At the time of the replacement of the 11th generation Core and 12th generation Core notebooks, there is a question that has been plaguing the majority of players: should we lower the budget of a first-grade GPU and use a new CPU? In other words, which has a greater impact on the CPU and GPU in the game book?

To do this, we need two computers with the same configuration, but with a high CPU and a low GPU to study the control variables. One of them is equipped with i7-11800H+RTX 3070, the other is equipped with i7-12700H+RTX 3060, and then we conduct a unified game test to see which is more suitable for gamers.

And the Thor ZERO game book is a good research sample, it not only has the above two versions, but also these two versions have the same accessories except for the core. More coincidentally,The i7-11800H+RTX 3070 version is priced at 8999 yuan, while the i7-12700H+RTX 3060 version is also priced at 8999 yuan, is simply the perfect research object. So which one should players choose? In this article, we will use the actual test to give you the answer.

hardware differences

Before testing, let’s disassemble a machine to see the hardware differences between the two notebooks. Both Raytheon ZEROs have 2.5K, 165Hz high score and high refresh gaming screens, and both have the same PCIe 4.0*4 high-speed hard drive and 16G dual-channel memory.

It can be seen from the disassembly diagram below that their molds are exactly the same, and they are all cooling modules with dual heat pipes and five fans, and dual fan five-way pipes. One of the copper pipes is used for memory heat dissipation and is hidden below. There are only core differences between the two, so they are very suitable for comparison of control variables.

First, let me introduce the hardware specification difference between Core i7-12700H and i7-11800H. Core i7-12700H is based on a new hybrid architecture based on intel 7 technology, with 6 performance cores and 8 energy efficiency cores, of which the performance cores support hyper-threading technology, with a total of 14 cores and 20 threads, which makes this generation of multi-core performance indeed a leap . The 24MB L3 cache and 45W baseline power consumption are consistent with the previous generation.

Next we introduce the i7-11800H. The i7 11800H has a reference frequency of 2.3GHz, a 24MB L3 cache, a 10MB L2 cache, and a 10nm process technology. The highest turbo frequency reaches 4.6GHz, and the all-core turbo frequency also reaches 4.2GHz, compared to the 12th generation Core Duo. There are still some disadvantages. Of course, as the previous generation, its price is also much lower now.

The GPUs of the two machines are an RTX 3060 and an RTX 3070. Their core parameters are as follows.

In theory, the RTX 3070 will be 15%-20% stronger than the RTX 3060, but in fact, the biggest factor that affects our gaming experience at 2K resolution is the video memory. The 2G that comes out often avoids the sudden drop in the number of frames caused by the explosion of video memory, which will also be confirmed in subsequent tests.

Theoretical score

At similar prices, the two versions of Thor ZERO can provide configurations above the mainstream. The only difference is that one is more CPU-biased and the other is more GPU-biased. In terms of theoretical performance, what is the difference between their CPU and GPU? Let’s move on to the testing section to find out.

Through the baking machine software, we can see that the performance release of the two computers of Thor ZERO is completely consistent, and the CPU is stable at 65W for single baking.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060:

When a single GPU is baked, the two computers are the same full blood 140W, which is a perfect sample of control variables.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060:

Next, we conducted theoretical running points, and IT House tested CPU-Z, R20, R23 and 3Dmark TimeSpy for everyone. It can be seen that the 12th generation Core upgrade is still quite large, and the GPU aspect is naturally the RTX 3070 to win without a doubt.

We use the i7-11800H + RTX 3070 version as 100% tabulation, we can see the difference intuitively, in most projects,The 12th-generation Core has a lead of about 15%-30% regardless of single-core and multi-core. This improvement is indeed quite large. In the GPU part, the RTX 3070 is about 20% ahead of the RTX 3060 at the same power.

actual experience

So does a 20% CPU boost have a bigger impact on framerates, or does a 20% GPU boost have a bigger impact on framerates? We still have to find the truth in the game.

We unify these games to 2.5K resolution + highest quality + balanced DLSS, and turn on fury mode in the control center to see how many frames they can run.

