Is 12th gen i7 good for gaming? (2023)

Which i7 generation is best for gaming?

One of the best processors for gaming in 2022 are the Intel Core i7 11700K. It has a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz and a boost clock speed of 5 GHz. It has eight cores and sixteen threads. These processors offer the best performance for gaming.

The most important reason to upgrade to the new Intel's 12th Gen processors is the performance gains that reaches up to 11 to 12 percent compared to the 11th Gen processor, of course it's not a big increase in performance worth upgrading to if you already have an 11th gen processor, but it'll be a great jump in ...

The Best Intel 12^th Gen CPU For Gaming

The Core i5-12400F is a fantastic mid-range processor for 1080p gaming, giving you great value for money. The best bang for buck for gaming though, can be found with the Core i5-12600K.

Due to the raw power of Core i7-12700k, it offers a much better gaming performance than Ryzen 7 5800X. With the latest hybrid core design where the CPU can prioritize tasks to P-core and E-core, it can deliver up to 10% better performance uptick.

In Intel's simple terms, the Core i9 is faster than the Core i7, which is faster than the Core i5. But faster isn't always better, and most people don't need the extra horsepower.

The Intel Core i7-12700K is a good choice for those looking for a mid-to-high tier CPU with a performance boost over the Core i5-12600K. The Core i7-12700K features the ability to overclock and with the new architectural design from the Alder Lake series, users can expect maximum performance.

Overall, the 12th-gen CPU clocks in a healthy 16 percent advantage over the 11th gen chip.

Alder Lake H-series has the most powerful 12th gen mobile chips from Intel that are capable of going against the raw performance of Apple M1 Max. The top of the line 12900HK's performance is also comparable to the general performance of the 12900K chip.

They're probably not worth recommending if you want to work and play on that PC, but for an efficient and very affordable entry-level PC, you're not going to find anything better this generation.

Is Intel 13th gen out?

Following AMD's late-2022 launch of the Ryzen 7000 series, Intel's own next-gen CPUs are now official. The 13th Gen "Raptor Lake" desktop CPUs hit the market on October 20, 2022 and in the usual way, there's a lot to talk about.

The results show that Framework Laptops with 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processors are a leap ahead of their 11th Gen counterparts. The i7-1280P, with 6 Performance cores and 8 Efficient cores delivered an impressive multi-core score of 11,076 — 90% higher than its predecessor.

I9 is still better than i7 with higher core count and cache, but the naming convention is much more arbitrary with no i7 vs i9 feature differences. 10 core or more = i9, 8 core = i7, and that's it. With 10th Gen Core X though, Intel simply made all processors i9.

The peak CPU temperature is 50°C ~86°C for Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700. We also used the MAG CORELIQUID C240 for comparison and the thermal performance is much better. It keeps the Core i5-12600 and Core i7-12700 under 80°C for content creation and gaming.

For ideal results, a machine running an Intel® Core™ i7 processor or better with at least 8GB of RAM is sufficient for playing games and streaming at the same time. If you're hoping for less impact on your gaming performance, an Intel® Core™ i9 processor makes for an even smoother experience.

The short answer is that the Core i9 is faster and more powerful than the Core i7. It has more cores, meaning it can handle more tasks at once, and it runs at a higher clock speed, meaning it can process data faster. If you need maximum performance for gaming or other demanding tasks, then the Core i9 is your best bet.

Intel still leads the market for CPUs, offering the best balance between price and performance. Because of their unrivaled single-thread clock speeds, gamers will certainly want to go for an Intel CPU. AMD is increasingly competitive, and their new Ryzen 9 chip is the most powerful consumer-grade CPU.

With the Radeon RX 6800 XT, the Ryzen 7 7700X and the Core i7-12700K offer roughly the same performance. However, when paired with the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, the Ryzen 7 7700X is over 30% faster than the 12700K despite both exhibiting lower performance overall.

Gaming: Do You Need a Core i7 or a Core i9 for Desktop Fragging? For most gamers, both the i7 and i9 line of chips are a bit overkill to justify their higher price points compared to chips in the i3 and i5 brackets.

