Intel Core i9-11900K vs Intel Core i7-12700K

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i9-11900K or Intel Core i9-11900K – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i9-11900K features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2021 and belongs to the 11 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-11900K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1200 socket.
The Intel Core i7-12700K features 12 processor cores and has the capability to manage 20 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2021 and belongs to the 12 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-12700K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i9-11900K Name Intel Core i7-12700K
Intel Core i9 Family Intel Core i7
11 Generation 12
Intel Core i 11000 Group Intel Core i 12000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i9-11900K has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i9-11900K is 3.5 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.3 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i7-12700K has 12 CPU cores and can calculate 20 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.6 GHz.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
5.3 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) None
None None 5.0 GHz
None None 2.7 GHz
None None 3.6 GHz
None None 4x Gracemont
None None 8x Golden Cove
Yes Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
3.5 GHz Frequency None
None None 3.8 GHz
16 Threads 20
4.8 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) None
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
8 CPU Cores 12
8x Cypress Cove Cores None
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i9-11900K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i9-11900K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 750, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
The Intel Core i7-12700K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-12700K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 770, which has 256 texture shaders
0.35 GHz GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
Q1/2021 Release date Q4/2021
12 Direct X 12
Intel UHD Graphics 750 GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 770
14 nm Technology 10 nm
-- Max. displays --
256 Shaders 256
64.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
32 Execution units 32
12 Generation 11
1.3 GHz GPU (Turbo) 1.5 GHz
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Decode / Encode AVC Decode / Encode
Decode VC-1 Decode
Decode / Encode VP9 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h264 Decode / Encode
Decode VP8 Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode JPEG Decode / Encode
Decode AV1 Decode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
2 Memory channels 2
128.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
51.2 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
DDR4-3200 Memory type DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
100 °C Tjunction max 100 °C
None TDP (PL2) 190 W
125 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 125 W
95 W TDP down None
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i9-11900K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 16.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-12700K is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 25.0 MB cache.
Q1/2021 Release date Q4/2021
-- Part Number BX8071512700K
4.0 MB L2-Cache 12.0 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX-512 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Rocket Lake S Architecture Alder Lake S
14 nm Technology 10 nm
LGA 1200 Socket LGA 1700
Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11 Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
539 $ Release price 409 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
16.0 MB L3-Cache 25.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
34688
34688
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
25385
25385

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
22812
22812
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
16211
16211

V-Ray CPU-Render Benchmark

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
15450
15450
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
11170
11170

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
14992
14992
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
11645
11645

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
14129
14129
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
12679
12679

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
8750
8750
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
6187
6187

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
7761
7761
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
6539
6539

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
3327
3327
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
2515
2515

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
2528
2528
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
2491
2491

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
1939
1939
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
1686
1686

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
1878
1878
Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
1872
1872

Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
757
757
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
650
650

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
319
319
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
243
243

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-12700K
12C 20T @ 3.6 GHz
286
286
Intel Core i9-11900K
8C 16T @ 3.5 GHz
262
262