Core i9-12900 vs M4 Pro (12 cores)

CPU

GPU

Core i9-12900

16 Cores24 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2022

Popular choices:

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M4 Pro (12 cores)

12 Cores12 Thrd4 WWMax: 4.51 GHz2024

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i9-12900

16 / 24

33,695

+2.6%

32,853

0.0%

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 i9-12900

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $519 MSRP, while M4 Pro (12 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1525% higher power demand at 65W vs 4W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike M4 Pro (12 cores).

M4 Pro (12 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 4W instead of 65W, a 61W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-12900.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (32,853 vs 33,695).

Core i9-12900

2022

M4 Pro (12 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 4W instead of 65W, a 61W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Laptop Integrated), unlike Core i9-12900.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $519 MSRP, while M4 Pro (12 cores) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1525% higher power demand at 65W vs 4W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike M4 Pro (12 cores).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (32,853 vs 33,695).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900 better than M4 Pro (12 cores)?

Yes. Core i9-12900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 15.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 2.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-12900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 15.7% 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 i9-12900 is the better fit. You are getting 2.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads.

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

Core i9-12900 is the smarter buy today. Core i9-12900 is at an unclear MSRP at $519 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 15.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (64.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible none + DDR5 setup, M4 Pro (12 cores) can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

M4 Pro (12 cores) is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). 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 i9-12900 Benchmark Check

M4 Pro (12 cores) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
1080p
low	269 FPS	178 FPS
medium	259 FPS	144 FPS
high	214 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	184 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	144 FPS
medium	198 FPS	115 FPS
high	159 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	159 FPS	79 FPS
medium	136 FPS	68 FPS
high	106 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i9-12900 Open M4 Pro (12 cores)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
1080p
low	617 FPS	467 FPS
medium	526 FPS	385 FPS
high	441 FPS	328 FPS
ultra	399 FPS	287 FPS
1440p
low	533 FPS	402 FPS
medium	470 FPS	344 FPS
high	397 FPS	299 FPS
ultra	340 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	311 FPS	279 FPS
medium	281 FPS	246 FPS
high	266 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	232 FPS	195 FPS

Open Core i9-12900 Open M4 Pro (12 cores)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
1080p
low	775 FPS	812 FPS
medium	619 FPS	642 FPS
high	545 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	462 FPS	509 FPS
1440p
low	692 FPS	631 FPS
medium	560 FPS	506 FPS
high	487 FPS	459 FPS
ultra	416 FPS	396 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	456 FPS
medium	418 FPS	360 FPS
high	378 FPS	321 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	254 FPS

Open Core i9-12900 Open M4 Pro (12 cores)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
1080p
low	842 FPS	821 FPS
medium	809 FPS	821 FPS
high	696 FPS	809 FPS
ultra	626 FPS	718 FPS
1440p
low	765 FPS	817 FPS
medium	681 FPS	718 FPS
high	586 FPS	629 FPS
ultra	517 FPS	553 FPS
4K
low	524 FPS	562 FPS
medium	475 FPS	503 FPS
high	423 FPS	453 FPS
ultra	369 FPS	399 FPS

Open Core i9-12900 Open M4 Pro (12 cores)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-12900 and M4 Pro (12 cores)

Core i9-12900

The Core i9-12900 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 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 33,695 points. Launch price was $489.

M4 Pro (12 cores)

The M4 Pro (12 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 12 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.592 GHz, with boost up to 4.51 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5X. Passmark benchmark score: 32,853 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i9-12900 packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the M4 Pro (12 cores) offers 12 cores / 12 threads — the Core i9-12900 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-12900 versus 4.51 GHz on the M4 Pro (12 cores) — a 12.3% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.592 GHz). The Core i9-12900 is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i9-12900 scores 33,695 against the M4 Pro (12 cores)'s 32,853 — a 2.5% lead for the Core i9-12900.

Feature	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+33%	12 / 12
Boost Clock	5.1 GHz+13%	4.51 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.592 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	4 MB+220%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	—
PassMark	33,695+3%	32,853
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,904
Geekbench 6 Single	—	3,812
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	20,076

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Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the M4 Pro (12 cores) uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i9-12900 versus LPDDR5x-8000 on the M4 Pro (12 cores) — the Core i9-12900 supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-12900 supports up to 128 of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i9-12900) vs 1 (M4 Pro (12 cores)). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i9-12900) vs 0 (M4 Pro (12 cores)) — the Core i9-12900 offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i9-12900) and Apple SoC (M4 Pro (12 cores)).

Feature	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
Socket	LGA1700	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	4800+95900%	LPDDR5x-8000
Max RAM Capacity	128	64 GB+52428700%
RAM Channels	2+100%	1
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	0

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-12900) vs Apple Virtualization (M4 Pro (12 cores)). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i9-12900) and M4 Pro 16-core GPU (M4 Pro (12 cores)) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M4 Pro (12 cores) targets High-end Content Creation. Direct competitor: Core i9-12900 rivals Ryzen 9 5900; M4 Pro (12 cores) rivals Ryzen 9 8945HS.

Feature	Core i9-12900	M4 Pro (12 cores)
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 770	M4 Pro 16-core GPU
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	Apple Virtualization
Target Use	—	High-end Content Creation