Intel Core i7-12700K

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Performance Performance

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Intel Core i7-12700K
The Core i7-12700KF really is something and we’ve got to say, very impressive job, Intel. Sure, you can argue that the Ryzen 7 5800X is a year old by now, but that doesn’t change the fact that the 12700KF is an impressive CPU that often destroys the 5800X in all-core workloads as seen in Cinebench, Chromium, Blender and basically any other application that leans of these CPUs hard.
- As reviewed by TechSpot on Nov 2021
12
Cores
20
Threads
3.6 GHz
Base Clock
4.9 GHz
Boost Clock
Socket LGA 1700
Socket
125 W
TDP
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Integrated Graphics
$259
Price
Release date:Nov 4, 2021Price at Launch:$450
Cores:12Threads:20
Base Clock:3.6 GHzBoost Clock:4.9 GHz
Performance Cores:8Efficient Cores:4
Efficiency Core Clock:2.7 GHzEfficiency Core Boost Clock:3.8 GHz
Type:DesktopMultithreading:Yes
L2 Cache:12 MBL3 Cache:25 MB
Box Cooler:NoTDP:125 W
Socket:Socket LGA 1700Memory Support:DDR4‑3200 or DDR5‑4800
Codename:Alder Lake-SProcess Size:10 nm
Integrated Graphics:YesiGPU Model:Intel UHD Graphics 770
NPU:NoPCIe Support:PCIe 5.0, 16 lanes
Intel Core i7-14700K
A newer model is available:
Intel Core i7-14700K

Performance Benchmarks

All benchmark data reflects aggregated results from dozens of tests conducted in TechSpot’s labs and compiled from our full library of CPU reviews. Single-core productivity scores are based primarily on Cinebench and Adobe Photoshop workloads. Multi-core results draw from Cinebench, Blender, Corona Benchmark, 7-Zip, Adobe Premiere Pro, and shader compilation tests. CPU gaming benchmarks are all 1080p runs (explainer) as published on TechSpot.

Single-Core Productivity

Multi-Core Productivity

Gaming Performance

Price History

Intel Core i7-12700K pricing

Last 6 months
Price Date
Current $259 Dec 15, 2025
Highest* $280 Dec 11, 2025
Lowest* $197 Aug 26, 2025
Average $231
* Prices are based on listings from Newegg and other major retailers over the past 12+ months.
TechSpot is supported by its audience. We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Learn more here.

Reviews and Ratings

88

Average Score

Based on 6 reviews

9.6

User Score

Based on 3,695 reviews

Reviewers Liked

  • Price
  • Integrated graphics show improvement over earlier UHD Graphics solutions
  • Unlocked and overclockable
  • Support for DDR5 and PCI-Express 5.0
  • Much better value for money than Core i9-12900K
  • Runs nice and cool under load
  • 10 nanometer production process
  • Matches 12900K gaming performance

Reviewers Didn't Like

  • No bundled cooler
  • Energy efficiency worse than AMD Zen 3
  • A Z690 motherboard and DDR5 memory will cost a small fortune
90

The Core i7-12700KF really is something and we’ve got to say, very impressive job, Intel. Sure, you can argue that the Ryzen 7 5800X is a year old by now, but that doesn’t change the fact that the 12700KF is an impressive CPU that often destroys the 5800X in all-core workloads as seen in Cinebench, Chromium, Blender and basically any other application that leans of these CPUs hard.

By TechSpot on
94

A fantastic CPU for a reasonable price – it’s unbeatable in games and no slouch in content creation too.

By TopNewReview on
80

Powered by two new microarchitectures, one designed for maximum performance and one for peak efficiency, Intel's Alder Lake CPUs have been making some sizable waves in the desktop processor market. Core counts are once again shooting up, and the Core...

By PCMag IN on
90

The Core i7-12700K comes with all of the gaming performance of its higher-priced i9 counterpart while beating competing Ryzen chips, but it's significantly less expensive. That makes the Core i7-12700K the go-to chip for gamers looking for the highest...

By Tom's Hardware on
85

On paper there is very little to separate the Core i7-12700K from the more expensive Core i9-12900K, however our testing demonstrates conclusively that simply chopping out four E cores and dropping clock speeds a tad is indeed a big deal.To put it...

By Kitguru.net on
90

With a price point of $420, the Core i7-12700K is priced quite competitively, especially when you take its performance into account. While the Ryzen 7 5800X is slightly cheaper at $400 and an 8-core processor, too, the Core i7-12700K is considerably faster in nearly all tasks. As mentioned before, our average is +10%, and that even includes two terribly slow test results when Thread Director failed placement.

By TechPowerUp on

Intel Core i5-12400F, Core i7-12700, Core i5-13400, Core i7-13700 and Core i7-13700K compared, provided by SchenkerRegardless of whether you are looking at an Alder Lake S or a Raptor Lake S CPU, all the processors we tested held up pretty well....

By NotebookCheck on

Our measurements and benchmark scores show that Alder Lake-U processors can make sense, but both Intel as well as notebook manufacturers make it rather difficult for the customer. There are multiple factors for this, starting with the sheer number of...

By NotebookCheck on

That means that we may get an idealised outlook of gaming performance, and the 12900K and 12600K with their higher E-core counts should cope better with more realistic scenarios where background programs like Discord, Chrome or OBS Studio are running. Still, given the price difference between these various CPUs - there is a $180 drop from the 12900K to the 12700K and a $122 drop from the 12600K to the 12400F - we still feel comfortable recommending the cheaper parts!

By EuroGamer on

On average across our eight game test suite at 1080p, the 12700K is 96 percent as fast as the 12900K - incredibly close. Meanwhile, the 12600K is 90 percent of the speed of the 12900K, and the 12400F is another cut behind at 82 percent the speed of 12900K. At each step down the ladder, you are losing measurable amounts of performance, but 12th-gen is extremely competitive compared to both AMD's Ryzen 5000 series and Intel's previous 11th-gen chips.

By EuroGamer on

The Core I7-12700K is a decent choice where you are not only focusing on gaming. The Core I7 series is originally designed to deal with high-end gaming as well as high-end tasks like rendering graphics and doing intense algorithm work. The heads tart of greater core & thread count makes the Core I7 a perfect CPU for power users.

By Tech4Gamers on

They're all fantastic, and I think most will be happy with the 12600K or even the 12700K if you need a little more punch. The prices of both are certainly more competitive than I expected. However, the 12900K is just such a brutal weapon that I can't...

By eTeknix on
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