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 i7-1260P

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $67 less on MSRP ($432 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.4 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($432 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Ryzen 7 1800X

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1260P across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,700 vs 9,532).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $432 MSRP).
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i7-1260P moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Core i7-1260P

2022

Ryzen 7 1800X

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $67 less on MSRP ($432 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.4 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($432 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-1260P across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,700 vs 9,532).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $432 MSRP).
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i7-1260P moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-1260P better than Ryzen 7 1800X?

Yes. Core i7-1260P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 67.2% better Geekbench multi-core, 1.8% higher 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 i7-1260P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.5% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-1260P is the better fit. You are getting 67.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i7-1260P is the smarter buy today. Core i7-1260P is $67 cheaper on MSRP at $432 MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 17.5% better value on MSRP (38.4 vs 32.7 PassMark/$), 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 i7-1260P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2017), a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. 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 i7-1260P Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 1800X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	170 FPS	213 FPS
medium	154 FPS	178 FPS
high	127 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	178 FPS
medium	123 FPS	146 FPS
high	99 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	70 FPS
medium	74 FPS	61 FPS
high	59 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i7-1260P Open Ryzen 7 1800X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	314 FPS	284 FPS
medium	268 FPS	251 FPS
high	224 FPS	222 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	251 FPS
medium	233 FPS	227 FPS
high	201 FPS	200 FPS
ultra	175 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	162 FPS	182 FPS
medium	145 FPS	169 FPS
high	136 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	122 FPS	122 FPS

Open Core i7-1260P Open Ryzen 7 1800X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	415 FPS	408 FPS
medium	415 FPS	408 FPS
high	415 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	415 FPS	408 FPS
1440p
low	415 FPS	408 FPS
medium	415 FPS	408 FPS
high	415 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	328 FPS
4K
low	415 FPS	376 FPS
medium	414 FPS	310 FPS
high	370 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	310 FPS	222 FPS

Open Core i7-1260P Open Ryzen 7 1800X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
1080p
low	415 FPS	408 FPS
medium	415 FPS	408 FPS
high	415 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	415 FPS	408 FPS
1440p
low	415 FPS	408 FPS
medium	415 FPS	408 FPS
high	415 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	415 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	415 FPS	408 FPS
medium	415 FPS	408 FPS
high	415 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	364 FPS	353 FPS

Open Core i7-1260P Open Ryzen 7 1800X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-1260P and Ryzen 7 1800X

Core i7-1260P

The Core i7-1260P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-P (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,592 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 1800X

The Ryzen 7 1800X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 March 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 16384 kB. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,305 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-1260P packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen 7 1800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-1260P has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-1260P versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 1800X — a 16.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-1260P (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i7-1260P uses the Alder Lake-P (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 1800X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-1260P scores 16,592 against the Ryzen 7 1800X's 16,305 — a 1.7% lead for the Core i7-1260P. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,424 vs 1,130, a 72.8% lead for the Core i7-1260P that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,532 vs 5,700 (50.3% advantage for the Core i7-1260P). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i7-1260P vs 16384 kB on the Ryzen 7 1800X.

Feature	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.7 GHz+18%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.6 GHz+71%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16384 kB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	4096 kB+220%
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-P (2022)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	16,592+2%	16,305
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,314
Geekbench 6 Single	2,424+115%	1,130
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,532+67%	5,700

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-1260P uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 1800X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i7-1260P versus DDR4-2666 on the Ryzen 7 1800X — the Core i7-1260P supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 1800X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Adler Lake-P PCH (Core i7-1260P) and AM4 (Ryzen 7 1800X).

Feature	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
Socket	FCBGA1744	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 1800X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-1260P) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 1800X). The Core i7-1260P includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU), while the Ryzen 7 1800X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-1260P targets High Performance Laptop, Ryzen 7 1800X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 1800X rivals Core i7-8700.

Feature	Core i7-1260P	Ryzen 7 1800X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	High Performance Laptop	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-1260P launched at $432 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 1800X debuted at $499. On MSRP ($432 vs $499), the Core i7-1260P is $67 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-1260P delivers 38.4 pts/$ vs 32.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 1800X — making the Core i7-1260P the 16.1% better value option.