Intel and AMD processors have always lived in constant competition – one-upping each other until a balance is reached again. So, when the Zen 3 was released by AMD against Intel’s latest processor, users were understandably conflicted about what to choose out of fear that they would be left behind. I’ll let you know right now how this extensive trial fared at telling people which CPU holds greater value:
The X 9-12900Kor the 5900X. It turns out that after benchmarking them side by side for countless hours, their performances drastically differed only slightly; so much so that once computed for their individual prices there isn’t actually a huge disparity between them anymore! In the end, both these models prove advantageous to certain types of gamers more than others depending on personal preference; so rest assured if you don’t have your own conclusion yet, wait for benchmarks of CPUs such as these Ryzen X 3000/4000 series processors coming soon!
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Specifications
To start off this article, it is important to know some crucial facts about the CPUs we are discussing today. Starting with their specifications will give you a better understanding of what these two units can do.
Intel Core i9-12900K Specifications
- Cores: 16
- Threads: 24
- Base Frequency: 3.2Ghz
- Turbo Boost Frequency: 5.2Ghz
- L1 Cache: 64K (per core)
- L2 Cache: 14MB (shared)
- L3 Cache: 30MB (shared)
- TDP: 125W
- Max Temp: 100 Degree (Celcius)
- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 770
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Specifications
- Cores: 12
- Threads: 24
- Base Frequency: 3.7Ghz
- Turbo Boost Frequency: 4.8Ghz
- L1 Cache: 64K (per core)
- L2 Cache: 512K (per core)
- L3 Cache: 64MB (shared)
- TDP : 105W
- Max Temp: 90 Degree (Celcius)
- Integrated Graphics: N/A
The Intel Core i9-12900K has 12 cores, including 8 Performance (P) Cores and 4 Efficient (E) Cores. The Ryzen 9 5900X, on the other hand, has a total of 12 cores and 24 threads; the number of threads on both CPUs is the same. With four more cores than the Ryzen 9 5900X, the i9-12900K is one of the most powerful CPUs available.
The Core i9-12900K has a TDP of roughly 125W and a CPU temperature limit of 100 degrees Celsius, whereas the Ryzen 9 5900X has a low TDP of 105 and a temperature limit of 90 degrees Celsius. The new hybrid technology allows the i9-12900K to achieve a Turbo Boost frequency of 5.2GHz, compared to the 4.8GHz Turbo Boost frequency of the Ryzen 9 5900X, while also maintaining an increased base clock speed at 3.6GHz when idle – making it over 300% faster than AMD’s core chipsets; as well as boasting 18MB L3 cache versus 12MB L3 cache for AMD CPUs.
One of the best features of an Intel CPU is having integrated graphics so you don’t need to buy a separate one. The Intel i9-12900K has an HD Graphic number 770, which is more than good enough for most people, and even gamers who just want a basic card will probably be satisfied with it. On the other hand, AMD processors come without any graphical integration whatsoever; so if you want that extra boost in performance you’ll need to go out and buy one separately. Cache wise – AMD processors do maintain their lead here – but the Intel ones win when it comes to using hybrid cores (E/P).
Architecture
What’s new in the Alder Lake Processors?
Intel has been touting the new CPU release for nearly a year. With hype building up, people’s expectations became higher than ever. When it finally came out, it did not disappoint – with substantial performance increases and updated architecture features.
The newly released 12th Generation Alder Lake processors come with a variety of configurations – ranging from 2 cores up to 16 cores! Of course, there are also variants without this technology. For those who need power and efficiency, Intel’s introduction of the new P and E cores really helps those who work in demanding fields or just want to save money but still need power!
The newest set of Alder Lake CPUs from Intel improves gaming performance by 28%. These boosted speeds allow gamers to play games like Hitman 3 at even higher frames per second. Beyond this, however, there are also features engineered exclusively for people who work with multiple programs at once – and no one fits that description better than Streamers. In conclusion, these new products can provide a boost to everyone in a variety of different situations; and they do it while still being dependable enough to satisfy all PC needs.
