Core i5-12600T vs Ryzen 7 4980U

Core i5-12600T vs Ryzen 7 4980U Performance Spectrum

Core i5-12600T

6 / 12

17,427

0.0%

17,469

+0.2%

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 i5-12600T vs Ryzen 7 4980U 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 i5-12600T vs Ryzen 7 4980U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-12600T

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 7 4980U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,427 vs 17,469).
❌Launch MSRP is still $223 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4980U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 4980U

2021

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600T across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-12600T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12600T better than Ryzen 7 4980U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-12600T is ahead with a 9.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4980U pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Core i5-12600T also has the bigger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4980U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-12600T is the better buy right now. Core i5-12600T comes in at an unclear MSRP at $223 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 9.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Ryzen 7 4980U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.2% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (78.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12600T 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 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB). That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-12600T vs Ryzen 7 4980U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-12600T

The Core i5-12600T 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,427 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 4980U

The Ryzen 7 4980U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,469 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12600T packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4980U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 4980U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12600T versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4980U — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-12600T (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-12600T uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4980U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12600T scores 17,427 against the Ryzen 7 4980U's 17,469 — a 0.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 4980U. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600T vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4980U.

Feature	Core i5-12600T	Ryzen 7 4980U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz+5%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+125%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	17,427	17,469

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12600T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 4980U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12600T	Ryzen 7 4980U
Socket	LGA1700	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12600T) / not specified (Ryzen 7 4980U). The Core i5-12600T includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 7 4980U requires a dedicated GPU.