Intel Core i9-12900K vs AMD Ryzen 9 5900

Last updated: 2023-11-18

CPU comparison with benchmarks


Intel Core i9-12900K		AMD Ryzen 9 5900
CPU comparison Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900 - 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 i9-12900K has 16 cores with 24 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 5.20 GHz. Up to 128 GB of memory is supported in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i9-12900K was released in Q4/2021. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has 12 cores with 24 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 4.70 GHz. The CPU supports up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 was released in Q2/2021.

Intel Core i9 (78)	Family	AMD Ryzen 9 (35)
Intel Core i 12000 (34)	CPU group	AMD Ryzen 5000 (12)
12	Generation	4
Alder Lake S	Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3)
Desktop / Server	Segment	Desktop / Server
Intel Core i9-11900K	Predecessor	AMD Ryzen 9 3900
Intel Core i9-13900K	Successor	AMD Ryzen 9 7900

CPU Cores and Base Frequency The Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel. The clock frequency of the Intel Core i9-12900K is 3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz) while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has 12 CPU cores and 24 threads can calculate simultaneously. The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 is at 3.00 GHz (4.70 GHz).
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen 9 5900
16	Cores	12
24	Threads	24
hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Core architecture	normal
Yes	Hyperthreading	Yes
Yes	Overclocking ?	Yes
3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz) 8x Golden Cove	A-Core	3.00 GHz (4.70 GHz)
2.40 GHz (3.90 GHz) 8x Gracemont	B-Core	--
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 i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen 9 5900
--	AI hardware	--
--	AI specifications	--

Internal Graphics The Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short. The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
Intel UHD Graphics 770	GPU	no iGPU
0.30 GHz	GPU frequency	--
1.55 GHz	GPU (Turbo)	--
11	GPU Generation	--
10 nm	Technology
3	Max. displays
32	Compute units	--
256	Shader	--
No	Hardware Raytracing	No
No	Frame Generation	No
64 GB	Max. GPU Memory	--
12	DirectX Version	--

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	no iGPU
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit)	No
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit)	No
Decode / Encode	Codec h264	No
Decode / Encode	Codec VP9	No
Decode / Encode	Codec VP8	No
Decode	Codec AV1	No
Decode / Encode	Codec AVC	No
Decode	Codec VC-1	No
Decode / Encode	Codec JPEG	No

Memory & PCIe The Intel Core i9-12900K can use up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The maximum memory bandwidth is 76.8 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 supports up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels and achieves a memory bandwidth of up to 51.2 GB/s.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen 9 5900
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	Memory	DDR4-3200
128 GB	Max. Memory	128 GB
2 (Dual Channel)	Memory channels	2 (Dual Channel)
76.8 GB/s	Max. Bandwidth	51.2 GB/s
Yes	ECC	Yes
14.00 MB	L2 Cache	6.00 MB
30.00 MB	L3 Cache	64.00 MB
5.0	PCIe version	4.0
20	PCIe lanes	20
78.8 GB/s	PCIe Bandwidth	39.4 GB/s
Thermal Management The thermal design power (TDP for short) of the Intel Core i9-12900K is 125 W, while the AMD Ryzen 9 5900 has a TDP of 65 W. The TDP specifies the necessary cooling solution that is required to cool the processor sufficiently.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen 9 5900
125 W	TDP (PL1 / PBP)	65 W
241 W	TDP (PL2)	--
--	TDP up	--
--	TDP down	--
100 °C	Tjunction max.	95 °C
Technical details The Intel Core i9-12900K is manufactured in 10 nm and has 44.00 MB cache. The AMD Ryzen 9 5900 is manufactured in 7 nm and has a 70.00 MB cache.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen 9 5900
10 nm	Technology	7 nm
Monolithic	Chip design	Chiplet
x86-64 (64 bit)	Instruction set (ISA)	x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+	ISA extensions	SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, FMA3
LGA 1700	Socket	AM4 (PGA 1331)
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d	Virtualization	AMD-V, SVM
Yes	AES-NI	Yes
Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux	Operating systems	Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux
Q4/2021	Release date	Q2/2021
589 $	Release price	--

show more data		show more data

Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save! AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 3.00 GHz (4.70 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save!

