Intel Core i5-12600H vs Intel Core i9-13900H Comparison

The Intel Core i9-13900H and Intel Core i5-12600H are two mobile processors that, despite their different generational names and core counts, land almost exactly on top of each other in overall average benchmark score. The i9-13900H posts an average benchmark score of 28886, while the i5-12600H is essentially tied at 28882, a delta of 0%. Both sit at the 81st percentile among all CPUs. However, this near-identical aggregate hides a deeply split performance profile, where the i9 dominates in most multi-threaded and compute-heavy tasks, but the i5 surprisingly wins decisively in specific Cinebench tests. The head-to-head data shows 14 wins for the i9-13900H and 3 wins for the i5-12600H, but the magnitude of those three losses is significant.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the comparison is the Cinebench R23 multi-core test, where the i5-12600H scores 20072 against the i9-13900H’s 17471. That is a 13% advantage for the i5, a counterintuitive outcome given the i9’s higher core and thread counts. The single-core Cinebench R23 result is even more lopsided in favor of the i5: it scores 2833 versus 1964.5 for the i9, a 30.7% lead. Similarly, in Cinebench R15 single-core, the i5 wins by a smaller margin, scoring 285 against the i9’s 279, a 2.1% difference. These three wins for the i5 are concentrated entirely in the Cinebench suite, suggesting that the i5’s architecture or boost behavior is better tuned for those specific rendering workloads.

Every other head-to-head benchmark favors the i9-13900H, often by wide margins. In Cinebench R20, the i9 wins both multi-core (9676 vs 8430, a 14.8% lead) and single-core (1365 vs 1189, also 14.8%). The Passmark suite shows the i9’s dominance most clearly. In integer math, the i9 scores 97159 against the i5’s 71168, a 36.5% advantage. Floating point math shows a 35.8% lead (69611 vs 51264). The i9 also wins in extended instructions (19330 vs 14508, 33.2%), find prime numbers (104 vs 71, 46.5%), and physics (1745 vs 1262, 38.3%). Data compression is another strong win for the i9, scoring 326425 versus 247404, a 31.9% lead, while data encryption sees a 28.2% advantage (18974 vs 14799). Random string sorting goes to the i9 by 28.9% (35637 vs 27653). The Passmark multi-thread score favors the i9 at 27673 versus 21128, a 31% difference, and even the single-thread score shows an 8.7% lead for the i9 (3754 vs 3453). In the 3DMark tests, which are only available for the i9, the scores range from 1078 (single-thread) to 7670 (max threads), but these cannot be compared directly.

The pattern is clear: the i9-13900H wins the vast majority of tests, often by 30-40%, but its losses in Cinebench R23 are severe enough to nearly erase its aggregate advantage. The overall average benchmark scores are effectively identical, making this a nuanced matchup where the choice depends heavily on which workloads matter most.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-13900H is the clear winner for compute-heavy, multi-threaded workloads outside of Cinebench R23. The data shows it leads by more than 30% in Passmark’s integer math, floating point math, physics, and multi-thread tests, and by over 45% in the find prime numbers test. It also wins in data compression (31.9%), data encryption (28.2%), and extended instructions (33.2%). For users running scientific calculations, video encoding, or any task that stresses the CPU’s arithmetic and logic units, the i9’s 14 cores and 20 threads provide a substantial advantage over the i5’s 12 cores and 16 threads. The i9 also holds an edge in single-thread Passmark performance (8.7% lead), meaning it is not merely a multi-core brute but also slightly faster for less parallel tasks.

The i5-12600H’s wins are narrower in the overall scheme but cannot be ignored. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score is 13% higher, and its R23 single-core score is 30.7% higher. The R15 single-core win is small (2.1%), but the R23 results are substantial. This suggests the i5-12600H is better suited for workflows that rely heavily on Cinebench or similar rendering engines, particularly those that are sensitive to single-core performance. The i5 also wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having fewer cores, which may indicate that its thermal or power management behavior is more effective in sustained rendering workloads, at least according to the benchmark results. For a user whose primary application is Cinebench-based rendering, the i5 is the better choice based on this data.

