Core i9-12900TE vs Ryzen 7 3800X

Core i9-12900TE vs Ryzen 7 3800X Performance Spectrum

Core i9-12900TE

16 / 24

22,887

0.0%

23,008

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core i9-12900TE vs Ryzen 7 3800X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i9-12900TE vs Ryzen 7 3800X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i9-12900TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 105W, a 70W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3800X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (22,887 vs 23,008).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.3 vs 57.7 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 3800X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $95 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 24.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 57.7 vs 46.3 PassMark/$ ($399 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌200% higher power demand at 105W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i9-12900TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3800X better than Core i9-12900TE?

Yes. Ryzen 7 3800X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 12.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3800X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 12.2% 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, Ryzen 7 3800X is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 3800X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 3800X comes in $95 cheaper on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $494 MSRP, and it still gives you a 12.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 24.5% better value on MSRP (57.7 vs 46.3 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i9-12900TE can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core i9-12900TE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i9-12900TE vs Ryzen 7 3800X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i9-12900TE

The Core i9-12900TE 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 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 30 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: 22,887 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 3800X

The Ryzen 7 3800X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 23,008 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i9-12900TE packs 16 cores / 24 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3800X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-12900TE has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-12900TE versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3800X — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900TE (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i9-12900TE uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3800X uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-12900TE scores 22,887 against the Ryzen 7 3800X's 23,008 — a 0.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 3800X. L3 cache: 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900TE vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3800X.

Feature	Core i9-12900TE	Ryzen 7 3800X
Cores / Threads	16 / 24+100%	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz+7%	4.5 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	3.9 GHz+255%
L3 Cache	30 MB (total)	32 MB+7%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	512K (per core)+40860%
Process	10 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	22,887	23,008

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i9-12900TE uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 7 3800X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i9-12900TE	Ryzen 7 3800X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-12900TE) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 3800X). Primary use case: Ryzen 7 3800X targets Desktop.

Feature	Core i9-12900TE	Ryzen 7 3800X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i9-12900TE was priced at $494, while the Ryzen 7 3800X came in at $399. On launch pricing ($494 vs $399), Ryzen 7 3800X was $95 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i9-12900TE delivers 46.3 pts/$ vs 57.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 3800X — making the Ryzen 7 3800X the 21.8% better value option.

Feature	Core i9-12900TE	Ryzen 7 3800X
MSRP	$494	$399-19%
Performance per Dollar	46.3	57.7+25%
Release Date	2022	2019

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