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Average performance in benchmarks

⌀ Single core performance in 3 CPU benchmarks

Intel Core i9-12900K (100%)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (83%)

⌀ Multi core performance in 5 CPU benchmarks

Intel Core i9-12900K (100%)

AMD Ryzen 9 5900 (74%)

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	1997 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	1622 (81%)

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	27472 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	20955 (76%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	1990 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	1688 (85%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	17595 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	13874 (79%)

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The single-core benchmark only evaluates the performance of the fastest CPU core, the number of CPU cores in a processor is irrelevant here.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	2560 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	2130 (83%)

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The multi-core benchmark evaluates the performance of all of the processor's CPU cores. Virtual thread improvements such as AMD SMT or Intel's Hyper-Threading have a positive impact on the benchmark result.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	16244 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	9740 (60%)

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Some of the CPUs listed below have been benchmarked by CPU-monkey. However the majority of CPUs have not been tested and the results have been estimated by a CPU-monkey’s secret proprietary formula. As such they do not accurately reflect the actual Passmark CPU mark values and are not endorsed by PassMark Software Pty Ltd.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	40902 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	34570 (85%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz	11365 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 3.00 GHz	7746 (68%)

Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)

The Cinebench 2024 benchmark is based on the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxon's 3D program Cinema 4D. The benchmark runs are each 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	126 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench 2024 (Multi-Core)

The Multi-Core test of the Cinebench 2024 benchmark uses all cpu cores to render using the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxons Cinema 4D. The benchmark run is 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	1582 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R20 is the successor of Cinebench R15 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	779 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R20 is the successor of Cinebench R15 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	10511 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	0 (0%)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

The theoretical computing performance of the internal graphics unit of the processor with simple accuracy (32 bit) in GFLOPS. GFLOPS indicates how many billion floating point operations the iGPU can perform per second.


	Intel Core i9-12900K Intel UHD Graphics 770 @ 1.55 GHz	794 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 @ 0.00 GHz	0 (0%)

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

In the Blender Benchmark 3.1, the scenes "monster", "junkshop" and "classroom" are rendered and the time required by the system is measured. In our benchmark we test the CPU and not the graphics card. Blender 3.1 was presented as a standalone version in March 2022.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	364 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	0 (0%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Single-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	817 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R15 is the successor of Cinebench 11.5 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	294 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.70 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R15 is the successor of Cinebench 11.5 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	4111 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 12C 24T @ 4.10 GHz	0 (0%)

CPU performance per watt (efficiency)

Efficiency of the processor under full load in the Cinebench R23 (multi-core) benchmark. The benchmark result is divided by the average energy required (CPU package power in watts). The higher the value, the more efficient the CPU is under full load.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 27,472 CB R23 MC @ 240 W	114 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen 9 5900 3.00 GHz	0 (0%)

Devices using this processor
Intel Core i9-12900K	AMD Ryzen 9 5900
Unknown	Unknown

News and articles for the Intel Core i9-12900K and the AMD Ryzen 9 5900

First Geekbench 5 benchmark of the Intel Core i7-13700K

Posted by Stefan on 2022-07-26

Last week we already reported on the new Intel Core i7-13700K processor from Intel, which is expected in autumn 2022. With 8+8 CPU cores (24 threads), the Intel Core i7-13700K should have the same configuration as last year's Intel Core i9-12900K. With this, Intel wants to finally clear AMD's lead in multi-core performance, which has existed for several years.

Intel Core i9-13900 benchmark of engineering sample

Posted by Stefan on 2022-06-15

Intels 13th generation of the Intel Core i series (Raptor Lake) is about to be released and a lot of information is already known from the official side. This information includes e.g. the number of CPU cores, the expected increase in performance and the manufacturing technology of the new CPUs.

We compare the technical data of the Intel Core i9-13900 with its predecessor and look at benchmarks that have already been published.

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