Intel Core i9-12900KS vs AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i9-12900KS or Intel Core i9-12900KS – 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 i9-12900KS features 16 processor cores and has the capability to manage 24 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2022 and belongs to the 12 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-12900KS, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket.
The AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX features 8 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2022 and belongs to the 5 generation of the AMD Ryzen 9 series.
To use the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX, you'll need a motherboard with a FP7 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Mobile
Intel Core i9-12900KS Name AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
Intel Core i9 Family AMD Ryzen 9
12 Generation 5
Intel Core i 12000 Group AMD Ryzen 6000H/7035H
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i9-12900KS has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.4 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
The AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX has 8 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX is 3.3 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.0 GHz.
None None 5.0 GHz
5.5 GHz A-Core Frequency Turbo None
2.5 GHz B-Core Frequency None
3.4 GHz A-Core Frequency None
8x Gracemont Cores B None
8x Golden Cove Cores A None
Yes Overclocking No
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
None None 3.3 GHz
4.0 GHz B-Core Frequency Turbo None
24 Threads 16
None None 4.4 GHz
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
16 CPU Cores 8
None None 8x Zen 3+
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i9-12900KS has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i9-12900KS uses the Intel UHD Graphics 770, 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 AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX uses the AMD Radeon RX 680M, which has 768 texture shaders
and 12 execution units.
0.3 GHz GPU frequency 2.0 GHz
Q4/2021 Release date Q1/2022
12 Direct X 12
Intel UHD Graphics 770 GPU name AMD Radeon RX 680M
10 nm Technology 6 nm
-- Max. displays --
256 Shaders 768
64.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 8.0 GB
32 Execution units 12
11 Generation 9
1.55 GHz GPU (Turbo) 2.4 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 / Encode 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 76.8 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 64.0 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 64.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
Yes ECC No
76.8 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800 Memory type DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-6400
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 150 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.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 45 W watts.
None TDP up 54 W
90 °C Tjunction max 95 °C
241 W TDP (PL2) None
150 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 45 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i9-12900KS is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 30.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX is manufactured using a 6 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 16.0 MB cache.
Q2/2022 Release date Q1/2022
-- Part Number --
14.0 MB L2-Cache 4.0 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization AMD-V, SVM
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+ ISA extensions SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, FMA3, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Chiplet
Alder Lake S Architecture Rembrandt (Zen 3+)
10 nm Technology 6 nm
LGA 1700 Socket FP7
Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11 Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
749 $ Release price --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
30.0 MB L3-Cache 16.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
44541
44541
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
25114
25114

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
27796
27796
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
14711
14711

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
19010
19010
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
10645
10645

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
10744
10744
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
5745
5745

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2082
2082
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
1669
1669

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2080
2080
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
1665
1665

Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
795
795
AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX
8C 16T @ 3.3 GHz
649
649

Intel Core i9-12900KS and AMD Ryzen 9 6980HX in leaderboards