Core i9-12900HK
VS
Ryzen 7 250

Core i9-12900HK vs Ryzen 7 250

Intel

Core i9-12900HK

14 Cores20 Thrd45 WWMax: 5 GHz2022
VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 250

8 Cores16 Thrd28 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2025

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i9-12900HK

#73
Core i9-13950HX
MSRP: $590|Avg: $199
109%
#82
Core i7-11700B
MSRP: $323|Avg: $311
105%
#83
Core i7-13700HX
MSRP: $485|Avg: N/A
104%
#86
Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370
MSRP: $500|Avg: $500
103%
#88
Core i9-12900HK
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#96
Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
96%
#97
Core Ultra 5 226V
MSRP: $300|Avg: $300
96%
#101
Core i5-1350P
MSRP: $320|Avg: $250
92%
#102
Core i3-1220P
MSRP: $250|Avg: $150
91%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Ryzen 7 250 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i9-12900HK in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i9-12900HKRyzen 7 250
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Alder Lake-H (2022) / Intel 7 nm)
✨ Modern (Hawk Point (2024−2025) / 4 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i9-12900HKRyzen 7 250
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i9-12900HK and Ryzen 7 250

Intel

Core i9-12900HK

The Core i9-12900HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 25,512 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Ryzen 7 250

The Ryzen 7 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 25,677 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Core i9-12900HK packs 14 cores / 20 threads, while the Ryzen 7 250 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-12900HK has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i9-12900HK versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 250 — a 2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 250 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i9-12900HK uses the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 250 uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900HK scores 25,512 against the Ryzen 7 250's 25,677 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 250. L3 cache: 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900HK vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 250.

FeatureCore i9-12900HKRyzen 7 250
Cores / Threads
14 / 20+75%
8 / 16
Boost Clock
5 GHz
5.1 GHz+2%
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
3.3 GHz+32%
L3 Cache
24 MB (total)+50%
16 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)+25%
1 MB (per core)
Process
Intel 7 nm
4 nm-43%
Architecture
Alder Lake-H (2022)
Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark
25,512
25,677
Cinebench R23 Multi
18,197
Geekbench 6 Single
1,938
Geekbench 6 Multi
13,317
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900HK uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 250 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i9-12900HKRyzen 7 250
Socket
FCBGA1744
FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
28
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i9-12900HK) / not specified (Ryzen 7 250). The Core i9-12900HK includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EUs)), while the Ryzen 7 250 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i9-12900HK targets Enthusiast Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i9-12900HK rivals Ryzen 9 6900HX.

FeatureCore i9-12900HKRyzen 7 250
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EUs)
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Enthusiast Gaming Laptop