4.0 |
| Best Motherboards | Best Motherboards for i7-12700K | Best Motherboards For Ryzen 9 5900x |
| Best Coolers | Best CPU Coolers for i7-12700K | Best CPU Coolers for Ryzen 9 5900X |
Architecture
The Ryzen 9 5900X was released with “Zen 3” architecture by AMD, and the Core i7-12700K has Intel’s “Alder Lake” architecture. Both these architectures are penultimate of the latest architectures of respective companies.
Also Read: Core i7-12700K vs. Core i5-12600K
The AMD Zen 3 architecture significantly improves upon the Zen 2 architecture. The major improvement is the switch to a new 7nm technology, which enables faster clock rates and more effective power use. Other enhancements to Zen 3 include a larger L3 cache and greater I/O performance.
Overall, these improvements make the Zen 3 CPUs far faster than their forerunners, making them an excellent choice for gamers and other power users. And the latest Zen 4 further improves all of these things.
The successor of the Intel Comet Lake, the Intel Alder Lake CPU microarchitecture was initially shown in 2021 and is based on the same 10 nm fabrication technology. This hybrid architecture combines both high-performance and high-efficiency cores on a single die.
The single die enables a more balanced approach to power and performance. Intel Raptor Lake, the newest architecture, has improved performance and efficiency.
CPU Socket
Intel launched the Core i7-12700K with an FCLGA1700 socket, and AMD launched the Ryzen 9 5900X with its AM4 socket. Also, read our guide on AM4 vs. AM5 sockets to know about the latest upgrades in AMD sockets.
The FCLGA1700 is a socket LGA-1700 compatible CPU socket for Intel’s 10nm Tiger Lake-S, Alder Lake, and Raptor Lake CPUs. The socket has 1700 pins and can accommodate up to four channels of DDR4-3200 memory. The Xe graphics architecture from Intel is also supported by the FCLGA1700.
AMD uses the AM4 socket to house its Ryzen and Threadripper processors. It was introduced in September 2016 and intended to replace the prior AM3+ socket. AMD’s first, second, and third-generation Ryzen CPUs and its second and generation Threadripper processors are compatible with the AM4 socket, which has 1331 pins. AMD’s A-Series and Athlon CPUs are also compatible with AM4.
Memory
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X supports only DDR4 type of memory, and it comes with 128GB storage. However, the Intel Core i7-12700K supports both DDR4 and DDR5 types of memory, and it also comes with 128GB storage. Check out our guide on DDR4 vs. DDR5 for a better comparison.
The DDR5 memory speed of Intel Core i7-12700K of up to 4800 MT/s is faster than the DDR4 memory of R9 5900X having a speed of up to 3200 MT/s. If we compare the memory bandwidth of the two, the 76.8 GB/s bandwidth of Core i7-12700K is greater than 47.68 GB/s of AMD Ryzen 9 5900X.
The support of DDR5 is a great advantage of Core i7-12700K because the DDR4 is a bit outdated. The memory of the Ryzen 9 5900X would be slower and less efficient than the Intel Core i7-12700K.
Integrated Graphics
A CPU having integrated graphics is much preferable for people as it can deliver better performance in stressful tasks compared to a similar specced CPU without integrated graphics. The Core i7-12700K comes with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while the Ryzen 9 5900X does not offer integrated graphics.
The Intel UHD Graphics 770 is a powerful graphics processor that delivers stunning visuals and performance. It is based on the Intel HD Graphics architecture and features 128 shader cores, 48 texture units, and 32 ROPs. The clock speeds are also amazing, with a base clock of 1200 MHz and a boost clock of 1750 MHz. This results in a very smooth and responsive gaming experience, even at high resolutions. In addition, the Intel® UHD Graphics 770 also supports 4K resolution, making it ideal for gaming and other demanding applications.
While the Intel Core i7-12700K can deliver better performance in stressful conditions, even if the PC does not have any dedicated GPU, a dedicated graphics card would be required for AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. Read our guides on dedicated graphics cards to better choose a GPU for R9 5900X.
Core i7-12700K Vs R9 5900X: Productivity Tests
In this part, we will discuss the performance test results of two processors in different onerous applications. You can figure out the best CPU for your needs by analyzing these various application statistics. We have aggregated the following benchmarks from HWBen and Benchmark PC Tech.