A higher clock speed is better, so if you have the extra cash, a 12th-gen i7 is a great option. The i7-1280P consumes the same amount of power as the i5-1250P while boasting a higher boost clock speed, making it ideal for high-performance thin-and-light laptops.

Is i7 high end?

Intel® Core™ i7 Processors

These processors power high-end PCs with excellent CPU performance for discrete-level graphics and AI acceleration.

Best answer: Yes, absolutely. The affordable i7-12700K ranks high in CPU performance tests, placing just below the more expensive Intel Core i9-12900K and AMD Ryzen 9 5900X.

Those results suggest that on a single-threaded front, the 7700X is roughly equivalent to the 12700K, but that when it comes to multi-threaded performance, it's notably quicker, offering the kind of performance only previously seen with the Core i9-12900K.

Intel Core i7 12700K: future-proof

In addition, the 12700K is a processor for the future, thanks to the DDR5 compatibility, for example. You do need an LGA 1700 socket on your motherboard for this processor, otherwise it won't work. That means you probably need a new motherboard and RAM.

Is 12th Gen Intel good for gaming? Yes. However, they have now been surpassed by both Intel and AMD. If you're considering a new generation of processors too and your budget can go that far, read our AMD Ryzen 7000 vs Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake guide.

Last Updated on October 20, 2022

The new Intel 13th Gen processors are certainly worth waiting for. The reason is quite simple: these processors will offer the “world's best gaming experience,” according to Intel's CEO, Patrick Gelsinger. Raptor Lake architecture is expected to ensure the new CPUs reach 6.0 GHz.

The i9 12th gen processors have the capacity of super multitasking without even a single glitch. With the support of both DDR5 4800 and DDR4 3200, the i9 offers fast memory speeds without overclocking.

Benchmarks show that Intel's latest Core i9 processors received a higher score than Apple's ‌M1 Max‌ chip in tests, but that 4% increase in performance is offset by a marked reduction in battery life compared to Apple's chips.

An 11th gen Core i7-1185G7 can match or greatly exceed the M1's performance in a MacBook Pro in both native and non-native applications. In battery life, it's pretty much a wash.

The M2 can't beat Intel's Core i7-1260P in performance, but it can definitely beat it in power efficiency. Obviously, it's not all just about raw performance, and Apple's main point is it can offer outstanding performance with the M2 at a fraction of the power consumption of an Intel Core i7-1260P CPU.

Is Intel 12th Gen overkill?

Yes, this level of computer power is overkill for most users.

Winner: Intel.

Both Intel and AMD support PCIe 5.0 and DDR5, which results in a gen-on-gen increase in motherboard pricing. However, Intel's platform also supports DDR4, so you can avoid both the DDR5 memory and motherboard tax.

Core i9 12900K is most powerful processor available today

It can turbo up to 5.20 GHz and has a base clock of 3.20 GHz for the Performance cores and 2.40 GHz for the Efficiency cores. It is one of the few processors that hit 5+ GHz out of the box. The impressive on-paper specs translate beautifully into video games.

The announcement was made during that year's WWDC Keynote Address. At the time Apple announced the transition, Jobs attributed the switch to a superior product roadmap that Intel offered, as well as an inability to build products envisioned by Apple based on the PowerPC product roadmap.

Intel XEON 14 CORE Processor E5-2690V4 2.6GHZ 35MB Smart Cache 9.6 GT/S QPI TDP 135W.

The flagship Core i9-13900K is priced at $589 (with retailers offering it at around $659 today) and includes 24 cores, 32 threads, and clock speeds of up to 5.8GHz.

AMD's 64-core, with 128 threads, Ryzen ThreadRipper 3990X desktop PC processor is considered the world's fastest CPU in 2021. The CPU features a 2.9 GHz base clock and a 4.3 GHz max boost clock that facilitates multitasking and fast load times.

In benchmarks focusing specifically on frequency and latency on both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, Techspot tested a variety of applications and games on Intel's 12th-gen Alder Lake CPUs. The TL;DR here is that the frequency and latency usually doesn't matter much.

