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 i5-11260H

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (15,459 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1787 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.1% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1787 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-11260H needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Core i5-11260H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Core i5-11260H

2021

Core i7-12700K

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.1% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1787 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-11260H needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (15,459 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1787 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700K moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Core i5-11260H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700K better than Core i5-11260H?

Yes. Core i7-12700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 36.1% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data, 122.2% 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, Core i7-12700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.1% more average FPS across 46 shared CPU game tests.

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 122.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-12700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700K is at an unclear MSRP at $409 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 36.1% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i7-12700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FCBGA1787, 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 20 threads instead of 6/12. 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 i5-11260H Benchmark Check

Core i7-12700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-11260H	Core i7-12700K
1080p
low	187 FPS	314 FPS
medium	153 FPS	295 FPS
high	126 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	151 FPS	269 FPS
medium	120 FPS	225 FPS
high	98 FPS	182 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	145 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	170 FPS
medium	73 FPS	142 FPS
high	58 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i5-11260H Open Core i7-12700K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-11260H	Core i7-12700K
1080p
low	362 FPS	630 FPS
medium	292 FPS	533 FPS
high	262 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	227 FPS	410 FPS
1440p
low	327 FPS	536 FPS
medium	268 FPS	475 FPS
high	246 FPS	403 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	349 FPS
4K
low	281 FPS	312 FPS
medium	235 FPS	280 FPS
high	214 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	234 FPS

Open Core i5-11260H Open Core i7-12700K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-11260H	Core i7-12700K
1080p
low	386 FPS	797 FPS
medium	386 FPS	633 FPS
high	386 FPS	556 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	386 FPS	704 FPS
medium	386 FPS	565 FPS
high	386 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	422 FPS
4K
low	386 FPS	510 FPS
medium	373 FPS	425 FPS
high	312 FPS	381 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	321 FPS

Open Core i5-11260H Open Core i7-12700K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-11260H	Core i7-12700K
1080p
low	386 FPS	859 FPS
medium	386 FPS	802 FPS
high	386 FPS	699 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	628 FPS
1440p
low	386 FPS	760 FPS
medium	386 FPS	678 FPS
high	386 FPS	590 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	519 FPS
4K
low	386 FPS	535 FPS
medium	386 FPS	488 FPS
high	386 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	386 FPS	384 FPS

Open Core i5-11260H Open Core i7-12700K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11260H and Core i7-12700K

Core i5-11260H

The Core i5-11260H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 15,459 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-11260H packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12700K offers 12 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-11260H versus 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-11260H uses the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture (10 nm SuperFin), while the Core i7-12700K uses Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11260H scores 15,459 against the Core i7-12700K's 34,347 — a 75.8% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11260H vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K.

Feature	Core i5-11260H	Core i7-12700K
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 20+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.6 GHz+38%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm SuperFin	10 nm
Architecture	Tiger Lake-H (2021)	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)
PassMark	15,459	34,347+122%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11260H uses the FCBGA1787 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-12700K uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-11260H	Core i7-12700K
Socket	FCBGA1787	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	—	4800
Max RAM Capacity	—	128
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-11260H) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-11260H requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.