Core i9-12900K vs Core i9-9900K

The short answer

On paper, the Core i9-12900K is the stronger processor, ahead of the Core i9-9900K in 7 of the specs we compare (the Core i9-9900K leads in 0).

• The Core i9-12900K is 3 generations newer (12th gen, launched Q4'21) than the Core i9-9900K (9th gen, Q4'18). The newer chip uses a newer core design that generally gets more work done per clock, so clock speeds alone understate the gap.
• The Core i9-12900K has 16 cores and 24 threads (8 Performance-cores and 8 Efficient-cores), against 8 cores and 16 threads on the Core i9-9900K. More cores and threads help most with multitasking, video editing, 3D rendering, compiling code and other work that spreads across many cores.
• The Core i9-12900K reaches 5.20 GHz with turbo, 4% higher than the Core i9-9900K's 5.00 GHz. Higher clocks help games and everyday apps that lean on a few fast cores.
• The Core i9-12900K has 30 MB of cache versus 16 MB.
• They use different sockets (FCLGA1700 vs FCLGA1151), so each needs its own motherboard: you can't swap one into the other's board.
• The Core i9-12900K supports DDR5 as well as DDR4 memory (depending on the motherboard); the Core i9-9900K is limited to DDR4.
• The Core i9-9900K is rated at 95 W base power versus 125 W, so it's easier to cool and suits smaller cases.

This verdict is generated from official specifications only. We haven't benchmarked these processors, so it doesn't measure real-world speed in games or apps; check independent benchmarks for your specific use.