The Verdict

The decision between these two CPUs, strictly from the benchmark data, depends on the user’s workload profile. If the priority is general compute performance, multi-threaded productivity, or any task that appears in the Passmark suite, the i9-13900H is the superior processor. Its wins range from 28% to 46% across most tests, and it also holds a modest single-thread Passmark lead of 8.7%. The i9’s 14 cores and 20 threads, combined with its 24 MB of L3 cache, give it a decisive edge in parallel workloads. It is the safer pick for users who want a versatile high-performance mobile CPU.

However, for users whose primary benchmark is Cinebench—particularly R23—the i5-12600H is unexpectedly better. Its 30.7% lead in R23 single-core and 13% lead in R23 multi-core are not marginal differences. This makes the i5 the correct choice for workloads that are specifically Cinebench-based, such as certain 3D rendering pipelines that rely on that engine. The i5 also benefits from a lower die size (217 mm² vs 257 mm²) and a lower base clock (2.70 GHz vs 2.60 GHz), which might translate to better thermals in some mobile chassis, though the benchmark data does not directly measure that. The two CPUs are otherwise tied in overall average score, so the choice is not about which is faster overall—it is about which is faster for the specific application.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i9-13900H has an average benchmark score of 28886, while the Intel Core i5-12600H scores 28882, a delta of 0%, meaning they are effectively tied.

Q: How large is the i9-13900H’s win in Passmark integer math?

A: The i9-13900H scores 97159 in Passmark integer math, which is 36.5% higher than the i5-12600H’s 71168.

Q: In which test does the i5-12600H have its biggest advantage?

A: The i5-12600H’s biggest advantage is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 2833 versus the i9-13900H’s 1964.5, a 30.7% lead.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The i9-13900H has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the i5-12600H has 12 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory with a dual-channel memory bus, and neither supports ECC memory.

Q: What is the difference in their L3 cache sizes?

A: The i9-13900H has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-12600H has 18 MB of shared L3 cache.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and microarchitectures. The i9-13900H is based on Raptor Lake, with the codename Raptor Lake-H, while the i5-12600H uses Alder Lake, with the codename Alder Lake-H. Both are built on Intel’s 10 nm process node, and both are manufactured by Intel. The i9-13900H has a larger die size at 257 mm², compared to the i5-12600H’s 217 mm². The L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, but the L2 cache differs: the i9 has 2 MB per core, while the i5 has 1.25 MB per core. The L3 cache also differs, with the i9 featuring 24 MB shared and the i5 having 18 MB shared. The integrated graphics are different as well: the i9 uses Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units, while the i5 uses Iris Xe Graphics with 80 execution units. The PCIe support also differs, with the i9 offering Gen 5 with 8 lanes (CPU only) and the i5 offering Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Both processors are unlocked in the sense that they have a locked multiplier, and both are mobile market segment parts.

Specification Differences

The specification differences between the two are primarily in core count, clock speeds, cache, graphics, and PCIe generation. The i9-13900H has 14 cores and 20 threads, while the i5-12600H has 12 cores and 16 threads. The base clock is lower on the i9 at 2.60 GHz versus the i5’s 2.70 GHz, but the boost clock is higher on the i9 at 5.40 GHz versus the i5’s 4.50 GHz. Both have a TDP of 45 watts. The L2 cache is 2 MB per core on the i9 and 1.25 MB per core on the i5, while L3 is 24 MB on the i9 and 18 MB on the i5. The integrated graphics differ, with the i9 having 96 execution units and the i5 having 80. The PCIe support is different: the i9 has Gen 5 with 8 lanes, while the i5 has Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The i9 has a launch MSRP of $617, while the i5 has no launch MSRP listed. The i9 was released on 2023-01-03, while the i5 has no release date listed. The part numbers are SRMJ4 for the i9 and SRLCZ for the i5.