Compression
During the process of compression, data is restructured and modified to reduce its size to save storage capacity. The 7-Zip file archiver was used to compare the compression rates (measured in MIPS) of Core i7-12700K vs. R9 5900X. The abbreviation for MIPS is a million operations per second.
The Intel Core i7-12700K performed compression at a rate of 114.5 MIPS, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X had a compression rate of 100.5 MIPS in the same operating conditions. It is clear from this data that the Core i7-12700K had ~14% prime rate of compression and thus greater performance in this test.
Similar Comparisons: Intel i7-12700K Vs i5-13600K
Encryption
Data encryption is a technique for converting raw data (unencrypted) to ciphertext (encrypted) for security reasons. The software used for encrypting data was Veracrypt. The capabilities of CPUs in encryption are measured in GB/s.
The performance of R9 5900X and Core i7-12700K in the encryption test was strikingly similar. The overall encryption rate of the Intel Core i7-12700K was 17.3 GB/s, while that of AMD Ryzen 9 5900X was 17.1 GB/s. The Core i7-12700K had ~1.2% greater time efficiency than R9 5900X.
Video Encoding
To change between different video file formats, video encoding is used. There are various ways of video encoding, but in this section, we’ll only talk about x265 and x264.
We will compare the performance of two CPUs by the time taken to complete the video encoding process.
X264
The Intel Core i7-12700K completed the x264 video encoding in 283 seconds, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X completed the same encoding process in 302 seconds. We could save 19 seconds with Core i7-12700K in x264 video encoding.
X265
The x265 type, also known as High-Efficiency Video Encoding, is more suppressive and takes more time than x264.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X completed the x265 encoding in 572 seconds, while the Intel Core i7-12700K completed the same process in 583 seconds. The performance of both CPUs has reversed from x264 to x265 video encoding. Here AMD Ryzen 9 5900X completes encoding with an efficiency of 11 seconds. Moreover, the time consumed for x265 encoding is double the time for x264 type.
Adobe Software
Although there are many Adobe software, here we will discuss the performance of Core i7-12700K vs. R9 5900X in Adobe Premiere Pro 2022, Adobe Photoshop 2022, and Adobe After Effects 2022.
In Adobe Photoshop benchmarks, the Intel Core i7-12700K scored 1398, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X scored 1227. The greater scores of core i7-12700K indicate its superior performance.
Video editing is a time-consuming CPU activity. In Adobe After Effects, the performance of Core i7-12700K was preferable over R9 5900X. In this software, the R9 5900X scored only 1019, compared to the 1257 scored by Core i7-12700K.
Regarding the potential of two processors in Adobe Premiere Pro 2022, the results were antithetical. The scores of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen 9 5900X were 861 and 994, respectively.
Chromium Code Compile
A faster code compilation process indicates a higher performance by a CPU. In Chromium Code Compile, the Intel Core i7-12700K completed the process in 3643 seconds, whereas the AMD R9 5900X accomplished the same operation under the same circumstances in 4019 seconds. Thus, the Core i7-12700K compiled the code with an efficiency of ~10.3%.
Also Check: Intel i7-13700K Vs i7-12700K
Corona 1.3 & Blender Open Data
The Blender Open Data is a platform for gathering, displaying, and searching performance test data for hardware and software. The performance of two CPUs in this test has been measured in time consumed. Better performance is delivered with less time spent on it. As the Ryzen 9 5900X consumed less time (594 seconds) in the Blender Open Data test, it worked better than the Intel Core i7-12700K (639 seconds) with an efficiency of ~7.6% in i7-12700K vs. 5900X.
The Corona 1.3 Benchmark checks the relative performance of two processors. The Ryzen 9 5900X completed the test in 60 seconds, whereas it took 64 seconds for the Intel Core i7-12700K to complete this test. Thus, according to Corona 1.3 Benchmark, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a better option.
Cinebench R23
The Cinebench R23 is a well-known benchmarking tool for evaluating the performance of a CPU. It makes comparing the capabilities of processors and GPUs simpler by giving consumers information about a CPU’s single- and multi-core performance.
