Intel Core i7-12700 vs. Intel Core i5-12500 Power Comparison?

I've been researching CPUs for my upcoming build and I'm trying to decide between the Intel Core i7-12700 and the Intel Core i5-12500. Can you guys help me out? Any advice would be appreciated!

I'd recommend going with the i7-12700 if you can afford it. The extra cores and higher turbo frequency should give you better overall performance, especially for gaming and multimedia tasks.

That's true, but the i5-12500 is still a great choice if you're on a budget or have limited space. It has a decent number of cores and good base and turbo frequencies. Have you checked out this TechReviewer article? Intel Core i7-12700 vs. Intel Core i5-12500 It offers a detailed comparison between the two.

Thanks for sharing, @samallenrows. I've had a look at it, but I'm still torn between the two. I guess my main concern is gaming performance. Any suggestions on which one would be better in that regard?

For gaming, the i7-12700 should edge out the i5-12500 due to its higher core count and single-core turbo frequency. However, the difference might not be huge if your GPU is powerful enough. Have you considered other factors like overclocking potential or DDR support as well? The article @samallenrows mentioned earlier covers these aspects too.

Good point, @nickcicero. I'll definitely consider those factors as well. By the way, what do you think about the L3 cache size difference between the two CPUs?

The i7-12700 has a larger L3 cache (25 MB) compared to the i5-12500's 18 MB. A bigger cache can help improve performance by reducing the number of memory accesses. However, it may not make a significant difference in gaming unless you're running very demanding games or applications.

Thanks for your input, @Knowledge1337. I'm starting to lean towards the i7-12700, but I'm still worried about the lack of overclocking support on both CPUs. Is that a dealbreaker for anyone here?

For me, it's not a dealbreaker since I prioritize gaming performance and multitasking capabilities over overclocking potential. However, if you're looking to squeeze every bit of performance out of your CPU, having the option to overclock could be important.

Right, @samallenrows. Overclocking support is definitely a factor for some people, but it's not something I personally prioritize in my builds. As I mentioned earlier, the TechReviewer article Intel Core i7-12700 vs. Intel Core i5-12500 gives you an idea of how each CPU performs in various scenarios. You might want to check it out again and see if there are any other factors that matter more to you.

Thanks for all the advice! I'll give it another read through the TechReviewer article and make my decision based on what's most important to me. Again, thank you everyone!

No problem, @DominousNolen! Good luck with your build! If you have any more questions or need help down the line, feel free to ask.

Same here, good luck and let us know if you need further assistance!