Intel Core i7-9700 vs Intel Core i5-12500

The Intel Core i7-9700, a 9th generation processor (Coffee Lake S Refresh), was manufactured using a 14 nm process and offers 8 cores and 8 threads.

It is designed for everyday tasks, office applications, and moderate gaming. It features 0 MB of Level 2 Cache, 12 MB of Level 3 Cache, utilizes PCIe 3.0, and achieves a maximum memory bandwidth of 43 GB/s. Its integrated graphics unit is the Intel UHD Graphics 630. The single-core and multi-core performance is solid for its generation but is significantly surpassed by newer architectures.

Its Thermal Design Power (TDP) is 65 Watts. The price-performance ratio is primarily relevant today for used systems. This 12th generation processor (Alder Lake S), manufactured using the more advanced 10 nm (Intel 7) process, offers 6 cores and 12 threads. It is designed for significantly higher performance in demanding applications, multitasking, and modern gaming.

With 8 MB of Level 2 Cache, 18 MB of Level 3 Cache, and the Intel UHD Graphics 770, it surpasses the Intel Core i7-9700 in single-core benchmarks by over 40 percent and in multi-core tests by over 30 percent. It supports PCIe 5.0 and a higher memory bandwidth of 77 GB/s, which also benefits gaming performance.

Its TDP is also 65 Watts, but it offers better efficiency per computing performance. The Intel Core i7-9700 is suitable for budget upgrades of older systems. The Intel Core i5-12500 is the superior choice for new systems aiming for maximum performance and future-proofing for demanding applications and gaming.