In the Single-core performance test, the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Ryzen 9 5900X scored 1950 and 1599, respectively. And in the Multi-core performance test, the scores achieved by Core i7-12700K were 22788, while the R9 5900X scored 20492. Thus, according to Cinebench R23, the Intel Core i7-12700K can deliver superior performance.
Gaming Benchmarks
Gaming benchmarks are invaluable for PC gamers who want to get the most out of their system. To choose the best gaming rig, keep an eye on the benchmarks and use the information they provide. Here you will find the benchmarks of 5 games played at 1080 in the first series and the other five at 1440p resolution in the second series.
1080p Series
We will discuss the gaming performance of Intel Core i7-12700K vs. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X in Age of Empires IV, Far Cry 6, GTA V, Fortnite, and New World in the 1080p series. We collected the benchmarks of these games from Hardware For Gamers.
Test PC Specs
The system used while playing the games at 1080p resolution had the following specifications.
- OS: Windows 10 Pro
- GPU: EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra Gaming, 24GB GDDR6X
- Motherboard: MSI X570-A PRO AMD AM4 DDR4 PCIe 4.0 SATA 6GB/s M.2
- RAM: Crucial Ballistix 16GB (2×8) Dual Channel 3600 Mhz
- SSD: Samsung SSD 970 EVO 1TB
- CPU Cooler: AIO Enermax Liqmax III ARGB
- PSU: GIGABYTE P850GM 850W 80 Plus
- PC Case: Inter-Tech C-701 Panorama
Age Of Empires IV
- In CPU-intensive Age of Empires IV, the Intel Core i7-12700K had an average performance lead of ~6%.
- The Intel i7-12700K delivered 204 average FPS which is more substantial than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X’s 192 average FPS.
- The R9 5900X and Core i7-12700K temperatures were 58 and 49 degrees, respectively.
- During Age Of Empires IV, the power consumed by Core i7-12700K and R9 5900X was 42.2 and 89.8 watts, respectively.
Far Cry 6
- During heavily CPU stressful Far Cry 6, the Intel Core i7-12700K outperformed the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with an average performance advantage of ~6%.
- The Intel Core i7-12700K delivered 116 average frames per second, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X could only muster up 109 average FPS.
- The AMD R9 5900X and the Intel Core i7-12700K were measured at 55 and 49 degrees, respectively.
- In the gameplay, the Core i7-12700K and R9 5900X used 72.0 and 99.7 watts of power, respectively.
Fortnite
- The Intel Core i7-12700K outscored the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with an average performance advantage of 3% in the CPU-intensive Fortnite.
- During the game, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X managed 174 average FPS compared to the Intel Core i7-12700 K’s 179 average FPS.
- While playing Fortnite, the operational temperature and consumed power of AMD Ryzen 9 5900X were 62°C and 86.8 W.
- The Intel Core i7-12700K parameters were 52°C and 58.4 W.
GTA V
- There was a large performance gap between the two CPUs (17% average lead by Intel Core i7-12700K) in GTA V.
- The Intel Core i7-12700K managed 148 average frames per second, whereas the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X only managed 126.
- AMD Ryzen 9 5900X operated at 58°C and 89.9 W power consumption.
- However, the Intel Core i7-12700K had a 55°C temperature and consumed 75.4 watts.
Also Read: Ryzen 7 7700X Vs Intel i7-12700K
New World
- The performance disparity between the two processors in the CPU-intensive New World was 13%, and the Intel Core i7-12700K was the leader.
- The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X produced 188 average frames per second, while the Intel Core i7-12700K delivered 212 average FPS.
- During New World, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X ran at 65 degrees Celsius and 111.7 watts of power.
- The Intel Core i7-12700K operated at 55 degrees Celsius and used 79.8 watts in the gameplay of New World.
1440p Series
In the 1440p series, we’ll focus on the gaming performance of Core i7-12700K vs. R9 5900X in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, Horizon Zero Dawn, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Watch Dogs Legion. The competition between the two processors was very tough in this series. We picked the 1440p series performance results of two CPUs from Mike Benchmarks.
Test PC Specs
The system used to play games at 144p resolution had the following features.
