Core i7-12700K
VS
Xeon Platinum 8368

Core i7-12700K vs Xeon Platinum 8368

Intel

Core i7-12700K

12 Cores20 Thrd125 WWMax: 5 GHz2021
VS
Intel

Xeon Platinum 8368

38 Cores76 Thrd270 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2021

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 i7-12700K

#113
Core i7-14700F
MSRP: $359|Avg: $330
104%
#114
Ryzen 3 PRO 3200G
MSRP: $89|Avg: $52
104%
#115
Core i9-14900K
MSRP: $589|Avg: $469
104%
#116
Ryzen 5 PRO 5655GE
MSRP: $146|Avg: $146
103%
#117
Core i7-13790F
MSRP: $392|Avg: $350
103%
#118
Core i5-14500
MSRP: $239|Avg: $251
103%
#119
Core i5-11600KF
MSRP: $237|Avg: $157
103%
#120
Ryzen 5 5600XT
MSRP: $192|Avg: $180
103%
#121
Core i5-13600
MSRP: $255|Avg: $255
102%
#122
Core i3-13100F
MSRP: $109|Avg: $119
102%
#123
Ryzen 5 5600G
MSRP: $259|Avg: $160
102%
#124
Core Ultra 9 285K
MSRP: $589|Avg: $550
102%
#125
Core i5-13400E
MSRP: $221|Avg: $221
101%
#126
Ryzen 7 8700F
MSRP: $270|Avg: $257
101%
#127
Core i9-14900KF
MSRP: $564|Avg: $480
101%
#128
Core i7-12700K
MSRP: $409|Avg: $285
100%
#129
Core i9-13900KF
MSRP: $599|Avg: $480
100%
#130
Core i7-12700
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
100%
#131
Core Ultra 5 245T
MSRP: $270|Avg: $270
100%
#132
Core i5-8500
MSRP: $192|Avg: $80
99%
#133
Core i5-9400F
MSRP: $182|Avg: $80
98%
#134
Core i5-11400
MSRP: $182|Avg: $141
98%
#135
Core i5-13600K
MSRP: $329|Avg: $319
98%
#136
Core i5-13500
MSRP: $242|Avg: $264
98%
#137
Ryzen 7 8700G
MSRP: $329|Avg: $269
98%
#138
Core i7-14700
MSRP: $384|Avg: $348
98%
#139
Ryzen 5 2500X
MSRP: $159|Avg: $80
97%
#140
Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE
MSRP: $100|Avg: $60
97%
#141
Core i9-13900K
MSRP: $599|Avg: $500
97%
#142
Core i3-14100
MSRP: $134|Avg: $131
96%
#143
Ryzen 5 3400G
MSRP: $149|Avg: $80
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Xeon Platinum 8368

#439
Xeon Gold 6338
MSRP: $2990|Avg: $1604
105%
#440
Xeon Gold 6538N
MSRP: $3351|Avg: $170
105%
#441
EPYC 7F52
MSRP: $3100|Avg: $1826
105%
#442
EPYC 7542
MSRP: $3400|Avg: $899
105%
#443
EPYC 9655
MSRP: $11852|Avg: $11852
103%
#444
Xeon 6781P
MSRP: $8960|Avg: $8960
103%
#445
Xeon Gold 6338N
MSRP: $3200|Avg: $3200
103%
#446
Xeon Gold 5117
MSRP: $1286|Avg: $300
103%
#447
EPYC 73F3
MSRP: $3521|Avg: $2100
103%
#448
EPYC 9384X
MSRP: $5529|Avg: $4157
102%
#449
EPYC 8534P
MSRP: $5529|Avg: $5529
102%
#450
EPYC 9565
MSRP: $10486|Avg: $8233
101%
#450
EPYC 7663
MSRP: $6366|Avg: $6366
101%
#452
EPYC 9755
MSRP: $12984|Avg: $10931
100%
#454
Xeon Platinum 8368
MSRP: $7214|Avg: $429
100%
#456
EPYC 9575F
MSRP: $11791|Avg: $9238
98%
#457
EPYC 7642
MSRP: $4775|Avg: $850
97%
#458
EPYC 7573X
MSRP: $5590|Avg: $3580
97%
#459
Xeon Platinum 8568Y+
MSRP: $6497|Avg: $6497
96%
#460
Xeon Gold 6242R
MSRP: $2977|Avg: $779
95%
#460
Xeon E5-2686 V3
MSRP: $1500|Avg: $160
95%
#462
Xeon W-2175
MSRP: $1947|Avg: $180
95%
#463
EPYC 75F3
MSRP: $5383|Avg: $2799
94%
#464
Xeon W-3375
MSRP: $4951|Avg: $6000
94%
#466
Xeon Platinum 8358
MSRP: $4607|Avg: $3145
93%
#467
EPYC 7713
MSRP: $7060|Avg: $1299
92%
#467
EPYC 7662
MSRP: $6150|Avg: $1266
92%
#469
EPYC 9554
MSRP: $9087|Avg: $2795
90%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($429) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon Platinum 8368 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i7-12700KXeon Platinum 8368
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($285)
⚠️ Higher cost ($429)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) / 10 nm)
✨ Modern (Ice Lake-SP (2021) / 10 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-12700K ($285), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($144 less, 34% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i7-12700KXeon Platinum 8368
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+78%)
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($285)
⚠️ Higher cost ($429)

