Intel Core i9-12900F vs Intel Core i9-7980XE

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i9-12900F and Intel Core i9-7980XE processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i9-12900F

Intel Core i9-7980XE

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i9-12900F

CPU is newer: launch date 4 year(s) 4 month(s) later
Around 21% higher clock speed: 5.10 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Around 6% higher maximum core temperature: 100°C vs 94°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 7 nm vs 14 nm
Around 11% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 11% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 21% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
2.5x lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 165 Watt
Around 64% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 4025 vs 2460
Around 21% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 36291 vs 30020

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	4 Jan 2022 vs September 2017
Maximum frequency	5.10 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Maximum core temperature	100°C vs 94°C
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm vs 14 nm
L1 cache	1280 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	20 MB vs 1024 KB (per core)
L3 cache	30 MB vs 25344 KB (shared)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 165 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	4025 vs 2460
PassMark - CPU mark	36291 vs 30020

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i9-7980XE

Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 18 vs 16
12 more threads: 36 vs 24
Around 3% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 10876 vs 10516

Specifications (specs)
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	18 vs 16
Number of threads	36 vs 24
Benchmarks
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	10876 vs 10516

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i9-12900F
CPU 2: Intel Core i9-7980XE

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

4025

2460

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

36291

30020

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

10516

10876

Name	Intel Core i9-12900F	Intel Core i9-7980XE
PassMark - Single thread mark	4025	2460
PassMark - CPU mark	36291	30020
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	10516	10876
Geekbench 4 - Single Core		1177
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core		16370
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		40.947
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		484.771
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		3.237
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		21.073
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		218.231

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i9-12900F	Intel Core i9-7980XE
Essentials
Architecture codename	Alder Lake	Skylake
Launch date	4 Jan 2022	September 2017
Launch price (MSRP)	$540	$1,999
Place in performance rating	194	178
Processor Number	i9-12900F	i9-7980XE
Series	12th Generation Intel Core i9 Processors	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Price now		$2,005.50
Status		Launched
Value for money (0-100)		4.08
Performance
64 bit support
L1 cache	1280 KB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	20 MB	1024 KB (per core)
L3 cache	30 MB	25344 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	100°C	94°C
Maximum frequency	5.10 GHz	4.20 GHz
Number of cores	16	18
Number of threads	24	36
Base frequency		2.60 GHz
Bus Speed		8 GT/s DMI3
Number of QPI Links		0
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	2	4
Maximum memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s
Maximum memory size	128 GB	128 GB
Supported memory types	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	DDR4-2666
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	45.0 mm x 37.5 mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1700	FCLGA2066
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	165 Watt
Thermal Solution	PCG 2020C	PCG 2017X
Low Halogen Options Available
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	20	44
PCI Express revision	5.0 and 4.0	3.0
PCIe configurations	Up to 1x16+4, 2x8+4
Scalability	1S Only	1S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® OS Guard
Intel® Secure Key technology
Secure Boot
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel SSE4.1, Intel SSE4.2, Intel AVX2	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2, Intel® AVX-512
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® Volume Management Device (VMD)
Speed Shift technology
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Number of AVX-512 FMA Units		2
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)