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 i7-9700K

2018

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-12700TE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700TE across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 19,744).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 52.2 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.

Core i7-12700TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $7 less on MSRP ($378 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 39.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 52.2 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($378 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-9700K

2018

Core i7-12700TE

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-12700TE needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $7 less on MSRP ($378 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Delivers 39.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 52.2 vs 37.4 PassMark/$ ($378 MSRP vs $385 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700TE across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,397 vs 19,744).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.4 vs 52.2 PassMark/$ ($385 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700TE better than Core i7-9700K?

Yes. Core i7-12700TE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.8% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 37.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-12700TE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.8% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700TE is the better fit. You are getting 37.1% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-12700TE is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700TE is $7 cheaper on MSRP at $378 MSRP versus $385 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.8% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 39.7% better value on MSRP (52.2 vs 37.4 PassMark/$), 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 i7-12700TE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 20 threads instead of 8/8. 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 i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Core i7-12700TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	308 FPS	169 FPS
medium	278 FPS	153 FPS
high	231 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	182 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	141 FPS
medium	221 FPS	121 FPS
high	178 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	143 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	77 FPS
medium	140 FPS	71 FPS
high	108 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-12700TE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	360 FPS	319 FPS
medium	321 FPS	273 FPS
high	291 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	259 FPS	206 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	273 FPS
medium	282 FPS	241 FPS
high	258 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	179 FPS
4K
low	249 FPS	168 FPS
medium	221 FPS	150 FPS
high	208 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	179 FPS	123 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-12700TE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	360 FPS	494 FPS
medium	360 FPS	494 FPS
high	360 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	494 FPS
medium	360 FPS	494 FPS
high	360 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	450 FPS
medium	360 FPS	363 FPS
high	360 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	266 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-12700TE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	360 FPS	494 FPS
medium	360 FPS	494 FPS
high	360 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	494 FPS
1440p
low	360 FPS	494 FPS
medium	360 FPS	494 FPS
high	360 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	494 FPS
4K
low	360 FPS	494 FPS
medium	360 FPS	474 FPS
high	360 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	360 FPS	371 FPS

Open Core i7-9700K Open Core i7-12700TE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-9700K and Core i7-12700TE

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

Core i7-12700TE

The Core i7-12700TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 19,744 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-9700K packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-12700TE offers 12 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-12700TE has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-12700TE — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i7-9700K uses the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-12700TE uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9700K scores 14,397 against the Core i7-12700TE's 19,744 — a 31.3% lead for the Core i7-12700TE. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700TE.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	12 / 20+50%
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+7%	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+157%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	14,397	19,744+37%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9700K uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-12700TE uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K) / not specified (Core i7-12700TE). The Core i7-9700K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i7-12700TE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i7-9700K	Core i7-12700TE
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-9700K launched at $385 MSRP, while the Core i7-12700TE debuted at $378. On MSRP ($385 vs $378), the Core i7-12700TE is $7 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-9700K delivers 37.4 pts/$ vs 52.2 pts/$ for the Core i7-12700TE — making the Core i7-12700TE the 33.1% better value option.