Intel Core i5-12600K vs Intel Core i7-12700K

CPU comparison with benchmarks

Intel Core i5-12600K		Intel Core i7-12700K
CPU comparison Intel Core i5-12600K or Intel Core i7-12700K - which processor is faster? In this comparison we look at the differences and analyze which of these two CPUs is better. We compare the technical data and benchmark results. The Intel Core i5-12600K has 10 cores with 16 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 4.90 GHz. Up to 128 GB of memory is supported in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i5-12600K was released in Q4/2021. The Intel Core i7-12700K has 12 cores with 20 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 5.00 GHz. The CPU supports up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i7-12700K was released in Q4/2021.
Intel Core i5 (331)	Family	Intel Core i7 (298)
Intel Core i 12000 (34)	CPU group	Intel Core i 12000 (34)
12	Generation	12
Alder Lake S	Architecture	Alder Lake S
Desktop / Server	Segment	Desktop / Server
Intel Core i5-11600K	Predecessor	Intel Core i7-11700K
Intel Core i5-13600K	Successor	Intel Core i7-13700K
CPU Cores and Base Frequency The Intel Core i5-12600K is a 10 core processor with a clock frequency of 3.70 GHz (4.90 GHz). The Intel Core i7-12700K has 12 CPU cores with a clock frequency of 3.60 GHz (5.00 GHz).
Intel Core i5-12600K	Characteristic	Intel Core i7-12700K
10	Cores	12
16	Threads	20
hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Core architecture	hybrid (big.LITTLE)
Yes	Hyperthreading	Yes
Yes	Overclocking ?	Yes
3.70 GHz (4.90 GHz) 6x Golden Cove	A-Core	3.60 GHz (5.00 GHz) 8x Golden Cove
2.80 GHz (3.60 GHz) 4x Gracemont	B-Core	2.70 GHz (3.80 GHz) 4x Gracemont
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. Algorithms for ML improve their performance the more data they have collected via software. ML tasks can be processed up to 10,000 times faster than with a classic processor.
Intel Core i5-12600K	Characteristic	Intel Core i7-12700K
--	AI hardware	--
--	AI specifications	--
Internal Graphics The integrated graphics unit of a processor is not only responsible for the pure image output on the system, but can also significantly increase the efficiency of the system with the support of modern video codecs.
Intel UHD Graphics 770	GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 770
0.30 GHz	GPU frequency	0.30 GHz
1.45 GHz	GPU (Turbo)	1.50 GHz
11	GPU Generation	11
10 nm	Technology	10 nm
3	Max. displays	3
32	Compute units	32
256	Shader	256
No	Hardware Raytracing	No
No	Frame Generation	No
64 GB	Max. GPU Memory	64 GB
12	DirectX Version	12
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.
Intel UHD Graphics 770	GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit)	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit)	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec h264	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec VP9	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec VP8	Decode / Encode
Decode	Codec AV1	Decode
Decode / Encode	Codec AVC	Decode / Encode
Decode	Codec VC-1	Decode
Decode / Encode	Codec JPEG	Decode / Encode

Memory & PCIe The Intel Core i5-12600K supports a maximum of 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i7-12700K can connect up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels.
Intel Core i5-12600K	Characteristic	Intel Core i7-12700K
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	Memory	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
128 GB	Max. Memory	128 GB
2 (Dual Channel)	Memory channels	2 (Dual Channel)
76.8 GB/s	Max. Bandwidth	76.8 GB/s
Yes	ECC	Yes
9.50 MB	L2 Cache	12.00 MB
20.00 MB	L3 Cache	25.00 MB
5.0	PCIe version	5.0
20	PCIe lanes	20
78.8 GB/s	PCIe Bandwidth	78.8 GB/s
Thermal Management The TDP (Thermal Design Power) of a processor specifies the required cooling solution. The Intel Core i5-12600K has a TDP of 125 W, that of the Intel Core i7-12700K is 125 W.
Intel Core i5-12600K	Characteristic	Intel Core i7-12700K
125 W	TDP (PL1 / PBP)	125 W
150 W	TDP (PL2)	190 W
--	TDP up	--
--	TDP down	--
100 °C	Tjunction max.	100 °C
Technical details The Intel Core i5-12600K has a 29.50 MB cache, while the Intel Core i7-12700K cache has a total of 37.00 MB.
Intel Core i5-12600K	Characteristic	Intel Core i7-12700K
10 nm	Technology	10 nm
Monolithic	Chip design	Monolithic
x86-64 (64 bit)	Instruction set (ISA)	x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+	ISA extensions	SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
LGA 1700	Socket	LGA 1700
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d	Virtualization	VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Yes	AES-NI	Yes
Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux	Operating systems	Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux
Q4/2021	Release date	Q4/2021
289 $	Release price	409 $
show more data		show more data
Intel Core i5-12600K 10C 16T @ 3.70 GHz (4.90 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save! Intel Core i7-12700K 12C 20T @ 3.60 GHz (5.00 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save!

Devices using this processor
Intel Core i5-12600K	Intel Core i7-12700K
Unknown	Unknown

News and articles for the Intel Core i5-12600K and the Intel Core i7-12700K

Comparison of the two processors

This comparison should help to decide whether the Intel Core i5-12600K is already sufficiently powerful for your own requirements or whether it should be the Intel Core i7-12700K. Before we get to the performance comparisons, here is a comparison of a few technical details.

Both processors have a similar structure. The models belonging to the twelfth generation of Intel's i processors have for the first time a hybrid core architecture called big.LITTLE. Two different core types are used here. The Intel Core i5-12600K has 6 high-performance cores of the "Golden Cove" type and 4 energy-saving cores of the "Gracemont" type. The Intel Core i7-12700K has 2 more high-performance cores and is therefore equipped with 8 "Golden Cove" cores and 4 "Gracemont" cores.

In addition, the cores in the Intel Core i7-12700K also clock a little higher at up to 5.00 gigahertz, with the Intel Core i5-12600K only reaching a maximum of 4.90 gigahertz. Both processors support Hyperthreading technology, but this is limited to the performance cores. Thus, the Intel Core i5-12600K has 10 cores with 16 threads and the Intel Core i7-12700K has 12 cores with 20 threads. In addition, both processors can be overclocked, which can also be seen from the "K" at the end of the processor designation.

Intel's internal graphics unit called UHD Graphics 770 is used in both processors. The graphics unit from the eleventh generation has 32 execution and 256 shader units and is manufactured using the 10-nanometer process. In the Intel Core i5-12600K, the UHD Graphics 770 clocks at up to 1.45 gigahertz and thus achieves an FP32 computing power (single precision) of 742 GFLOPS. In the Intel Core i7-12700K, the iGPU clocks slightly higher at 1.50 gigahertz, which means that the FP32 computing power is also slightly higher at 768 GFLOPS.

There are no major performance differences between the processors in the single-core benchmarks. In the multi-core benchmarks, however, the i7 shows its strengths and is about 20-25% faster than the i5 processor.

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