Intel Core i7-950 vs Intel Core i9-12900KS

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-950 or Intel Core i7-950 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-950 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2009 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-950, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1366 socket.
The Intel Core i9-12900KS features 16 processor cores and has the capability to manage 24 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2022 and belongs to the 12 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-12900KS, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-950 Name Intel Core i9-12900KS
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i9
1 Generation 12
Intel Core i7 900 Group Intel Core i 12000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-950 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-950 is 3.06 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.33 GHz.
The Intel Core i9-12900KS has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.4 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
3.33 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) None
None None 5.5 GHz
None None 2.5 GHz
None None 3.4 GHz
None None 8x Gracemont
None None 8x Golden Cove
No Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
3.06 GHz Frequency None
None None 4.0 GHz
8 Threads 24
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
4 CPU Cores 16
4x Cores None
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-950 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i9-12900KS has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i9-12900KS uses the Intel UHD Graphics 770, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
-- Release date Q4/2021
-- Direct X 12
GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 770
-- Technology 10 nm
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders 256
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
-- Execution units 32
-- Generation 11
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.55 GHz
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- VC-1 Decode
-- VP9 Decode / Encode
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP8 Decode / Encode
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
-- JPEG Decode / Encode
-- AV1 Decode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 24.0 GB distributed across 3 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
3 Memory channels 2
24.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI Yes
No ECC Yes
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
DDR3-1066 Memory type DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 130 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 150 W watts.
-- Tjunction max 90 °C
None TDP (PL2) 241 W
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 150 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-950 is manufactured using a 45 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i9-12900KS is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 30.0 MB cache.
Q2/2009 Release date Q2/2022
BX80601950 Part Number --
1.0 MB L2-Cache 14.0 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Bloomfield Architecture Alder Lake S
45 nm Technology 10 nm
LGA 1366 Socket LGA 1700
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
305 $ Release price 749 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
8.0 MB L3-Cache 30.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
44541
44541
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
3178
3178

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
19010
19010
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
2313
2313

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
16455
16455
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
1965
1965

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2831
2831
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
590
590

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i9-12900KS
16C 24T @ 3.4 GHz
2080
2080
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
569
569

Intel Core i7-950 and Intel Core i9-12900KS in leaderboards