Core i5-12500E vs Ryzen 9 5980HS

Core i5-12500E vs Ryzen 9 5980HS Performance Spectrum

Core i5-12500E

6 / 12

20,411

+0.8%

20,257

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

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.

Core i5-12500E vs Ryzen 9 5980HS FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-12500E vs Ryzen 9 5980HS: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-12500E

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5980HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $225 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 5980HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Ryzen 9 5980HS

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,257 vs 20,411).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500E moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12500E better than Ryzen 9 5980HS?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 9 5980HS is ahead with a 15.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12500E pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12500E is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-12500E is the better buy right now. Core i5-12500E comes in at an unclear MSRP at $225 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The compromise is that Ryzen 9 5980HS is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 15.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (90.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-12500E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FP6, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-12500E vs Ryzen 9 5980HS Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-12500E

The Core i5-12500E 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 20,411 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 9 5980HS

The Ryzen 9 5980HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,257 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12500E packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5980HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 5980HS has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-12500E versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5980HS — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5980HS (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-12500E uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5980HS uses Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500E scores 20,411 against the Ryzen 9 5980HS's 20,257 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-12500E. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500E vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 5980HS.

Feature	Core i5-12500E	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.8 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm	7 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Cezanne-HS (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	20,411	20,257
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,528	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,168	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,615	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500E uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 5980HS uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i5-12500E versus LPDDR4-4266 on the Ryzen 9 5980HS — the Core i5-12500E supports 12.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12500E supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12500E) vs 16 (Ryzen 9 5980HS) — the Core i5-12500E offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-12500E	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+13%	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+300%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 5980HS has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500E) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5980HS). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-12500E) and Radeon Graphics (8CU) (Ryzen 9 5980HS) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500E targets Workstation, Ryzen 9 5980HS targets Mobile High-End. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500E rivals EPYC 7413.

Feature	Core i5-12500E	Ryzen 9 5980HS
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	Radeon Graphics (8CU)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Workstation	Mobile High-End