Intel Core i7-12700K vs AMD Ryzen 9 7900 vs AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

Intel Core i7-12700K

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high end CPU for desktops based on the Alder Lake architecture. It was first announced in November 2021 and offers 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. The performance cores (P-cores) support HyperThreading, leading to 20 Threads that can be processed at once. The performance cores can clock with up to 5 GHz (Turbo Boost Max 3.0), the efficiency cores can clock with up to 3.9 GHz. All cores can use 25 MB Smart Cache. The integrated memory controller supports up to 128 GB DDR5 with 4800 MT/s (dual channel).

Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficiency cores for the best performance.

The integrated graphics adapter is based on the Xe-architecture and called Intel UHD Graphics 770. It clocks between 300 and 1.5 GHz.

For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost. Quick Sync in version 8 is the same as in the Rocket Lake CPUs and supports MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 decode, JPEG, VP8 decode, VP9, HEVC and AV1 decode in hardware.

Performance

The average 12700K in our database is way ahead of the Ryzen 7 5800X and the Ryzen 9 3900X, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. Which is a very, very impressive result, as of late 2022.

Power consumption

This Core i7 series chip has a Base power consumption of 125 W, with its highest Intel-recommended Turbo power consumption sitting at 190 W. It might be a good idea to get an AIO cooling solution for a chip this power hungry.

The i7-12700K is manufactured on Intel's fourth-generation 10 nm process marketed as Intel 7 for lower-than-average, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.

AMD Ryzen 9 7900

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is a fast high-end desktop processor of the Raphael series. It offers 16 cores based on the Zen 4 architecture that supports hyperthreading (32 threads). The cores clock from 4.5 (base) up to 5.7 GHz (single core boost). The 7950X is the second fastest Ryzen at launch.

The Raphael series still uses a chiplet design with two CCD-clusters (each with 8 possible cores) in 5nm and an IO-die (including the memory controller and the Radeon Graphics iGPU) in 6nm.

Performance

The average 7950X in our database is in the same league as the Core i9-13900K, Ryzen 9 7945HX, Ryzen 9 7950X3D, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. This is a super-fast chip, as of mid 2023.

The R9 7950X is rated at a TDP of 170 Watt and proved to be rather power-hungry in applications and games.