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: +59.7% higher average FPS across 39 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $91 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 203.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 39 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-12700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-12700K

2021

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +59.7% higher average FPS across 39 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+56.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Costs $91 less on MSRP ($409 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 203.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 84.0 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700K across 39 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 34,347).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 84.0 PassMark/$ ($500 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 Ryzen Embedded V3C18I?

Yes. Core i7-12700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 59.7% average FPS lead across 39 shared CPU game tests in our data and 147.9% 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 59.7% more average FPS across 39 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 147.9% 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 $91 cheaper on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $500 MSRP, and it gives you a 59.7% average FPS lead across 39 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 203.0% better value on MSRP (84.0 vs 27.7 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 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 Embedded V3C18I Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	314 FPS	172 FPS
medium	295 FPS	138 FPS
high	246 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	269 FPS	142 FPS
medium	225 FPS	112 FPS
high	182 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	66 FPS
medium	142 FPS	55 FPS
high	109 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	630 FPS	173 FPS
medium	533 FPS	151 FPS
high	450 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	410 FPS	109 FPS
1440p
low	536 FPS	149 FPS
medium	475 FPS	134 FPS
high	403 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	349 FPS	98 FPS
4K
low	312 FPS	108 FPS
medium	280 FPS	100 FPS
high	266 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	74 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	797 FPS	346 FPS
medium	633 FPS	346 FPS
high	556 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	472 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	704 FPS	346 FPS
medium	565 FPS	346 FPS
high	490 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	422 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	510 FPS	346 FPS
medium	425 FPS	317 FPS
high	381 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	321 FPS	225 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	859 FPS	346 FPS
medium	802 FPS	346 FPS
high	699 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	628 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	760 FPS	346 FPS
medium	678 FPS	346 FPS
high	590 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	519 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	535 FPS	346 FPS
medium	488 FPS	346 FPS
high	437 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	384 FPS	326 FPS

Open Core i7-12700K Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-12700K and Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

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 Embedded V3C18I

The Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,856 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12700K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — a 27.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses Rembrandt (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I's 13,856 — a 85% lead for the Core i7-12700K. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Cores / Threads	12 / 20+50%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	5 GHz+32%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+89%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	25 MB (total)+56%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm	6 nm-40%
Architecture	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)	Rembrandt (2022)
PassMark	34,347+148%	13,856

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Socket	LGA1700	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
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 (Ryzen Embedded V3C18I). The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i7-12700K	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
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 Ryzen Embedded V3C18I debuted at $500. On MSRP ($409 vs $500), the Core i7-12700K is $91 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 84.0 pts/$ vs 27.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — making the Core i7-12700K the 100.8% better value option.