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AMD Ryzen 9 7950X vs Intel Core i9-12900K: Comparison
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X vs Intel Core i9-12900K: the l3 cache difference
Start with l3 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X 64 MB against Intel Core i9-12900K 30 MB, 53% in favour of AMD Ryzen 9 7950X. Blender Cycles (CPU) backs the spec sheet up. AMD Ryzen 9 7950X scores 551 to 354 over 246 runs, 36% clear. Socket status is not the same on both, Current on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus Mature on the Intel Core i9-12900K.
Which should you buy, AMD Ryzen 9 7950X or Intel Core i9-12900K?
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is the one to take for enthusiast desktops and streaming and gaming, though it is not built for budget builds and small form factor low-power systems. The Intel Core i9-12900K suits enthusiast desktop gaming and overclocking, though it is the wrong buy for laptops and fanless designs. Our rating of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X (8.6/10): the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is a strong all-rounder for enthusiasts who want top clock speeds for both gaming and productivity. Our rating of the Intel Core i9-12900K (7.9/10): the Intel Core i9-12900K is an unlocked overclockable chip, well suited to enthusiast gaming and productivity builds.
What AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and Intel Core i9-12900K have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: total cores, integrated graphics, form factor, market segment and smt enabled are identical here. They match on 6 further specifications as well.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X vs Intel Core i9-12900K price
At the last price check the Intel Core i9-12900K was $589 and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X $699, a 19% premium.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and Intel Core i9-12900K differ on performance cores?
Yes. Performance Cores reads 16 on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X versus 8 on the Intel Core i9-12900K.
Is the Unlocked Multiplier the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and Intel Core i9-12900K?
It is. Both are listed at Yes, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Desktop
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Desktop
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Raphael
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Alder Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 2022
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 2021
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 170 W
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Desktop
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Zen 4 (7000 series)
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Alder Lake
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- AM5
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- FCLGA1700
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Current
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Mature
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 5 nm
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 10 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 16
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 16
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 16Best
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 8
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 0
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 8Best
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 32Best
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 24
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 4.5 GHz
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 3.2 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 5.7 GHz
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 5.1 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 16 MBBest
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 14 MB-12%
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 64 MBBest
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 30 MB-53%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 170 W
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 230 W
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 241 W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- DDR5
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- DDR5 or DDR4
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 5200 MT/sBest
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 4800 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 2
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 2
Max Memory Capacity
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 128 GB
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 128 GB
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Yes
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Yes
iGPU Model
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Intel UHD Graphics 770
iGPU Compute Units
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 2
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 32
Copilot Plus Certified
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- No
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- No
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- PCIe 5.0
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- PCIe 5.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 24
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 20-17%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- $699
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- $589
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- Boxed Retail
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- Boxed Retail
Benchmarks
- 3D Rendering
Blender Cycles (CPU)
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
- 551Best
- Intel Core i9-12900K
- 354-36%
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 7950X if you want the higher L2 cache (16 MB vs 14 MB), the higher L3 cache (64 MB vs 30 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 12900K if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 7950X | Intel Core i9-12900K |
|---|---|---|
| Newegg | $699.00 View on Newegg | View on Newegg |
| Amazon | View on Amazon | $589.00 View on Amazon |
| 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
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
8.6 / 10 Expert Rating
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X is a strong all-rounder for enthusiasts who want top clock speeds for both gaming and productivity.
Intel Core i9-12900K
7.9 / 10 Expert Rating
The Intel Core i9-12900K is an unlocked overclockable chip, well suited to enthusiast gaming and productivity builds.