Intel just announced its switch to the new Z690 chipset, which uses the LGA 1700 socket. The company has been doing excellent work with its 10nm manufacturing process, placing an emphasis on high-frequency and single-threaded performance. This includes the latest generation of PCIe technology as well as DDR5 memory modules. With these features available in their latest Alder Lake series of processors, Intel is putting up a solid fight against AMD’s newest Ryzen 5000 CPUs – making it an exciting time for computer enthusiasts everywhere!
What’s new in the Zen3 Architechture?
AMD announced their new line of CPU chips that make use of the brand-new Zen 3 architecture two years ago – the first one being unveiled in 2017. This year, AMD released an upgraded CPU known as the 7th Generation Threadripper 2990WX which has 32 cores and 64 threads; topping off at a power usage rating of only 125 watts. This chip made waves when it was first released because it was $1,000 cheaper than its competitors while also having 8 more cores than Intel’s top model.
With AMD’s latest Zen3 architecture, users are experiencing new speeds never seen before. It features an unprecedented multitasking performance thanks to the processing speed being able to handle multiple calculations at once- something that was not possible with earlier models. Furthermore, it is anticipated that the price will lower significantly when compared to Intel’s Alder Lake lineup due to the cheaper production costs associated with this innovative system. This then leads us to conclude that it will only be logical for consumers looking for a high-performance PC and who are often on tight budgets to turn towards AMD first!
The company behind the popular line of computer chips, AMD, just announced its latest lineup of processors – which come with an innovative new architecture designed to offer users unrivaled performance. Alongside impressive improvements to single-core operations and power efficiency, this revamped Zen3 design is able to process data faster than ever before. What’s more – it can do so without sacrificing battery life. It would appear that we have another industry powerhouse on our hands!
Memory Specifications and Expansion Options
The Intel i9-12900K has an immense advantage over the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X when it comes to RAM and Memory speeds. The Intel CPU can support up to 128GB of memory while the AMD CPU can only support 64GB, so if you’re working with high amounts of data, then you’ll need this Intel processor. As for RAM speeds – the Intel CPU will go all the way up to 3200MHz where as the AMD CPU can go all the way up to 2933MHz, so choose wisely.
Without question, PCI-e lanes are an integral part of any computer setup. So when looking at the latest Alder Lake processors and Z690 motherboards, we want to provide you with the best information so that you can make a good decision! Just remember- if you’re using M.2 storage devices then there’s no need for PCIe 4.0 because it will support them just fine. And when it comes down to your processor chipsets, keep in mind- there is no denying how much faster they will run with higher bandwidth on offer from 16 PCI-e 5.0 lanes than from Intel’s previous models equipped with just 4 PCI-e 4.0 lanes!
As Intel releases new CPUs with the Alder Lake series, all customers running chipset motherboards won’t be able to upgrade and create compatible PCs. For example, AMD has been releasing several Ryzen CPUs over a span of time – which has allowed them to offer these options through just one motherboard chipset. Older cooling systems are going obsolete as they don’t work well with LGA 1700 sockets – but we’ve found that many people like us rely on the products manufactured by names such as Noctua and Corsair for product upgrades! Take a look at our recommendations for the best LGA 1700 CPU Coolers.
Intel Core i9-12900K Memory and Expansion Specs:
- Max Memory Size: 128 GB
- Memory Support: DDR4 and DDR5
- Memory Transfer Rates: DDR5-4800MT/s, DDR4-3200MT/s
- Number of Memory Channels: 2 (dual channel)
- DMI (Direct Media Interface) Version: 4.0
- Maximum Number of DMI Lanes: 8
- PCI Express Revision: 4.0 and 5.0
- PCI Express Configurations: Up to 1×16+4, 2×8+4
- Maximum Number of PCI Express Lanes: 20
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Memory and Expansion Specs:
- Max Memory Size: 128 GB
- Memory Support: DDR4
- Memory Transfer Rates: DDR4-3200
- Number of Memory Channels: 2 (dual channel)
- DMI (Direct Media Interface) Version:
- Maximum Number of DMI Lanes:
- Maximum Number of PCI Express Lanes: 24
Gaming Benchmarks
Below, we compare Ryzen 9 5900X vs Core i9-12900K which will give you a better idea of which CPU will outperform the other. Among other things, we look at power usage and energy costs when comparing these chips. Let’s take a look at how well each one does in different applications and games by using an AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT GPU, G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000 CL36 RAM, and an MSI Z690 Unify motherboard to run them on.
