Intel Core i7-12700TE vs Intel Core i9-11900T Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11900T and the Intel Core i7-12700TE are two low-power desktop processors separated by one generation, but they approach performance from different design philosophies. The i9-11900T is a Rocket Lake part with 8 cores and 16 threads, while the i7-12700TE is an Alder Lake part with 12 cores and 20 threads. Both are locked down to a 35 W thermal design power, making them suitable for compact or thermally constrained systems. The benchmark data reveals a nuanced picture: the i7-12700TE edges ahead in most Cinebench workloads, but the i9-11900T posts decisive wins in Geekbench, particularly in single-core testing. This analysis walks through the recorded numbers, architectural contrasts, and the scenarios where each processor takes the lead.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two processors were measured across eight benchmark tests, with the i7-12700TE winning six of them and the i9-11900T winning two. The margins in the Cinebench suite are consistently narrow, while the Geekbench results show a stark separation.

Starting with Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-12700TE scores 1586 against 1572 for the i9-11900T. That is a delta of 0.9% in favor of the Alder Lake part, a slender margin that falls within run-to-run variance but still represents a win. The single-core R15 test follows the same pattern: 223 for the i7-12700TE versus 221 for the i9-11900T, again a 0.9% advantage for the newer chip.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore result has the i7-12700TE at 6612 and the i9-11900T at 6550, a 0.9% lead. The single-core R20 test shows 933 versus 924, a 1% delta. These are the smallest margins in the entire comparison, indicating that in heavily threaded rendering workloads, the two processors are nearly interchangeable.

Cinebench R23 multicore continues the trend: the i7-12700TE scores 15745, the i9-11900T scores 15596, a 0.9% difference. The single-core R23 result is 2222 for the i7-12700TE and 2201 for the i9-11900T, another 0.9% gap. Across all six Cinebench tests, the i7-12700TE never leads by more than 1%, but it leads consistently.

The Geekbench results flip the narrative. In Geekbench multicore, the i9-11900T scores 8257 against 7217 for the i7-12700TE. That is a 14.4% advantage for the Rocket Lake processor, a substantial margin that suggests the i9-11900T handles the Geekbench workload more efficiently despite having fewer cores. The single-core Geekbench test is even more lopsided: 2157 for the i9-11900T versus 1567 for the i7-12700TE, a 37.7% lead. This is the single largest delta in the entire dataset, and it points to a fundamental difference in how the two chips execute single-threaded tasks under the Geekbench benchmark.

The aggregate picture shows the i7-12700TE winning the majority of tests, but the i9-11900T taking the two most decisive victories. The average benchmark score for the i9-11900T is 4685, while the i7-12700TE averages 4513. Despite losing six of eight head-to-head matchups, the i9-11900T has a higher average score because its Geekbench wins are so large. Both processors sit at the 58th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy a similar tier of overall performance, but their strengths are distributed differently across workload types.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance in Geekbench?

A: The Intel Core i9-11900T scores 2157 in Geekbench single-core, which is 37.7% higher than the i7-12700TE's 1567. This is the largest performance gap in any benchmark between the two parts.

Q: Does the i7-12700TE win every Cinebench test?

A: Yes, the i7-12700TE wins all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23, both multicore and single-core variants). The margins range from 0.9% to 1%, so the wins are narrow but consistent.

Q: How do the two processors compare in average benchmark score?

A: The i9-11900T has an average benchmark score of 4685, while the i7-12700TE averages 4513. The i9-11900T is roughly 3.8% higher on average, despite losing the majority of individual tests, due to its large Geekbench victories.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The i7-12700TE has 12 cores and 20 threads, while the i9-11900T has 8 cores and 16 threads. The i7-12700TE offers 4 more cores and 4 more threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i9-11900T has a boost clock of 4.90 GHz, compared to 4.60 GHz for the i7-12700TE. The base clocks are 1500 MHz for the i9-11900T and 1400 MHz for the i7-12700TE.

Q: Are both processors at the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both the i9-11900T and the i7-12700TE are recorded at the 58th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Architecture Differences

The i9-11900T is built on Rocket Lake, a 14 nm architecture from Intel, while the i7-12700TE uses Alder Lake on a 10 nm process. The die size reflects this change: the i9-11900T has a die of 276 mm², while the i7-12700TE is smaller at 215 mm². Both are fabricated by Intel, but the newer 10 nm node allows the i7-12700TE to pack more cores into a smaller physical area.

The cache hierarchy differs significantly. Both processors have an L1 cache of 80 KB per core. The L2 cache, however, jumps from 512 KB per core on the i9-11900T to 1.25 MB per core on the i7-12700TE. The L3 cache also increases from 16 MB shared on the i9-11900T to 25 MB shared on the i7-12700TE. This larger cache pool likely contributes to the i7-12700TE's edge in Cinebench, where data reuse and cache residency matter.

