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

✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $85 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 81.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 46.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i9-12900TE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Core i9-12900TE

2022

Why buy it

✅+20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,887 vs 34,347).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.3 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Core i9-12900TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $85 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 81.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 46.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i9-12900TE needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 125W, a 90W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (25 MB vs 30 MB).
❌257.1% higher power demand at 125W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,887 vs 34,347).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.3 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌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 i9-12900TE?

Yes. Core i7-12700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 50.1% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-12700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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 50.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i7-12700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700K is $85 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $494 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 81.3% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 46.3 PassMark/$), 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 i9-12900TE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and 20% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 25 MB). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i9-12900TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	314 FPS	254 FPS
medium	295 FPS	239 FPS
high	246 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	220 FPS
medium	225 FPS	187 FPS
high	182 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	151 FPS
medium	142 FPS	128 FPS
high	109 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900TE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	630 FPS	330 FPS
medium	533 FPS	281 FPS
high	450 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	211 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	273 FPS
medium	475 FPS	242 FPS
high	403 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	178 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	169 FPS
medium	280 FPS	151 FPS
high	266 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	123 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900TE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	797 FPS	572 FPS
medium	633 FPS	572 FPS
high	556 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	572 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	572 FPS
medium	565 FPS	572 FPS
high	490 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	572 FPS
medium	425 FPS	495 FPS
high	381 FPS	440 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	370 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900TE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	859 FPS	572 FPS
medium	802 FPS	572 FPS
high	699 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	572 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	572 FPS
medium	678 FPS	572 FPS
high	590 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	572 FPS
medium	488 FPS	572 FPS
high	437 FPS	511 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	433 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Core i9-12900TE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Core i9-12900TE

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 i9-12900TE

The Core i9-12900TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,887 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Core i9-12900TE offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-12900TE has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-12900TE — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i9-12900TE uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Core i9-12900TE's 22,887 — a 40% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900TE.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	16 / 24+33%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+4%	4.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+227%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+20%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	34,347+50%	22,887

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) / not specified (Core i9-12900TE). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i9-12900TE requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Core i9-12900TE
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Core i9-12900TE debuted at $494. On MSRP ($409 vs $494), the Core i7-12700K is $85 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 46.3 pts/$ for the Core i9-12900TE — making the Core i7-12700K the 57.8% better value option.