Celeron T3500 vs Core i5-12400F Performance Spectrum
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Celeron T3500 vs Core i5-12400F FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Celeron T3500 vs Core i5-12400F: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.
Celeron T3500
2010Why buy it
- ✅Costs $94 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (1,055 vs 19,532).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (1 MB vs 18 MB).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($80 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
- ❌Older platform position on PGA478, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
Core i5-12400F
2022Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +693.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+1700% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 1 MB).
- ✅Delivers 751.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
- ✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of PGA478 and older memory support.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌117.5% HIGHER MSRP$174 MSRPvs$80 MSRP
- ❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
Quick Answers
So, is Core i5-12400F better than Celeron T3500?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron T3500 vs Core i5-12400F Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Celeron T3500
The Celeron T3500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. Base frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,055 points. Launch price was $69.
Core i5-12400F
The Core i5-12400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.
Processing Power
The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Celeron T3500 scores 1,055 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 179.5% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 1 MB on the Celeron T3500 vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | — | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | — | 4.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.5 GHz+19% |
| L3 Cache | 1 MB | 18 MB (total)+1700% |
| L2 Cache | — | 1.25 MB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | Intel 7 nm-84% |
| Architecture | — | Alder Lake-S (2022) |
| PassMark | 1,055 | 19,532+1751% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 12,380 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,700 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 657 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron T3500 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA1700 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | No |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 20 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Celeron T3500) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Gaming Performance/Value |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Celeron T3500 was priced at $80, while the Core i5-12400F came in at $174. On launch pricing ($80 vs $174), Celeron T3500 was $94 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Celeron T3500 delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 157.9% better value option.
| Feature | Celeron T3500 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $80-54% | $174 |
| Performance per Dollar | 13.2 | 112.3+751% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2022 |
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