Test Rig:
- CPU: Intel Core i9-12900K, AMD R9 5900X
- Motherboard: MSI Z690 Unify
- RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-6000
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT
Gaming may seem pointless when you’re reading this list of devices that have different speeds but it’s actually an excellent way to find out who really performs well in a tough job interview. All these CPUs are extremely powerful, but there may be only a small difference in their gaming performance; we’ll now take a look at some benchmarks from different games.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege:
As can be seen here, the new 12900K CPU (with latest DDR5 RAM) outperforms AMD Ryzen 9 5900X when it comes to resolution at ultra. However, when placed up against DDR4-powered CPUs such as the Core i9-12900K processor, it doesn’t look so good. Although this may not seem like much of a difference, there is a slight difference in quality between these two CPUs which needs to be taken into account for future purchases!
Age of Empires IV:
In the next installment of Age of Empires, we saw how much faster the Core i9-12900K was when pitted against AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900X. It delivered a whopping 25% increase in performance! But even though it was strong in some areas, it didn’t perform well against our competitors when we matched them head to head with DDR4 or DDR5 memory; which translated to only a 6% increase in speed.
Marvel’s Guardian of the Galaxy:
With Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, we can see how powerful the graphics card really is. Games have become so much more than just thinking about what CPU you need; they require a well-rounded system that can handle everything from the GPU to the motherboard. For example, even though we lowered the resolution from 4K to 1080p – which would allow for lower settings and better framerate – this game still ran at an unplayable speed because something was wrong with my graphics card.
Watch Dogs Legion:
Ever since the release of Watch Dogs: Legion back in March, there has been much speculation about DDR5 performance. Well, now it’s time for us to answer those questions. Our results are clear, the Core i9-12900K outperformed the Ryzen 9 5900X by 15%. And it didn’t just beat it with DDR4 either – it beat it even more so with DDR5 RAM and widened that margin from 5% up to 15%.
Corona 1.3:
Starting with Corona Renderer, a high-performance photorealistic renderer that may be used with Autodesk 3ds Max, MAXON Cinema 4D, or as a standalone tool. The 12900K has taken up the reigns from its predecessor – it is approximately 8% quicker than the 5900X; translating to the render time of the 12900K being approximately 8% less than that of the 5900X. In addition, it seems like memory type doesn’t matter much when looking at render times; seeing as how both configurations are virtually identical in speed (only an approximate difference of 4%).
Adobe Premiere Pro 2021:
The leading provider of video editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro, has a wide variety of features with which filmmakers can create stunning videos. Recently tested against one another, the 12900K beat out the 5900X when it came to different types of memory -the very important component for processing speed in modern-day computers. Interestingly enough, when using dual-channel DualRank DDR5 memory (16 GB) instead of dual-channel SingleRank DDR4 memory (8 GB), there was an increase of around 4%.
Adobe Photoshop 2022:
One of the most popular pieces of software used for manipulating images- Adobe Photoshop- employs layers in order to deliver depth and versatility. Powerful features, when paired together, make it possible to do anything from beginning to end. The performance gap between the 12900K CPU and the 5900X is even wider when it comes to memory. In this case, DDR5 just makes it even better and delivers a performance advantage of up to 6%.
