Core i7-12700K vs EPYC 9355P

CPU

GPU

Core i7-12700K

12 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5 GHz2021

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 9355P

32 Cores64 Thrd280 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2024

Popular choices:

••i7-12700K•••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-12700K

12 / 20

34,347

0.0%

97,249

+183.1%

Ryzen 9 7945HX

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

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.

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

✅Costs $2,589 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Delivers 158.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 280W, a 155W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9355P needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (25 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 97,249).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9355P, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9355P

2024

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 256 MB vs 25 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.4 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($2,998 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌124% higher power demand at 280W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

EPYC 9355P

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,589 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Delivers 158.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $2,998 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 280W, a 155W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while EPYC 9355P needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Massive L3 cache advantage with 256 MB vs 25 MB, which is a real win in CPU-limited gaming.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No 3D V-Cache or similar L3 advantage, which matters in CPU-limited gaming (25 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark (34,347 vs 97,249).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9355P, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.4 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($2,998 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌124% higher power demand at 280W vs 125W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9355P better than Core i7-12700K?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9355P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i7-12700K is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 9355P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 25 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9355P is the better fit. You are getting 183.1% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 924% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 25 MB).

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

EPYC 9355P is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9355P is 633.0% more expensive on MSRP at $2,998 MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-12700K is also 158.9% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 32.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

EPYC 9355P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2021), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 25 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 12/20. 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

EPYC 9355P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
1080p
low	314 FPS	174 FPS
medium	295 FPS	144 FPS
high	246 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	152 FPS
medium	225 FPS	123 FPS
high	182 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	85 FPS
medium	142 FPS	73 FPS
high	109 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	48 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9355P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
1080p
low	630 FPS	658 FPS
medium	533 FPS	566 FPS
high	450 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	397 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	548 FPS
medium	475 FPS	483 FPS
high	403 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	328 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	333 FPS
medium	280 FPS	295 FPS
high	266 FPS	268 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	236 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9355P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
1080p
low	797 FPS	752 FPS
medium	633 FPS	638 FPS
high	556 FPS	593 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	521 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	561 FPS
medium	565 FPS	474 FPS
high	490 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	376 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	405 FPS
medium	425 FPS	326 FPS
high	381 FPS	288 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	229 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9355P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
1080p
low	859 FPS	1018 FPS
medium	802 FPS	914 FPS
high	699 FPS	788 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	711 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	813 FPS
medium	678 FPS	707 FPS
high	590 FPS	606 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	535 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	577 FPS
medium	488 FPS	512 FPS
high	437 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open EPYC 9355P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and EPYC 9355P

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.

EPYC 9355P

The EPYC 9355P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3.55 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 97,249 points. Launch price was $2,998.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the EPYC 9355P offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 9355P has 20 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 4.4 GHz on the EPYC 9355P — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.55 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the EPYC 9355P uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the EPYC 9355P's 97,249 — a 95.6% lead for the EPYC 9355P. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9355P.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
Cores / Threads	12 / 20	32 / 64+167%
Boost Clock	5 GHz+14%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+1%	3.55 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+924%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	4 nm-60%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	34,347	97,249+183%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the EPYC 9355P uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-6000 on the EPYC 9355P — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-12700K supports up to 128 of RAM compared to 6 TB — 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-12700K) vs 12 (EPYC 9355P). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12700K) vs 128 (EPYC 9355P) — the EPYC 9355P offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and SP5 (EPYC 9355P).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
Socket	LGA1700	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0	PCIe 5.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-6000
Max RAM Capacity	128	6 TB+5033164700%
RAM Channels	2	12+500%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9355P). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the EPYC 9355P requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: EPYC 9355P targets Data Center / Single Socket. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; EPYC 9355P rivals Xeon 6740P.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	EPYC 9355P
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use	—	Data Center / Single Socket

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the EPYC 9355P debuted at $2998. On MSRP ($409 vs $2998), the Core i7-12700K is $2589 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 32.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 9355P — making the Core i7-12700K the 88.5% better value option.