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

✅+13.6% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1462.5% higher power demand at 125W vs 8W.

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 8W instead of 125W, a 117W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (30,240 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i7-12700K

2021

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅+13.6% higher PassMark.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 8W instead of 125W, a 117W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $409 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1462.5% higher power demand at 125W vs 8W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (30,240 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 8945H better than Core i7-12700K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 9 8945H is ahead with a 0.4% 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 13.6% 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 13.6% 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?

Ryzen 9 8945H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i7-12700K makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 8945H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $409 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-12700K is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 13.6% better PassMark. Core i7-12700K is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 8945H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2021). 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

Ryzen 9 8945H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	314 FPS	269 FPS
medium	295 FPS	243 FPS
high	246 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	236 FPS
medium	225 FPS	193 FPS
high	182 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	164 FPS
medium	142 FPS	136 FPS
high	109 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	92 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	630 FPS	513 FPS
medium	533 FPS	421 FPS
high	450 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	323 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	448 FPS
medium	475 FPS	388 FPS
high	403 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	285 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	295 FPS
medium	280 FPS	267 FPS
high	266 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	217 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	797 FPS	756 FPS
medium	633 FPS	756 FPS
high	556 FPS	647 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	756 FPS
medium	565 FPS	637 FPS
high	490 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	464 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	541 FPS
medium	425 FPS	473 FPS
high	381 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	355 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
1080p
low	859 FPS	756 FPS
medium	802 FPS	756 FPS
high	699 FPS	756 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	754 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	756 FPS
medium	678 FPS	756 FPS
high	590 FPS	660 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	573 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	572 FPS
medium	488 FPS	511 FPS
high	437 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen 9 8945H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen 9 8945H

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.

Ryzen 9 8945H

The Ryzen 9 8945H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,240 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945H 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 Ryzen 9 8945H — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945H (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Ryzen 9 8945H's 30,240 — a 12.7% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 8945H.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz	5.2 GHz+4%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4 GHz+11%
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+56%	16 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	8 MB+540%
Process	10 nm	4 nm-60%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	34,347+14%	30,240
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	17,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,617
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	12,662

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses FP7/FP7r2/FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 8945H — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 8945H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 8945H).

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen 9 8945H
Socket	LGA1700	FP7/FP7r2/FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128	256 GB+209715100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 8945H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-12700K) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 8945H). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i7-12700K) and Radeon 780M (Ryzen 9 8945H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 9 8945H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Ryzen 9 8945H rivals Core i9-13900H.