Intel Core i5-12600KF vs Intel Core i9-12900K — Specs & Performance Compared

Verdict: The Intel Core i9-12900K is ahead of the Intel Core i5-12600KF on all 6 shared benchmarks on file, by 5% to 56%, including 56% in Cinebench R23 multi (27,392 vs 17,579).

Side-by-side CPU comparison of the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the Intel Core i9-12900K. Both released in 2021. MSRP range: $264 · $589. Specs, synthetic benchmarks, AI inference tok/s, and Amazon availability below; each column header links to that part's benchmark page.

Intel · Alder Lake

Intel Core i5-12600KF

10 cores125W TDP$264 MSRP2021

Full Intel Core i5-12600KF benchmarks →

Intel · Alder Lake

Intel Core i9-12900K

16 cores125W TDP$589 MSRP2021

Full Intel Core i9-12900K benchmarks →

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Price and availability subject to change.

Where to buy

A listing for each part; the current price and stock are on the retailer's page.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-12900K
cores	10	16
threads	16	24
p cores	6	8
e cores	4	8
base clock ghz	3.7	3.2
boost clock ghz	4.9	—
tdp w	125	125
l2 cache mb	—	14
l3 cache mb	20	30
process nm	10	—
socket	LGA1700	LGA1700

Synthetic benchmarks

Each row says whether a higher or a lower number is better (ranks and times are lower-is-better). Scores come from GadgetVersus, Notebookcheck, PCBench, TechSpot, CGDirector, HardwareDB, technical.city, Geekbench Browser, CpuTronic, NanoReview and PassMark; each row links its sources, and where they differ the cell shows their median. Empty cells mean we don't yet have that benchmark on file for the SKU.

Benchmark	Intel Core i5-12600KF	Intel Core i9-12900K
Cinebench R23 multi (higher is better) Source: GadgetVersus, Notebookcheck, PCBench, TechSpot, CGDirector	17,579 points	27,392 points
Cinebench R23 single (higher is better) Source: GadgetVersus, Notebookcheck, PCBench, TechSpot, CGDirector	1,860 points	2,004 points
Geekbench 6 multi (higher is better) Source: HardwareDB, technical.city, Geekbench Browser, CpuTronic, NanoReview	11,934 points	17,450 points
Geekbench 6 single (higher is better) Source: HardwareDB, technical.city, Geekbench Browser, CpuTronic, NanoReview	2,470 points	2,715 points
PassMark CPU Mark (higher is better) Source: PassMark	27,529 points	41,122 points
PassMark single thread (higher is better) Source: PassMark	—	4,128 points
PassMark Single Thread (higher is better) Source: PassMark	3,915 points	—
PassMark Single Thread Rating (higher is better) Source: PassMark	3,916 points	4,128 points

Quick answers

Which is faster, the Intel Core i5-12600KF or the Intel Core i9-12900K?

The Intel Core i9-12900K is ahead of the Intel Core i5-12600KF on all 6 shared benchmarks on file, by 5% to 56%, including 56% in Cinebench R23 multi (27,392 vs 17,579).

What did the Intel Core i5-12600KF and the Intel Core i9-12900K cost at launch?

The Intel Core i5-12600KF launched at a $264 MSRP and the Intel Core i9-12900K at $589. Street prices drift from launch pricing; the Where to buy section links current listings.