Core i9-12900KF vs Core i9-9960X
Aggregate performance score
i9-12900KF outperforms i9-9960X by a substantial 35% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in performance ranking | 276 | 171 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | 11.45 | 64.00 |
| Market segment | Desktop processor | Desktop processor |
| Series | Intel Core i9 | Intel Core i9 |
| Architecture codename | Skylake (server) (2017−2019) | Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) |
| Release date | 8 October 2018 (5 years ago) | 27 October 2021 (2 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $1,684 | $564 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance per price, higher is better.
i9-12900KF has 459% better value for money than i9-9960X.
Detailed specifications
Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.
| Physical cores | 16 (Hexadeca-Core) | 16 (Hexadeca-Core) |
| Threads | 32 | 24 |
| Base clock speed | 3.1 GHz | 3.2 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 3.1 GHz | 5.1 GHz |
| Bus support | 4 × 8 GT/s | 8 × 16 GT/s |
| L1 cache | 1 MB | 768 KB |
| L2 cache | 16 MB | 4 MB |
| L3 cache | 22 MB (shared) | 6 MB |
| Chip lithography | 14 nm | Intel 7 nm |
| Die size | 484 mm2 | 215.25 mm2 |
| Maximum case temperature (TCase) | no data | 72 °C |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | + | + |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | Yes |
Compatibility
Information on Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.
| Number of CPUs in a configuration | 1 (Uniprocessor) | 1 |
| Socket | 2066 | 1700 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 165 Watt | 125 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | + | + |
| AVX | + | + |
| vPro | no data | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | + |
| TSX | + | no data |
Virtualization technologies
Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF are enumerated here.
| VT-d | + | + |
| VT-x | + | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | DDR4 Quad-channel | DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel |
| Maximum memory size | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Max memory channels | 4 | no data |
| Maximum memory bandwidth | 85.33 GB/s | 76.805 GB/s |
| ECC memory support | - | no data |
Graphics specifications
General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.
| Integrated graphics card | N/A | no data |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF.
| PCIe version | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| PCI Express lanes | 44 | 20 |
Synthetic benchmark performance
Various benchmark results of the processors in comparison. Overall score is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.
Combined synthetic benchmark score
This is our combined benchmark performance rating. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.
Core i9-12900KF outperforms Core i9-9960X by 35% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Passmark
Passmark CPU Mark is a widespread benchmark, consisting of 8 different types of workload, including integer and floating point math, extended instructions, compression, encryption and physics calculation. There is also one separate single-threaded scenario measuring single-core performance.
Benchmark coverage: 65%
Core i9-12900KF outperforms Core i9-9960X by 35% in Passmark.
GeekBench 5 Single-Core
GeekBench 5 Single-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which to accurately measure performance. This version uses only a single CPU core.
Benchmark coverage: 40%
Core i9-12900KF outperforms Core i9-9960X by 82% in GeekBench 5 Single-Core.
GeekBench 5 Multi-Core
GeekBench 5 Multi-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which to accurately measure performance. This version uses all available CPU cores.
Benchmark coverage: 40%
Core i9-12900KF outperforms Core i9-9960X by 43% in GeekBench 5 Multi-Core.
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 19.63 | 26.59 |
| Recency | 8 October 2018 | 27 October 2021 |
| Threads | 32 | 24 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 165 Watt | 125 Watt |
i9-9960X has 33.3% more threads.
i9-12900KF, on the other hand, has a 35.5% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 3 years, and 32% lower power consumption.
The Core i9-12900KF is our recommended choice as it beats the Core i9-9960X in performance tests.
Should you still have questions on choice between Core i9-9960X and Core i9-12900KF, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
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