The first is “CS:GO”. Under the built-in BenchMark, both computers can run to more than 300 frames, and most scenes can run the 2.5K 165Hz gaming screen.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070 average 396 frames:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060 average 345 frames:

But if you are playing 3A masterpieces with higher configuration requirements, then the gap begins to show. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the RTX 3060D is GPU limited by 99%, while the RTX 3070 is significantly less GPU limited.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070 average 90 frames:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060 average 72 frames:

In “PUBG Mobile”, we turned on the full extreme picture quality, the two machines are very smooth, but the gap between the integers is also visible to the naked eye.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070 average 135 frames:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060 average 114 frames:

In the currently popular “Eldon’s Ring”, the game will lock 60 frames by default, and both machines can run at full 2.5K resolution from the highest quality, but in order to explore the difference, the author manually unlocked the frame with a plug-in After unlocking, the difference in frame number is also quite obvious.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070 average 108 frames:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060 average 87 frames:

Finally, we challenged two light-chasing 3A masterpieces: “Control” and “Cyberpunk 2077”. The light-chasing 3A masterpiece will consume more video memory, so the frame number gap should be wider. In “Control”, both can be stabilized at more than 60 frames, while the i7-11800H+RTX 3070 has fewer stutters and a better experience.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070 average 72 frames:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060 average 63 frames:

The last game is Cyberpunk 2077, which recently updated BenchMark so the results will be more objective. We set the picture quality at 2.5K resolution medium light pursuit + performance DLSS, the pressure on the RTX 3060 is very high, and the RTX 3070 can achieve smooth play.

i7-11800H+RTX 3070 average 71 frames:

i7-12700H+RTX 3060 average 54 frames:

We summarize the test results as follows. It can be seen that all games are i7-11800H + RTX 3070 with higher frame rates.

We use the frame number of i7-12700H + RTX 3060 as 100% tabulation,Most games i7-11800H + RTX 3070 are about 15-20% aheadand “Cyberpunk 2077” has a 31% advantage in the number of frames, and this 31% is the difference between being able to reach 60 frames and not being able to reach 60 frames.

Why is there such a big difference in games like Cyberpunk 2077? The answer lies in resolution and video memory. As we said earlier, Thor ZERO uses a 2.5K resolution gaming screen, which greatly improves the fineness of the game.

The price of high resolution is that the pressure on the GPU, especially the video memory, increases. The 6G video card of the RTX 3060 is not a problem when dealing with most games, but when it is dealing with 2.5K light chasing cyberpunk, it is difficult to resist. The 20% more performance and 2G video memory of the RTX 3070 can just help Thor ZERO achieve 2.5K light chasing 60 frames to play 3A masterpieces.

In the performance test report of “Tomb Raider: Shadow”, we can also see some clues. The “GPU limited” of the RTX 3060 below reaches 99%, which means that the i7-12700H can fully meet the demand, while the RTX 3060 is under more pressure.

i7-12700H+RTX 3060:

The “GPU limited” of the RTX 3070 is only 41%, and the pressure is significantly lower than that of an RTX 3060. The reduced value is far greater than the theoretical performance gap of 20%, which means that the 8G large display plays a role in it. .

i7-11800H+RTX 3070:

It can be seen from the above actual measurement that for most players who bought notebooks to play games, the combination of i7-11800H+RTX 3070 is more suitable than i7-12700H+RTX 3060. In the case of limited budget, it is still Try to spend your money where you can, on the GPU that has a bigger impact on framerates.

Of course, there is also a situation where the 12th-generation Core is stronger, and that is productivity. If you need to do video editing or industrial modeling in addition to games, then the extra threads of the 12th-generation Core will be particularly useful. The author tested PCMark10, which represents the comprehensive office performance, and the 12th-generation Core is significantly higher than the 11th-generation Core.

i7-12700H+RTX 3060:

i7-11800H+RTX 3070:

Summarize

Seeing this, I believe everyone already has the answer: under the same conditions, the GPU has a greater impact on the number of game frames, especially for 3A masterpieces, high resolution requires the support of large video memory. Just like the barrel effect, now the i7-11800H+RTX 3070 is a more balanced configuration, which is more suitable for game enthusiasts to buy. Of course, if you have an application scenario that particularly requires CPU performance, the huge improvement of the 12th-generation Core is also of great benefit.

At present, the price of Raytheon ZERO i7-12700H+RTX 3060 and i7-11800H+RTX 3070 is 8999 yuan, which is still in place. In contrast, the supply of i7-11800H+RTX 3070 version is more sufficient.If you are about to buy a game book that can play high-resolution 3A masterpieces, the i7-11800H+RTX 3070 version will be a good choice.