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 i7-12700K and Xeon Platinum 8368

Intel

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.

Intel

Xeon Platinum 8368

The Xeon Platinum 8368 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2021-04-06. It is based on the Ice Lake-SP (2021) architecture. It features 38 cores and 76 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 57 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 270 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 92,054 points. Launch price was $7,214.

Processing Power

The Core i7-12700K packs 12 cores / 20 threads, while the Xeon Platinum 8368 offers 38 cores / 76 threads — the Xeon Platinum 8368 has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Core i7-12700K versus 3.4 GHz on the Xeon Platinum 8368 — a 38.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700K (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-12700K uses the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture (10 nm), while the Xeon Platinum 8368 uses Ice Lake-SP (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-12700K scores 34,347 against the Xeon Platinum 8368's 92,054 — a 91.3% lead for the Xeon Platinum 8368. L3 cache: 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700K vs 57 MB (total) on the Xeon Platinum 8368.

FeatureCore i7-12700KXeon Platinum 8368
Cores / Threads
12 / 20
38 / 76+217%
Boost Clock
5 GHz+47%
3.4 GHz
Base Clock
3.6 GHz+50%
2.4 GHz
L3 Cache
25 MB (total)
57 MB (total)+128%
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)+25%
1 MB (per core)
Process
10 nm
10 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)
Ice Lake-SP (2021)
PassMark
34,347
92,054+168%
Cinebench R23 Multi
20,000
Geekbench 6 Single
1,961
Geekbench 6 Multi
25,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-12700K uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon Platinum 8368 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 4800 on the Core i7-12700K versus DDR4-3200 on the Xeon Platinum 8368 — the Core i7-12700K supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-12700K supports up to 128 of RAM compared to 6 TB 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i7-12700K) vs 8 (Xeon Platinum 8368). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i7-12700K) vs 64 (Xeon Platinum 8368) — the Xeon Platinum 8368 offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700K) and C621A (Xeon Platinum 8368).

FeatureCore i7-12700KXeon Platinum 8368
Socket
LGA1700
LGA4189
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
4800+119900%
DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity
128
6 TB+5033164700%
RAM Channels
2
8+300%
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20
64+220%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Platinum 8368 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon Platinum 8368 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Xeon Platinum 8368 targets Server. Direct competitor: Core i7-12700K rivals Ryzen 7 5800X; Xeon Platinum 8368 rivals EPYC 7543.

FeatureCore i7-12700KXeon Platinum 8368
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked
Yes
No
AVX-512
No
Yes
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Server
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-12700K launched at $409 MSRP, while the Xeon Platinum 8368 debuted at $7214. At current prices ($285 vs $429), the Core i7-12700K is $144 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-12700K delivers 120.5 pts/$ vs 214.6 pts/$ for the Xeon Platinum 8368 — making the Xeon Platinum 8368 the 56.1% better value option.

FeatureCore i7-12700KXeon Platinum 8368
MSRP
$409-94%
$7214
Avg Price (30d)
$285-34%
$429
Performance per Dollar
120.5
214.6+78%
Release Date
2021
2021