Intel Core i9-13900H vs Intel Core i9-12900H vs Intel Core i7-12650H

Intel Core i9-13900H

The Intel Core i9-13900H is a high-end mobile CPU for laptops based on the Raptor Lake-H series (Alder Lake architecture). It was announced in early 2023 and offers 6 performance cores (P-cores, Golden Cove architecture) and 8 efficient cores (E-cores, Gracemont architecture). The P-cores support Hyper-Threading leading to 20 supported threads when combined with the E-cores. The clock rate ranges from 2.6 to 5.4 GHz (single core turbo, all-core 4.9 GHz) on the performance cluster and 1.9 to 4.1 GHz on the efficiency cluster. The performance of the E-cores should be similar to old Skylake cores (compare with the Core i7-6920HQ). All cores can use up to 24 MB L3 cache. Compared to the similar Core i9-13900HK, the 13900H supports no open multiplicator for overclocking, but on the other hand the full set of vPro management features.

Performance

The average 13900H in our database is in the same league as the Core i5-13500HX, Core i7-13705H, Core i9-12900HK, Core i9-13905H and also the Ryzen 9 7940HS, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 115 W, the Stealth 17 Studio A13VH-014 is among the fastest laptops built around the 13900H that we know of. It can be about 50% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Features

The integrated memory controller supports various memory types up to DDR5-5200 (up from 4800 MHz for the 12th gen). The Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficient cores for the best performance. For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost (via AVX2). 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. The CPU now supports PCIe 5.0 x8 for a GPU and two PCIe 4.0 x4 for SSDs.

The integrated graphics card is based on the Xe-architecture and offers 96 EUs (Execution Units) .

The CPU is rated at 45 W base power (115 W PL2) but most laptops will use a PL1 of around 60 Watt. The SoC is manufactured in a 10nm process at Intel, which is known as Intel 7 (improved over the 12th Gen).

Intel Core i9-12900H

The Intel Core i9-12900H is a high-end mobile CPU for laptops based on the Alder Lake architecture. It was announced in early 2022 and offers 6 performance cores (P-cores, Golden Cove architecture) and 8 efficient cores (E-cores, Gracemont architecture). The P-cores support Hyper-Threading leading to 20 supported threads when combined with the E-cores. The clock rate ranges from 2.5 to 5 GHz on the performance cluster and 1.8 to 3.8 GHz on the efficient cluster. The performance of the E-cores should be similar to old Skylake cores (compare to the Core i7-6920HQ). All cores can use up to 24 MB L3 cache. Compared to the 12900HK, the 12900H does not offer the open multiplicator (for overclocking) but the full "Enterprise" set of vPro features (for remote management).

The integrated memory controller supports various memory types up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200, LPDDR5-5200, and LPDDR4x-4267. The Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficient cores for the best performance. For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost (via AVX2). 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. The CPU only supports PCIe 4.0 (x8 for a GPU and two x4 for SSDs).

The integrated graphics card is based on the Xe-architecture and offers 96 EUs (Execution Units) operating at up to 1.45 GHz.

Performance

The average 12900H in our database proves to be an outrageously fast CPU, ripping the Ryzen 9 6900HX to pieces as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. Perhaps surprisingly, the i9's multi-thread performance is not much higher than that of the Core i7-12700H, suggesting the latter might be a better bang for the buck.

With its decent cooling solution and a long-term Power Limit of 110 W, the Asus StudioBook 16 H7600ZW is one of the fastest laptops built around the i9-12900H that we know of. It can be more than 80% faster than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, depending on the circumstances.

Power consumption

The Core i9 has a "minimum assured" power consumption of 35 W, with 45 W being its Base power consumption. The CPU's maximum Intel-recommended Turbo power consumption sits at 115 W.

The i9-12900H is built with Intel's 4th generation 10 nm process marketed as Intel 7 for lower than average, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i7-12650H

The Intel Core i7-12650H is a high-end mobile CPU for laptops based on the Alder Lake architecture. It was announced in early 2022 and offers 6 performance cores (P-cores, Golden Cove architecture) and 4 of the 8 efficient cores (E-cores, Gracemont architecture). The P-cores support Hyper-Threading leading to 16 supported threads when combined with the E-cores. The clock rate ranges from 2.3 to 4.7 GHz on the performance cluster and 1.7 to 3.5 GHz on the efficient cluster. The performance of the E-cores should be similar to old Skylake cores (compare to the Core i7-6700HQ). All cores can use up to 24 MB L3 cache. Compared to the 12700H, the 12650H offers only 4 instead of 8 E-cores, a slower iGPU and no vPro features (for remote management).

Performance

The average 12650H in our database is in the same league as the Core i9-11950H, Ryzen 5 7640HS, Ryzen 9 5900HS, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. This is a very good result, as of early 2023.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 80 W, the TUF Dash F15 FX517ZR is among the fastest laptops built around the 12650H that we know of. It can be more than 25% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Features

The integrated memory controller supports various memory types up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200, LPDDR5-5200, and LPDDR4x-4267. The Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficient cores for the best performance. For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost (via AVX2). 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. The CPU only supports PCIe 4.0 (x8 for a GPU and two x4 for SSDs).

The integrated graphics card is based on the Xe-architecture and offers 64 of the 96 EUs (Execution Units) operating at up to 1.4 GHz.

Power consumption

This Core i7 has a "minimum assured" power consumption of 35 W, with 45 W being its Base power consumption. The processor's maximum Intel-recommended Turbo power consumption sits at 115 W. It would take at least two fans to cool such a beast.

Last but not the least, Intel Core i7-12650H is built with Intel's fourth-generation 10 nm process marketed as Intel 7 for OK, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.