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AMD Ryzen 7 5800X vs Intel Core i7-12700K: Comparison
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X vs Intel Core i7-12700K total cores compared
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is total cores, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 8 against Intel Core i7-12700K 12. Measured rather than claimed: in Blender Cycles (CPU) the Intel Core i7-12700K returns 286 against 207 over 117 runs, a 28% lead. Add l2 cache to that, 4 MB on the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X versus 12 MB on the Intel Core i7-12700K, and the pattern holds. Add l3 cache to that, 32 MB on the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X versus 25 MB on the Intel Core i7-12700K, and the pattern holds.
Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X or Intel Core i7-12700K?
Take the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X for desktop gaming and productivity builds wanting genuine Zen 3 architectural gains with strong single-threaded performance. It is not the one for buyers who need integrated graphics, this chip requires a discrete GPU. The Intel Core i7-12700K is the one to take for enthusiast desktop gaming and overclocking, though it is the wrong buy for laptops and fanless designs. Our rating of the Intel Core i7-12700K (7.9/10): the Intel Core i7-12700K is an unlocked overclockable chip, well suited to enthusiast gaming and productivity builds.
What AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Core i7-12700K have in common
Everything else lines up. Performance cores, form factor, market segment, smt enabled and unlocked multiplier read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing. They match on 5 further specifications as well.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X vs Intel Core i7-12700K price
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X asks 10% more, $449 against $409 for the Intel Core i7-12700K.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Core i7-12700K differ on efficiency cores?
Yes. Efficiency Cores reads 0 on the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X versus 4 on the Intel Core i7-12700K.
Is the Memory Channels the same on the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X and Intel Core i7-12700K?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Which is cheaper, AMD Ryzen 7 5800X or Intel Core i7-12700K?
The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X asks 10% more, $449 against $409 for the Intel Core i7-12700K.
Specs and benchmarks
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Ryzen 7
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Core
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Desktop
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 5800X
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- i7-12700K
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Vermeer
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Alder Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 2020
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 2021
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 105 W
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- None
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Desktop
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Zen 3, Ryzen 5000 Series
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Alder Lake
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- AM4
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- FCLGA1700
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- End of Life
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Mature
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 7 nm
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 10 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 8
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 12Best
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 8
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 0
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 4Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 16
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 20Best
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Yes
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 3.8 GHz
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 3.6 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 4.7 GHz
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 4.9 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Yes
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 4 MB-67%
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 12 MBBest
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 32 MBBest
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 25 MB-22%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 105 W
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 142 W
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 190 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- DDR4-3200
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- DDR5 or DDR4Best
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 3200 MT/s
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 4800 MT/sBest
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 2
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 128 GB
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 128 GB
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- No
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Yes
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- No
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- PCIe 4.0
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- PCIe 5.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 20
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 20
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- $449
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- $409
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- Boxed Retail
Benchmarks
- 3D Rendering
Blender Cycles (CPU)
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X
- 207-28%
- Intel Core i7-12700K
- 286Best
Blender 4.5, Blender Open Data (CC0). Median of monster + junkshop + classroom, combined samples/min.
Renders a 3D scene using every core. Shows speed for 3D and rendering work, not gaming.
Which one should you pick?
Choose 5800X if you want the higher L3 cache (32 MB vs 25 MB), the higher memory channels (2 vs 2) and the higher PCIe lanes (20 vs 20).
Choose 12700K if you want the higher L2 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB) and the higher blender cycles (CPU) (286 vs 207).
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | Intel Core i7-12700K |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $449.00 View on Amazon | $409.00 View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | View on Newegg |
| B&H Photo | View on B&H Photo |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Intel Core i7-12700K
7.9 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i7-12700K is an unlocked overclockable chip, well suited to enthusiast gaming and productivity builds.