The benchmarks I've run convinced me that the Intel Core i9-12900K is not just a high-end processor. It's one of the best you can get today, and AMD has nothing available to compete with it. It outmatches all of AMD's desktop processors right now, in gaming as well as in almost any other type of activity.

What is the fastest Intel processor?

Intel claims that the 5.6GHz turbo boost clock speed of the new Core i9 chip is the fastest mobile processor as of December 2022, with 11 percent faster single-thread performance and 49 percent faster multitask performance over the prior-generation Intel Core i9-12900HK chip.

However, Intel has stated that its 12th Gen processors offer a significant performance improvement over its 11th Gen processors, so the upgrade may be worth the investment for gamers and power users.

Noctua's gigantic, coffee-colored NH-D15 is the best cooler for the Intel Core i7-12700K. Two 140mm PWM-controlled fans spin up to 1500 RPM, with the whole unit standing at 165mm tall, so you must check your case and motherboard for clearance.

The 12700K CPU's support for DDR5 with a max stock speed of 4800 MHz can be excellent for performance with the latest graphics-intense games.

Custom computer builder Puget Systems claims that some Core i7 CPUs can remain stable in temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius (210 Fahrenheit).

GeForce RTX 3080 FE: 4K CPU Benchmarks

4K ultra at 60 fps or more is now totally possible, and you can do it with a Core i7-4770K, Ryzen 5 3600, or go all the way and pair it with a Core i9-10900K or Ryzen 9 3900X.

60 frames per second (FPS) is the minimum target for smooth gameplay. Recommend 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 K processors for the performance headroom required for this demanding gaming experience.

A higher clock speed is better, so if you have the extra cash, a 12th-gen i7 is a great option. The i7-1280P consumes the same amount of power as the i5-1250P while boasting a higher boost clock speed, making it ideal for high-performance thin-and-light laptops.

The 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor clocks at a speed of 2.8 GHz, with turbo boost up to 3.8 GHz, for a seamless gaming experience. Equipped with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 128 GB SSD, this laptop makes multitasking fast and fun.

Is 10th generation i7 better than 11th generation i7?

11th Gen CPU is only up to 8 cores / 16 threads; Better overclocking potential, at least based on the reviews; 10th Gen CPUs are cheaper now and offers better value or price to performance; Slightly better power draw or slightly efficient.

With native support for the new DirectX 125 API, 6th Gen Intel Core processors can provide a better experience for gaming and graphics that take advantage of DirectX 12.

Overall, the 12th-gen CPU clocks in a healthy 16 percent advantage over the 11th gen chip.

“Generally speaking, Intel Core i9 processors offer higher performance because they have more cores, higher frequencies, more cache and draw more power,” Moorhead says. “If you or your users require the highest performance with single-threaded or multithreaded workloads, the i9 is the one to choose.”

Intel® Core™ i7 Processors

These processors power high-end PCs with excellent CPU performance for discrete-level graphics and AI acceleration.

60 frames per second (FPS) is the minimum target for smooth gameplay. Recommend 7th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 K processors for the performance headroom required for this demanding gaming experience.

Gaming: Comparing the i5 vs i7 for gaming, the i7 is better for intensive, high-end gaming performance. Plus, the i7 features Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 — the latest line in Intel's overclocking feature.

The Core i7-11700K offers solid performance in our gaming test suite, but you should look to less expensive alternatives, like the Ryzen 5 5600X or Core i5-11400, if gaming is your primary goal.

For most gamers, both the i7 and i9 line of chips are a bit overkill to justify their higher price points compared to chips in the i3 and i5 brackets.

Backported from 10nm and released mid-cycle, the Cypress Cove core architecture was redesigned to work with Intel's 14nm process. This was likely the reason behind the high failure rate, especially if you consider the fact that the 10th Gen lineup (also fabbed on the same node) had a failure rate of less than 0.3%.

Is Intel 12th gen better than 10th gen?

So, there you have it – a comparison of Intel's 10th, 11th, and 12th generation processors. If you're looking for the best performance, go with a 12th-generation processor. If you're looking for slightly less performance but slightly cheaper, go with an 11th-generation processor.