Memory support is another divergence. The i9-11900T supports DDR4 only, with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The i7-12700TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also on a dual-channel bus, though no memory bandwidth figure is recorded in the database. The PCIe interface advances as well: the i9-11900T offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-12700TE provides Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The newer PCIe standard on the i7-12700TE gives it additional headroom for high-speed storage and expansion.

The integrated graphics differ between the two. The i9-11900T uses UHD Graphics 750, while the i7-12700TE steps up to UHD Graphics 770. Neither chip has a multiplier unlocked, and both are desktop parts. The i9-11900T is marked as end-of-life in production status, while the i7-12700TE is still active. The i9-11900T has a part number of SRKNQ, while no part number is listed for the i7-12700TE.

The architecture generation is where the clearest break appears. The i9-11900T belongs to the Core 11th Gen family with the Rocket Lake-S codename, while the i7-12700TE is part of the Core 12th Gen family with the Alder Lake-S codename. The i7-12700TE's Alder Lake design uses a hybrid core layout, which is not explicitly stated in the data but is implied by the core count difference and the 10 nm node. The i9-11900T uses a traditional monolithic design from Rocket Lake.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on several recorded specifications. The core count is the most obvious: 8 cores for the i9-11900T versus 12 cores for the i7-12700TE. Thread counts follow, with 16 threads for the i9-11900T and 20 threads for the i7-12700TE. Base clocks are 1500 MHz for the i9-11900T and 1400 MHz for the i7-12700TE, while boost clocks are 4.90 GHz and 4.60 GHz respectively.

The process node changes from 14 nm on the i9-11900T to 10 nm on the i7-12700TE. Die sizes are 276 mm² for the i9-11900T and 215 mm² for the i7-12700TE. The L2 cache per core is 512 KB on the i9-11900T versus 1.25 MB on the i7-12700TE, and the L3 cache is 16 MB shared versus 25 MB shared.

Memory support shows the i9-11900T limited to DDR4, while the i7-12700TE accepts both DDR4 and DDR5. The i9-11900T has a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s; no such figure exists for the i7-12700TE. PCIe versions differ: Gen 4 for the i9-11900T and Gen 5 for the i7-12700TE, both with 20 lanes. Integrated graphics move from UHD Graphics 750 to UHD Graphics 770. The socket changes from Intel Socket 1200 on the i9-11900T to Intel Socket 1700 on the i7-12700TE.

The i9-11900T has a release date of 2021-03-15 and a launch MSRP of $439. The i7-12700TE has no recorded release date and a launch MSRP of $344. Production status differs: the i9-11900T is end-of-life, the i7-12700TE is active. The i9-11900T has a part number (SRKNQ), while the i7-12700TE does not. Both have ECC memory set to false, and both are dual-channel memory configurations.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-12700TE is the clear winner in Cinebench workloads. Across R15, R20, and R23, in both multicore and single-core variants, it takes a narrow but uniform lead. The extra 4 cores and 4 threads, combined with the larger L2 and L3 caches, give it an edge in rendering tasks that scale with core count and benefit from cache capacity. The margins are small, around 1%, so the i7-12700TE does not dominate, but it does win every test in this suite. For users running Cinebench or similar rendering benchmarks, the i7-12700TE is the safer choice.

The i9-11900T wins decisively in Geekbench. Its multicore score of 8257 is 14.4% ahead of the i7-12700TE, and its single-core score of 2157 is 37.7% ahead. This suggests that the i9-11900T's higher boost clock of 4.90 GHz, combined with the Rocket Lake architecture, translates to superior performance in the Geekbench workload, which often emphasizes memory latency and single-threaded efficiency. The i9-11900T also has a higher average benchmark score overall, 4685 versus 4513, which reflects the outsized impact of its Geekbench wins.

In practical terms, the i7-12700TE is better suited for sustained multithreaded applications like video encoding, 3D rendering, or compiling, where the extra cores and larger cache can be utilized. The i9-11900T, with its higher boost clock and strong single-core showing, is better for tasks that rely on single-threaded performance, such as legacy software, certain games, or light productivity workloads where clock speed is the limiting factor. The i7-12700TE also offers DDR5 memory support and PCIe Gen 5, which future-proofs a system for newer components, while the i9-11900T is limited to DDR4 and PCIe Gen 4.

Both processors share the same 35 W thermal design power, so power consumption is not a differentiator. The i9-11900T's end-of-life status means it is no longer in production, while the i7-12700TE remains active, which matters for long-term availability. The i9-11900T has a higher launch MSRP at $439, compared to $344 for the i7-12700TE, but the i9-11900T's age and end-of-life status may affect street pricing. The data shows a split decision: the i7-12700TE wins in Cinebench, the i9-11900T wins in Geekbench and on average score. The choice depends on which benchmark suite aligns with the user's primary applications.