Adobe After Effects 2022:
Let’s take a look at what happens when you use Adobe After Effects – an animation software used for animation, visual effects, and film compositing. You might be wondering how powerful these computer processors are when it comes to animation or graphics rendering? Well, let me tell you – the 12900K performs exceptionally well here and outperforms the 5900X by a margin of around 14 to 20%. DDR5 RAM pairs with the 12900K is about 6% faster than DDR4 RAM.AMD’s radical new Zen 2 design has been a huge success since it was introduced this past July. This new 7 nm architecture is much more powerful than before and offers enhanced efficiency for the tasks at hand.
Factorio:
Next up is a game named Factorio, which is a construction and management simulation game. You’ll be wondering why a game is included among the application benchmarks – we’ll compare this single-threaded video card benchmark based on the time taken per 1000 updates rather than frames per second. The 12900K outperforms the 5900X by approximately 26 to 28%. With DDR5 RAM paired with it, we see about 2% more performance when compared to DDR4 for the 12900K.
Blender Open Data:
I’ve been looking for an easy, yet powerful, way to make 3D models but couldn’t find anything that could live up to my standards. But then I discovered this thing called Blender. Although it was an early release from 2010, it still manages to cover all of the fundamental needs for 3D modeling and animation! Coupled with either DDR4 or DDR5 RAM (which are expensive), we can see that the 5900X is just about 10% slower than the 12900K.
Power Consumption and Temperatures
Core i9-12900K is a powerful CPU; However, it comes at the cost of very high power consumption. The total system draw, with 5900X, consumed about 242 watts, while the 12900K power draw was over 350 watts. This translates to about a 30% increase in total system power draw – an enormous difference.
In terms of heat, the 5900X’s peak temperature hit 71 degrees Celsius while under normal usage. It may not be an excellent performance, but it did outperform its competitor easily who reached just 82 degrees during gaming. However, there was a clear winner when it came to stress-testing – AMD had an average temperature of 65 degrees Celsius whereas Intel’s 12900K hit 101 degrees Celsius!
With regards to overall temperature, the 5900X increased by nearly 10 degrees from idle at 71 degrees Celsius. This does show some worse performance than its competition with only 82 being seen for gaming. In terms of stress testing, however, AMD had an average temperature of 65°C but Intel’s 12900K reached 101°C!
Ryzen 9 5900X vs i9-12900k – Which One is Better?
Now that we have gone over everything, it’s time to determine what kind of CPU is best for you. In order to make an informed decision, let us break down all the attributes of each one and highlight what sets them apart from each other.
Firstly, take into account the features and specs of these CPUs. The addition of P-Cores and E-Cores and the existence of the integrated UHD 770 Graphics engine give it a major advantage over the 5900X, which is essentially graphics-less. If you’re looking for a CPU but don’t want to have to worry about an extra GPU, then the 12900K is worth considering.
The 12900K outperformed the 5900X in gaming tests by about 10%. With increased resolutions, the GPU becomes the limiting factor- decreasing the performance difference between processors. This means that it would be reasonable to infer that at 1080p, the 12900K will outperform its predecessor.
As you can see from the numbers and data, Intel has worked hard to improve on its previous processors- but there’s still room for improvement. And if we’re talking about efficiency – let me tell you something- it just doesn’t get better than what AMD is offering right now. In fact, the newest Ryzen models were made with highly-efficient materials which means they don’t waste power or produce as much heat as before!
It’s true that the 12900K is priced higher than its predecessor, the 5900X. However, it should be noted that while they perform differently on average, they are priced very similarly to one another. The differences in performance margins seem negligible enough when you consider how little of an impact this has on prices if you decide to use DDR4 RAM instead of LPDDR3.
The current market state of DDR5 is frightening. It’s rather expensive and the stuff never lasts very long. In spite of its improved performance, 12900K computers with DDR5 memory do not make sense because they are much more expensive than their predecessors – the old sticks are still cheaper and last just as long if you ask me.
Intel’s newest addition, the Z690 chipset, combined with an increase in performance from the 12900K processor (with DDR4 memory) makes this a great option when compared to building your own computer from scratch.
Based on the preceding assessments of i9-12900k vs Ryzen 9 5900x, we may deduce that Intel’s Core i9-12900K is the superior selection for everyone.
