Intel Core i7-12700 vs Intel Core i7-12800H Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data paints a clear split between these two Alder Lake processors. The Intel Core i7-12700 dominates the vast majority of recorded tests, taking 15 of 17 head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core i7-12800H manages only two wins, and both are narrow. This is not a close contest in most workloads, but the two victories for the mobile chip reveal specific strengths worth noting.

The i7-12800H wins in PassMark physics simulation with a score of 1682 against 1558, a delta of 8%. It also edges out the desktop part in PassMark find prime numbers, scoring 102 versus 101, a 1% margin. These are isolated wins. In everything else, the i7-12700 leads, often by substantial margins. The desktop processor's largest advantages appear in extended instructions, where it leads by 32.2%, and in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it is 29.7% ahead. Data compression also favors the desktop chip heavily at 27.3%. Single-thread performance favors the i7-12700 by 11% in PassMark single thread, and by smaller margins in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core tests.

The use-case split is straightforward. For multi-threaded rendering, compression, encryption, and general compute, the i7-12700 is the stronger part. The i7-12800H holds a narrow advantage in physics simulation and prime number finding, but those are niche workloads. The desktop chip also delivers better single-core results across every Cinebench iteration, which matters for lightly threaded applications. The data indicates the i7-12700 is the better all-around performer, with the i7-12800H competitive only in specific low-level math tasks.

Architecture Differences

Both processors belong to Intel's Core 12th Gen family and share the Alder Lake architecture. The i7-12800H uses the Alder Lake-H codename and targets mobile systems, while the i7-12700 uses Alder Lake-S and targets desktops. Both are built on Intel's 10 nm process at Intel as the foundry, and both have a die size around 217 mm² for the mobile part and 215 mm² for the desktop part.

Core counts differ. The i7-12800H has 14 cores and 20 threads. The i7-12700 has 12 cores and 20 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the desktop chip matches thread count, which suggests a different core configuration. Cache layouts also differ. Both share 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core. The L3 cache is 24 MB shared on the i7-12800H and 25 MB shared on the i7-12700.

Memory support is identical in type: both support DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel memory buses. Neither supports ECC memory. The integrated graphics differ. The i7-12800H carries Iris Xe 96EU, while the i7-12700 uses UHD Graphics 770. PCIe support also splits: the i7-12800H offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-12700 offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The desktop part has the newer PCIe generation and a higher L3 cache, while the mobile part has more cores and a larger die by a small margin.

Clock speeds favor the desktop chip. The i7-12700 has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.90 GHz. The i7-12800H has a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz. The mobile chip starts higher but boosts slightly lower. Thermal design power differs substantially: 45 watts for the i7-12800H versus 65 watts for the i7-12700. The sockets are incompatible, with the mobile part using Intel BGA 1744 and the desktop part using Intel Socket 1700. Both are locked processors with no unlocked multiplier. The i7-12700 has a launch MSRP of $349; the i7-12800H has no listed launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i7-12700 leads in all multi-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 21751 against 15283 for the i7-12800H, a 29.7% advantage. In R20 multi-core, it leads 10639 to 8463, a 20.5% margin. In R15 multi-core, it scores 3151 versus 2222, a 29.5% lead.

Q: Does the mobile i7-12800H win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins two of the 17 head-to-head tests. It scores 1682 in PassMark physics versus 1558 for the i7-12700, an 8% lead, and 102 in PassMark find prime numbers versus 101, a 1% lead.

Q: How do single-thread scores compare?

A: The i7-12700 is ahead in every single-thread test. PassMark single thread shows 3864 versus 3440, an 11% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 1894 versus 1828, a 3.5% lead. R20 single-core shows 1501 versus 1194, a 20.5% lead. R15 single-core shows 272 versus 265, a 2.6% lead.

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

A: The i7-12800H has 14 cores and 20 threads. The i7-12700 has 12 cores and 20 threads. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory with dual-channel buses.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i7-12700 boosts to 4.90 GHz, while the i7-12800H boosts to 4.80 GHz. The mobile chip has a higher base clock at 2.40 GHz versus 2.10 GHz for the desktop part.

