FPSVersusCore i5-14600K vs Core i9-12900K
Performance score
Core i5-14600K and Core i9-12900K are almost equally fast (under 3% apart) — choose by price, socket and platform.
Both CPUs use the same socket (LGA1700), so you can swap one for the other on the same board (check BIOS support).
The score is our own estimate from the specs (cores, threads, clocks, architecture generation), not a benchmark run. 100 = the fastest CPU in our database.
Real tests
What the test measures
Blender is a popular free 3D graphics program. The test makes the device render three ready-made 3D scenes (light, shadows, reflections) and counts how many render passes it finishes per minute. The higher the number, the faster the device handles heavy work: 3D, video editing, photo processing. On a CPU the test loads all cores at once, so it shows the chip's full power; on a graphics card it shows its compute strength.
Median of real test runs on users' computers. It does not show FPS in games. Data updated: 31.10.2026.
Overview
| Core i5-14600K | Core i9-12900K | |
|---|---|---|
| Score (0–100) | 55.56 | 56.63 |
| Ranking position | 46 | 45 |
| Price/performance (0–100) | 62.5 | 34.5 |
| Power efficiency (0–100) | 23.23 | 23.68 |
| Type | Desktop | Desktop |
| Manufacturer | Intel | Intel |
| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Alder Lake |
| Release date | 2023-10-17 | 2021-11-04 |
| Launch price | $319 | $589 |
Specifications
| Core i5-14600K | Core i9-12900K | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 14 | 16 |
| Threads | 20 | 24 |
| P + E cores | 6 + 8 | 8 + 8 |
| Base clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.2 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.3 GHz | 5.2 GHz |
| L2 cache | 20 MB | 14 MB |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 30 MB |
| Process node | Intel 7 | Intel 7 |
| Unlocked multiplier | yes | yes |
| Integrated graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 770 | Intel UHD Graphics 770 |
| NPU (AI accelerator) | no | no |
Compatibility
| Core i5-14600K | Core i9-12900K | |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1700 | LGA1700 |
| TDP | 125 W | 125 W |
| Max temperature | 100 °C | 100 °C |
Memory and PCI Express
| Core i5-14600K | Core i9-12900K | |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200 | DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 |
| Memory channels | 2 | 2 |
| Max memory | 192 GB | 128 GB |
| PCI Express version | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| PCIe lanes | 20 | 20 |
Pros and cons
Core i5-14600K
- 5% faster single core
- newer: released in 2023
- cheaper at launch: $319 vs $589
Core i9-12900K
- more cores: 16 vs 14
- more threads: 24 vs 20
- bigger L3 cache: 30 MB vs 24 MB
Other comparisons
Visitor rating
Questions and comments
Share your experience, ask a question or tell us about a mistake on this page: Core i5-14600K / Core i9-12900K.
No comments yet — be the first.