Core i5-12600HE vs Xeon Gold 6146

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12600HE

#10

Ryzen 7 260

MSRP: $199|Avg: $70

125%

#13

Ryzen 3 210

MSRP: $99|Avg: $99

117%

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

115%

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

110%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

105%

#22

Core i5-12600HE

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#27

Core Ultra 7 265HX

MSRP: $450|Avg: N/A

95%

#31

Ryzen 5 230

MSRP: $200|Avg: $190

88%

#36

Core i5-11500B

MSRP: $185|Avg: $185

81%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Gold 6146

#21

Xeon Platinum 8260M

MSRP: $7705|Avg: N/A

119%

#22

Xeon Platinum 8268

MSRP: $6302|Avg: N/A

119%

#24

Xeon Gold 6130H

MSRP: $1894|Avg: N/A

115%

#33

Xeon Gold 6146

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#41

Xeon W-2195

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Gold 6146 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Core i5-12600HE	Xeon Gold 6146
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-H (2022) / 10 nm)	✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-12600HE ($0), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($0 less, NaN% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Core i5-12600HE	Xeon Gold 6146
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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 i5-12600HE Benchmark Check

Xeon Gold 6146 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12600HE and Xeon Gold 6146

Core i5-12600HE

The Core i5-12600HE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 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: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,827 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon Gold 6146

The Xeon Gold 6146 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 22,595 points. Launch price was $3,286.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12600HE packs 12 cores / 16 threads, matching the Xeon Gold 6146's 12 cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-12600HE versus 4.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6146 — a 6.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-12600HE (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-12600HE uses the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6146 uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12600HE scores 22,827 against the Xeon Gold 6146's 22,595 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-12600HE. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600HE vs 24.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6146.

Feature	Core i5-12600HE	Xeon Gold 6146
Cores / Threads	12 / 16	12 / 24
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+7%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24.75 MB+38%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	12 MB+860%
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-H (2022)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	22,827+1%	22,595
Geekbench 6 Single	2,200	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12600HE uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 6146 uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12600HE	Xeon Gold 6146
Socket	FCBGA1744	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR5-5200	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	28	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12600HE) / not specified (Xeon Gold 6146). The Core i5-12600HE includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Xeon Gold 6146 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12600HE targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-12600HE rivals Ryzen Embedded V3000.