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
- Motherboard: MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK Gaming Motherboard
- RAM: G.Skill Trident Z RGB Series 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4 3600 MHz
- SSD: SAMSUNG 980 EVO Plus SSD 1TB NVMe M.2
- CPU Cooler: Lian Li GALAHAD AIO 360 RGB UNI FAN SL120
- PSU: Cooler Master MWE Gold 850 V2 Full Modular, 850W
- PC Case: Lian Li O11DXL-X O11 Dynamic XL ROG Certified
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- In Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the Intel i7-12700K delivered one FPS higher average than R9 5900X.
- The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X averaged 73 frames per second, whereas the average frame rate of the Intel Core i7-12700K was 74 FPS.
- The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Intel Core i7-12700K worked at the same temperature of 59°C during Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
- Surprisingly, the load on both processors was also the same at 18% during Assassin’s Creed Valhalla.
Cyberpunk 2077
- During the CPU-constrained Cyberpunk 2077, the overall performance of the Intel i7-12700K was better than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X.
- The Intel Core i7-12700K delivered two FPS higher average of 85 than the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (83 average FPS).
- In Cyberpunk 2077, the running temperature of R9 5900X was 65 degrees, while that of Core i7-12700K was 64 degrees.
- The CPU load on the Core i7-12700K was 35%, while that on R9 5900X was 36%.
Horizon Zero Dawn
- In Horizon Zero Dawn, the overall performance of Core i7-12700K vs. R9 5900X was similar.
- The average frame rates delivered by the two CPUs intersected at 130 FPS.
- The temperatures of both processors were also the same at 60 degrees.
- However, the CPU load of Core i7-12700K was higher. The CPU loads on Core i7-12700K and R9 5900X were 44% and 39%, respectively.
Red Dead Redemption 2
- The performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X during GPU-intensive RDR 2 was superior to that of the Intal Core i7-12700K.
- The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X produced an average frame rate of 106 FPS, but the Intel Core i7-12700K produced an average frame rate of 102 FPS.
- Compared to the 52°C of Core i7-12700K, the R9 5900X ran at a temperature of 53 degrees.
- The R9 5900X had a CPU load of 20%, while the load on the Core i7-12700K was 24%.
Similar Guides: Intel i7-12700K vs Intel i7-11700K
Watch Dogs Legion
- During the gameplay of pretty tense Watch Dogs Legion, the Intel Core i7-12700K outperformed AMD Ryzen 9 5900X on average with a 3 FPS lead.
- Core i7-12700K pledged an average frame rate of 89 FPS. However, the R9 5900X turned over 86 FPS on average.
- Both CPUs had the same load of 27% of respective full capacities during Watch Dogs Legion.
- The Intel Core i7-12700K reached a temperature (60°C) one degree higher than the R9 5900X (59°C).
Overall Gaming Performance
We will compare the gaming performance of the Intel Core i7-12700K vs. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X in terms of various types of frame rates provided and frame times devoured by these two CPUs.
Frame Rate
For a better assessment, let’s examine the frame rates for games played at 1080p and 1440p gaming resolutions.
At 1080p
The main (average) frame rates delivered by Core i7-12700K were 171.8 FPS, while for the Ryzen 9 5900X, the mean average FPS was calculated to be 157.8 FPS. These outcomes show that the Intel Core i7-12700K had ~8.9% overall higher performance.
If we see the two processors’ averaged minimum frame rates, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU had substantially lower minimum frame rates. The average minimum of Core i7-12700K is 52.6 FPS, while that of Ryzen 9 5900X was 46.2 FPS.
The maximum frame rates also followed the same trend. The 260 average maximum FPS of Core i7-12700K is 30 FPS higher than the 229.4 FPS average max delivered by the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X.
All these frame rates indicate that at 1080p, the performance delivered by both CPUs was wonderful. The frame rates provided by R9 5900X are also superb for gaming at 1080p resolution. However, in terms of relative performance, the Intel Core i7-12700K deserves to be declared the winner, as predicted by the above graph.
At 1440p
The gaming performance of the Ryzen 9 5900X and Core i7-12700K was almost the same when played at 1440p resolution.
Compared to the Ryzen 9 5900X and Core i7-12700K performance at 1080p resolutions, their frame rates are lower at 1440p because the 1440p resolution demands higher capabilities. However, If we analyze the performance of two CPUs at 1440p gaming, both processors performed effectively. Their performance is sufficient for this resolution.
