Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i7-12700K?
Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i7-12700K? Let's find out
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The AMD Ryzen 5 7600 (not to be confused with the Ryzen 5 7600X) is a budget Zen 4 processor launched in Q1, 2023. The Intel Core i7-12700K is a high-end Alder Lake CPU that was released in November 2021. Today, we’re finding out: Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i7-12700K?
Now Read: Best CPU for gaming
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 vs. Core i7-12700K – CPU specs
Let’s first take a look at the official specs for both processors.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 (Non-X)
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
L3 32MB
Socket
AM5
Ryzen 5 7600
- Architecture: Zen 4
- Core count: 6
- Thread count: 12
- Base speed: 3.8GHz
- Boost speed: 5.1GHz
- Cache: 32MB
- TDP 65W
Intel Core i7-12700K
Boost clock speed (single core)
4.9 GHz
Total Cores / Threads
12/20
P-cores
8
E-cores
4
Socket
LGA 1700
Overclockable
Yes
Core i7-12700K
- Cores: P-cores 8 / E-cores 4
- Threads: 20
- Base clock frequency: P-cores 3.6 GHz / E-cores 2.7 GHz
- Boost clock frequency: P-cores 5.0 GHz / E-cores 3.8 GHz
- L3 cache: 25MB
- Default TDP: 125 W / 190 W boost.
- iGPU: Intel UHD graphics 770
How does the Ryzen 5 7600 compare to the Core i7-12700K?
The Ryzen 5 7600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor, whereas the i7-12700K is a 12-core, 20-thread processor. However, 4 of the cores in the 12700K are smaller efficiency cores.
Interestingly, it’s the Ryzen 5 7600 that has the higher maximum clock speed, with a 5.1GHz boost clock compared to the i7-12700K’s 5.0GHz boost clock. A 100MHz difference, which, admittedly, doesn’t amount to much on its own.
Also worth pointing out is the difference in L3 cache between the two processors. The 7600 has a 32MB L3 cache, whereas the 12700K has a slightly smaller 25MB shared L3 cache. We know that having a larger cache is beneficial to performance in certain workloads, especially gaming.
Let’s see how these differences influence the performance of the two processors.
Performance
Single-thread performance is a tie, with either processor winning by a hair across various games and applications – likely due to differences in software optimization. The Ryzen 5 7600 has a 100Mhz higher boost clock, but, practically speaking, this is a tiny difference.
Single-thread performance determines gaming performance, so both processors will run your games equally well. In other words, you’ll see both processors deliver the same FPS while CPU bound.
Multicore performance is an entirely different story, though, since the Core i7 has much more cores and threads than the Ryzen 5. The 7600 struggles in multicore-heavy workloads due to a lack of physical cores and threads.
Ultimately, we see the 12700K outperform the Ryzen 5 7600 by an average margin of ~40%.
Power usage and thermals
The Ryzen 5 7600 is the more power-efficient processor, with a modest 65-watt TDP.
The 12700K’s 190-watt TDP is almost thrice as high, which means not only does it consume a ton of power – it also generates a lot of heat, and will require liquid cooling with an AIO or custom loop for its temperatures to be kept under control.
Price and value
The R5 7600 retails at ~$230. The i7-12700K launched at an MSRP of $409 but is available for closer to $300 today. Both processors can be considered mid-range CPUs by modern standards, although $300 and above is kind of pushing it.
Is Ryzen 5 7600 better than Core i7-12700K? Final Verdict
The Ryzen 5 7600 is not better than the Core i7-12700K in terms of performance. Both CPUs are practically even in single-core performance (gaming), and the 12700K is significantly better in multicore performance.
But – the 7600 is indeed cheaper. If you’re looking for a gaming processor, it’s the better option between the two since you get gaming performance similar to the 12700K but for $70 cheaper.
If you’re looking for something for your workstation, go with the 12700K. Its extra cores and threads allow it to handle more tasks in parallel and complete bulky tasks in shorter timeframes.
