Intel Core i7-1370P vs Intel Core i9-12900HK Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two 14-core, 20-thread mobile processors. The Intel Core i9-12900HK dominates in almost every recorded workload, winning 16 of 17 head-to-head tests. The sole exception is Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Intel Core i7-1370P takes a decisive 38.1% lead. This single win is significant enough to define the use case for each chip.

The i9-12900HK is the choice for sustained multi-threaded productivity, content creation, compression, encryption, and general compute-heavy tasks. Its average benchmark score of 26469 places it at the 78th percentile of all CPUs, while the i7-1370P posts a slightly higher average of 26900 and sits at the 79th percentile. The near-identical averages mask a very different performance profile, as the i7-1370P’s single-core advantage is offset by the i9-12900HK’s broad multi-threaded superiority.

The i7-1370P, with a launch MSRP of $438, makes sense for users whose primary workloads are lightly threaded and benefit from the highest possible single-core performance. The data shows it is also the newer design, released in January 2023 versus the i9-12900HK’s January 2022 release, though both remain active in production. The i9-12900HK is the default recommendation for anyone running parallel workloads, as its multi-core wins are consistent and often substantial.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s 10 nm process node and share the same 217 mm² die size. They use the same Intel BGA 1744 socket and both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration. Neither supports ECC memory, and both provide PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics are identical: Iris Xe Graphics with 96 execution units.

The core counts match at 14 cores and 20 threads, but the underlying architectures differ. The i7-1370P uses Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-P codename, while the i9-12900HK uses Alder Lake, codenamed Alder Lake-H. This generational difference explains several specification changes. The i7-1370P has a base clock of 1900 MHz and a boost clock of 5200 MHz, whereas the i9-12900HK starts at 2500 MHz base and boosts to 5000 MHz. The i7-1370P therefore has a 200 MHz higher boost ceiling but a 600 MHz lower base clock.

Cache configurations also differ. Both share 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 24 MB of shared L3 cache, but L2 cache per core is 2 MB on the i7-1370P versus 1.25 MB on the i9-12900HK. The i7-1370P thus has a larger per-core L2 allocation, which likely contributes to its single-core advantage. The i9-12900HK has a higher thermal design power at 45 watts versus 28 watts for the i7-1370P, indicating the i9 is designed for thicker, higher-power laptops.

The i9-12900HK has an unlocked multiplier, while the i7-1370P is locked. The i9-12900HK’s part number is SRLD3, and the i7-1370P’s is SRMJ6. The i7-1370P carries a launch MSRP of $438, while the i9-12900HK has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The multi-core Cinebench results reveal the i9-12900HK’s consistent advantage. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-12900HK scores 2786 against 1649 for the i7-1370P, a 40.8% gap. The R20 multi-core test shows 8958 versus 6873, a 23.3% difference. In R23 multi-core, the i9-12900HK posts 18288 against 16365, a smaller but still clear 10.5% lead. These results indicate the i9-12900HK’s higher base clock and 45-watt TDP translate into sustained multi-threaded performance that the 28-watt i7-1370P cannot match.

Single-core Cinebench results are more nuanced. In R15 single-core, the i9-12900HK wins narrowly at 242 versus 232, a 4.1% margin. In R20 single-core, the i9-12900HK wins again with 1264 against 970, a 23.3% gap. But in R23 single-core, the i7-1370P reverses the trend dramatically, scoring 2310 versus 1673, a 38.1% lead for the i7-1370P. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison and suggests the Raptor Lake architecture, combined with the higher 5200 MHz boost clock, gives the i7-1370P a distinct advantage in the most demanding single-threaded workload recorded.

PassMark results consistently favor the i9-12900HK. Data compression shows 294908 against 217676, a 26.2% win. Data encryption scores 17445 versus 13067, a 25.1% gap. Extended instructions post 17583 versus 12822, a 27.1% difference. Integer math scores 89527 versus 78675, a 12.1% lead. Floating point math records 63572 versus 54105, a 14.9% edge. Multi-thread performance shows 25697 against 20303, a 21% difference. Physics scores 1673 versus 1466, a 12.4% win. Random string sorting records 32983 versus 23580, a 28.5% gap. Prime number searching is close at 102 versus 97, a 4.9% edge.