Frame Time
The frame time is related to the frame rate (FPS) with an inverse relation. The lower frame time improves the gaming efficiency of a CPU.
At 1080p
At 1440p
Also Read: i9-12900k vs i7-12700k
Power Consumption
At 1080p
The Ryzen 9 5900X consumed ~45.7% more electric power than the Intel Core i7-12700K. Thus, the cost of electricity bills would be raised due to greater power consumption. So, the running cost of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is high, while the Core i7-12700K is cost-efficient for gaming.
At 1440p
Overall Thermal Efficiency
The overall temperatures of both CPUs stayed much lower than their maximum operating temperatures. They have outstanding heating capacities and are excellent gaming processors. In comparison, the thermal performance of the Intel Core i7-12700K is even better.
Price & Availability
Intel released the Core i7-12700K with a price tag of $450 – $460, and AMD launched its Ryzen 9 5900X for $549. But with the passage of time and the introduction of newer processors, the prices of the two CPUs have decreased.
You can buy a Core i7-12700K at the price of $350 in the markets today, while the current market price of the Ryzen 9 5900X is between $320 and $360.
About availability, the Intel Core i7-12700K and AMD Ryzen 9 5900X are easily accessible in both the online and the offline markets. You can buy Core i7-12700K from Intel’store and Ryzen 9 5900X from AMD’s store or order these CPUs on platforms like Amazon, eBay, etc.
Which One Should You Opt For?
The cores of Intel i7-12700K are divided into eight performance and four efficiency cores, which total 12 and have 20 threads. On the other hand, there is no core division in AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, the total cores are 12, and the threads are 24. The 3.7 GHz base frequency of AMD R9 5900X is greater than the 3.6 GHz of Intel i7-12700K. However, the max turbo of 5 GHz for Intel i7-12700K is more sumptuous than 4.8 GHz for R9 5900X.
The fabrication technology used in the manufacturing of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is 7nm which is more advanced compared to the 10nm fabrication technology used in the production of the Intel Core i7-12700K.
In terms of memory, the Intel i7-12700K is more suitable because it supports the DDR4 plus DDR5 memory, while the R9 5900X supports only DDR4. The cache size (64MB L3) of AMD R9 5900X is greater than that of Core i7-12700K (25MB Intel Smart Cache).
The TDP of the Intel Core i7-12700K is higher (up to 190 W) compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (105 W). However, the Ryzen 9 5900X consumes more power during gaming. The max operating temperature of Intel i7-12700K (100°C) is also higher than that of R9 5900X (90°C).
In productivity tests, the Intel Core i7-12700K lead in compression, encryption, x264 video encoding, Adobe photoshop and Aftereffects, Chromium code compile, and Cinebench R23. And the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X performed better in x265 video encoding, Adobe premiere pro, Corona 1.3, and Blender Open Data.
The Core i7-12700K has the main advantage of Intel UHD Graphics 770, while integrated graphics are absent in R9 500X. And during the gaming tests, the Core i7-12700K makes an average performance lead.
The current market prices of the Ryzen 9 5900X and Core i7-12700K are almost similar. We would advise you to go for the Intel Core i7-12700K because it is more up-to-date than R9 5900X, has wonderful features, and has a very good overall gaming and productivity performance.
The Core i7-12700K is based on the Alder Lake architecture of Intel, and the Ryzen 9 5900X offers AMD Zen 3 core architecture. The Intel i7-12700K supports DDR5 memory, but the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X does not support DDR5. The R9 5900X supports only DDR4 memory. The Core i7-12700K offers Intel UHD Graphics 770, while there are no integrated graphics in AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. The Intel Core i7-12700K is the winner of overall gaming performance. However, the Ryzen 9 5900X also provides fine performance in gaming.Common Questions Answered
Related Articles:
- Intel i7-12700k vs Ryzen 7 5800x
- Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 5900X
- Ryzen 9 3900x vs Ryzen 9 5900x
- i9-12900K vs Ryzen 9 5900X
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[Comparisons Expert]
Ali Tasueef is an experienced writer and computer enthusiast with a passion for graphics cards and processors. With a wealth of knowledge in the field of computer technology, he regularly publishes blogs and in-depth comparisons on Tech4Gamers.
