Intel Core i7-12700 vs AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is the faster chip for gaming by roughly 3%. Here is the full spec-by-spec breakdown.
| Specification | Intel Core i7-12700 | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming score | 80/100 | 82/100 |
| Tier | A | A |
| Manufacturer | Intel | AMD |
| Cores | 12 | 6 |
| Threads | 20 | 12 |
| Base clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.9 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.9 GHz | 5.4 GHz |
| Power draw (TDP) | 65 W | 65 W |
| Release year | 2022 | 2024 |
Which should you buy?
For gaming specifically, the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is the better buy — it holds a 3% lead in our index, which shows up most at 1080p and in CPU-bound titles like strategy and simulation games. The Intel Core i7-12700 has more cores (12 vs 6), which helps if you stream, compile or render alongside playing. Either way, pair it with a graphics card of similar standing — check the bottleneck calculator before you buy.