The single-thread PassMark results are nearly identical. The i9-12900HK scores 3567, and the i7-1370P scores 3557, a difference of only 0.3%. This near-tie in PassMark single-thread contrasts sharply with the Cinebench R23 single-core result, suggesting that the i7-1370P’s advantage is workload-specific rather than universal. The i9-12900HK also has additional 3DMark records in the database, scoring 6441 in 16-thread, 1942 in 2-thread, 3537 in 4-thread, 5172 in 8-thread, 6829 in max-thread, and 1025 in single-thread tests, though these are not part of the direct head-to-head comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1370P has a boost clock of 5200 MHz, while the Intel Core i9-12900HK boosts to 5000 MHz. The i7-1370P leads by 200 MHz.

Q: How do these chips compare in multi-threaded Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900HK scores 18288 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 10.5% ahead of the Intel Core i7-1370P’s 16365.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the Intel Core i7-1370P leads by 38.1%. The largest win for the Intel Core i9-12900HK is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it leads by 40.8%.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory and PCIe configurations?

A: Yes, both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode, and both provide PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes from the CPU. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher thermal design power?

A: The Intel Core i9-12900HK has a TDP of 45 watts, compared to 28 watts for the Intel Core i7-1370P.

Q: Are these processors still in production?

A: Both are listed as Active in production status. The Intel Core i7-1370P was released in January 2023, and the Intel Core i9-12900HK was released in January 2022.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-12900HK wins in all multi-threaded and most single-threaded workloads recorded. Its largest margins come in Cinebench R15 multi-core at 40.8%, followed by random string sorting at 28.5%, extended instructions at 27.1%, data compression at 26.2%, and data encryption at 25.1%. These are tasks that scale across cores and benefit from sustained throughput. The i9-12900HK also leads in Cinebench R20 multi-core and single-core by 23.3%, integer math by 12.1%, physics by 12.4%, and floating point math by 14.9%. Even in the closest PassMark single-thread test, it edges ahead by 0.3%.

The Intel Core i7-1370P wins exactly one recorded benchmark: Cinebench R23 single-core, with a 38.1% advantage. This is not a marginal win, it is a substantial lead that signals the Raptor Lake design’s strength in heavily optimized single-threaded workloads. The i7-1370P also has a higher boost clock and larger L2 cache per core, which likely underpin this result. For users running applications that depend on a single thread and are optimized for newer instruction sets, the i7-1370P is the better fit.

The i9-12900HK’s 16-to-1 win count makes it the general-purpose choice. Its 45-watt TDP means it requires a laptop with adequate cooling, but the benchmark data shows that thermal budget is spent effectively across nearly every category measured. The i7-1370P’s 28-watt TDP and newer architecture make it suitable for thinner systems where a single fast core matters most and sustained multi-threaded loads are less common.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several recorded specifications beyond their names. The i7-1370P has a base clock of 1900 MHz, while the i9-12900HK has a base clock of 2500 MHz. Boost clocks are 5200 MHz for the i7-1370P and 5000 MHz for the i9-12900HK. The i7-1370P has a TDP of 28 watts, the i9-12900HK has a TDP of 45 watts.

Architecture and codename differ: the i7-1370P uses Raptor Lake with the Raptor Lake-P codename, while the i9-12900HK uses Alder Lake with the Alder Lake-H codename. The generation strings differ as well, with the i7-1370P listed as Core i7 (Raptor Lake-P) and the i9-12900HK as Core i9 (Alder Lake-H).

L2 cache per core is 2 MB on the i7-1370P versus 1.25 MB on the i9-12900HK. L1 cache is identical at 80 KB per core, and L3 cache is identical at 24 MB shared. Release dates differ by one year, with the i7-1370P released in January 2023 and the i9-12900HK in January 2022. The i7-1370P has a launch MSRP of $438, while the i9-12900HK has no recorded launch MSRP.

The multiplier unlock status differs, with the i7-1370P locked and the i9-12900HK unlocked. Part numbers are SRMJ6 for the i7-1370P and SRLD3 for the i9-12900HK. Both share the same socket, process node, die size, memory support, memory bus, PCIe configuration, integrated graphics, market segment, and production status. The i7-1370P belongs to the Core i7 series, while the i9-12900HK belongs to the Core 12th Gen series, though both are Intel mobile processors with identical core and thread counts.