Intel Core i9-12900KS vs AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

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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 7950X features 16 processor cores and has the capability to manage 32 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2022 and belongs to the 6 generation of the AMD Ryzen 9 series.
To use the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, you'll need a motherboard with a AM5 (LGA 1718) socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i9-12900KS Name AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
Intel Core i9 Family AMD Ryzen 9
12 Generation 6
Intel Core i 12000 Group AMD Ryzen 7000
 
 

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 7950X has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 32 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is 4.5 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 5.7 GHz.
None None 5.7 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 Yes
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
None None 4.5 GHz
4.0 GHz B-Core Frequency Turbo None
24 Threads 32
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
16 CPU Cores 16
None None 16x
 
 

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 7950X has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X uses the AMD Radeon Graphics (Raphael), which has 128 texture shaders
and 2 execution units.
0.3 GHz GPU frequency 0.4 GHz
Q4/2021 Release date Q3/2022
12 Direct X 12
Intel UHD Graphics 770 GPU name AMD Radeon Graphics (Raphael)
10 nm Technology 5 nm
-- Max. displays --
256 Shaders 128
64.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 8.0 GB
32 Execution units 2
11 Generation 9
1.55 GHz GPU (Turbo) 2.2 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 No
 
 

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 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 83.2 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
Yes ECC Yes
76.8 GB/s Bandwidth 83.2 GB/s
DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800 Memory type DDR5-5200
 
 

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 170 W watts.
90 °C Tjunction max 95 °C
241 W TDP (PL2) 230 W
150 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 170 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 7950X is manufactured using a 5 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 64.0 MB cache.
Q2/2022 Release date Q4/2022
-- Part Number 100-100000514WOF
14.0 MB L2-Cache 16.0 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, AVX512
Monolithic Chip design Chiplet
Alder Lake S Architecture Raphael (Zen 4)
10 nm Technology 5 nm
LGA 1700 Socket AM5 (LGA 1718)
Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11 Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
749 $ Release price 699 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
30.0 MB L3-Cache 64.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
63621
63621
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
44541
44541

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
38657
38657
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
27796
27796

V-Ray CPU-Render Benchmark

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
29745
29745
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
19176
19176

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
24265
24265
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
19010
19010

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
20755
20755
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
16455
16455

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
15120
15120
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
10744
10744

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
6382
6382
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
4140
4140

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
2974
2974
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2831
2831

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
2242
2242
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2080
2080

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2082
2082
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
2072
2072

Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
795
795
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
793
793

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
608
608
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
399
399

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
16C 32T @ 4.5 GHz
331
331
Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
294
294