Q: How do the integrated graphics compare?

A: The i7-12800H uses Iris Xe 96EU, while the i7-12700 uses UHD Graphics 770. The mobile part also has a different PCIe configuration: Gen 4 with 20 lanes versus Gen 5 with 16 lanes on the desktop chip.

Specification Differences

The two processors share the Alder Lake architecture, 10 nm process, Intel foundry, DDR4/DDR5 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and locked multipliers. The differences are as follows:

• Cores: 14 on the i7-12800H versus 12 on the i7-12700
• Base clock: 2.40 GHz on the i7-12800H versus 2.10 GHz on the i7-12700
• Boost clock: 4.80 GHz on the i7-12800H versus 4.90 GHz on the i7-12700
• TDP: 45 watts on the i7-12800H versus 65 watts on the i7-12700
• Socket: Intel BGA 1744 on the i7-12800H versus Intel Socket 1700 on the i7-12700
• Codename: Alder Lake-H on the i7-12800H versus Alder Lake-S on the i7-12700
• Die size: 217 mm² on the i7-12800H versus 215 mm² on the i7-12700
• L3 cache: 24 MB shared on the i7-12800H versus 25 MB shared on the i7-12700
• PCIe: Gen 4, 20 lanes on the i7-12800H versus Gen 5, 16 lanes on the i7-12700
• Integrated graphics: Iris Xe 96EU on the i7-12800H versus UHD Graphics 770 on the i7-12700
• Market segment: Mobile on the i7-12800H versus Desktop on the i7-12700
• Part number: SRLD2 on the i7-12800H versus SRL4Q on the i7-12700
• Launch MSRP: $349 on the i7-12700; none listed for the i7-12800H

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i7-12700 wins the majority of head-to-head tests, often by double-digit margins. The largest gap is in PassMark extended instructions, where the desktop chip scores 24184 against 16408, a 32.2% lead. This suggests a strong advantage in workloads that use specialized instruction sets. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows a similar story: 21751 versus 15283, a 29.7% gap. Cinebench R15 multi-core is close behind at 29.5%, with scores of 3151 and 2222. Data compression follows at 27.3%, with 375950 versus 273247. Floating point math shows a 24.9% lead for the desktop part, 81191 versus 60961. Random string sorting favors the i7-12700 by 21.9%, 38970 versus 30453. Cinebench R20 multi-core and single-core both show 20.5% leads for the desktop chip: 10639 versus 8463 in multi-core and 1501 versus 1194 in single-core. PassMark multithread shows a 19.6% lead, 30273 versus 24346. Data encryption favors the desktop part by 19.4%, 20143 versus 16234. Integer math shows an 18.8% lead, 106554 versus 86488. PassMark single thread and singlethread both show an 11% lead, with 3864 versus 3440.

The margins narrow in single-core Cinebench tests. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 3.5% lead for the i7-12700, 1894 versus 1828. Cinebench R15 single-core shows a 2.6% lead, 272 versus 265. The two wins for the i7-12800H are small. PassMark physics shows 1682 versus 1558, an 8% lead for the mobile chip. PassMark find prime numbers shows 102 versus 101, a 1% lead.

The overall average benchmark score reflects this imbalance. The i7-12700 averages 32942 across its recorded tests and sits in the 83rd percentile of all CPUs. The i7-12800H averages 32121 and sits in the 82nd percentile. The nearest rivals for the i7-12700 include the Intel Core 5 213PTE at a 0.1% delta, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H at 0.4%, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and AMD Ryzen 7 8700G at -0.4%. The nearest rivals for the i7-12800H include the Intel Core i5-14400 at a 0% delta, the Intel Core i7-13705H at 0.1%, the Intel Core i5-14450HX at 0.3%, and the Intel Core i9-11900 at -0.3%. The data shows two capable processors, but the desktop i7-12700 is decisively faster in nearly every measured workload.