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 i7-12700K

2021

Why buy it

✅+39.7% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $104 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Delivers 75.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 47.9 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

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

Core i9-11900KF

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,585 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.9 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($513 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 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

Core i9-11900KF

2021

Why buy it

✅+39.7% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $104 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Delivers 75.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 47.9 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $513 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,585 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.9 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($513 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 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.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700K better than Core i9-11900KF?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-11900KF is ahead with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700K pulls ahead with 39.7% better PassMark. Core i7-12700K also has the bigger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

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 39.7% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 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 $104 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $513 MSRP, and it gives you 39.7% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i9-11900KF is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 75.2% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 47.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i9-11900KF can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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 LGA1200, 56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 20 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 i7-12700K Benchmark Check

Core i9-11900KF Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	314 FPS	295 FPS
medium	295 FPS	261 FPS
high	246 FPS	220 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	242 FPS
medium	225 FPS	192 FPS
high	182 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	167 FPS
medium	142 FPS	135 FPS
high	109 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-11900KF

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	630 FPS	615 FPS
medium	533 FPS	527 FPS
high	450 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	407 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	601 FPS
medium	475 FPS	490 FPS
high	403 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	362 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	401 FPS
medium	280 FPS	339 FPS
high	266 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	275 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-11900KF

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	797 FPS	615 FPS
medium	633 FPS	615 FPS
high	556 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	563 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	615 FPS
medium	565 FPS	615 FPS
high	490 FPS	543 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	577 FPS
medium	425 FPS	480 FPS
high	381 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-11900KF

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
1080p
low	859 FPS	615 FPS
medium	802 FPS	615 FPS
high	699 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	615 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	615 FPS
medium	678 FPS	615 FPS
high	590 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	615 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	615 FPS
medium	488 FPS	565 FPS
high	437 FPS	512 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-11900KF

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Core i9-11900KF

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.

Core i9-11900KF

The Core i9-11900KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 24,585 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-11900KF offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i9-11900KF — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Core i9-11900KF (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-11900KF uses Rocket Lake (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Core i9-11900KF's 24,585 — a 33.1% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-11900KF.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.2 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+3%	3.5 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+56%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	10 nm-29%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Rocket Lake (2021)
PassMark	34,347+40%	24,585
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	15,500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i9-11900KF uses LGA1200 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR4-3200 on the Core i9-11900KF — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and Z590,B560 (Core i9-11900KF).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+119900%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128	128 GB+104857500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Core i9-11900KF supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i9-11900KF requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-11900KF
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i9-11900KF debuted at $513. On MSRP ($409 vs $513), the Core i7-12700K is $104 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 47.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-11900KF — making the Core i7-12700K the 54.7% better value option.