Core i3-9300T vs Core i5-12400F

Core i3-9300T

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2019

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-9300T

4 / 4

6,323

0.0%

19,532

+208.9%

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-9300T

#378

Core i9-12900TE

MSRP: $494|Avg: $664

168%

#379

Core i9-9940X

MSRP: $1387|Avg: $850

161%

#380

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

MSRP: $1899|Avg: $1836

160%

#381

Ryzen Embedded V1756B

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

159%

#382

Ryzen Embedded R2544

MSRP: $280|Avg: $280

148%

#383

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

MSRP: $4999|Avg: $4999

139%

#384

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

MSRP: $3990|Avg: $2850

137%

#385

Celeron G4900

MSRP: $42|Avg: $85

136%

#386

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

135%

#387

Ryzen Embedded V1807B

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

131%

#388

Ryzen Embedded R2312

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

129%

#389

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

MSRP: $4999|Avg: $5200

128%

#390

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

MSRP: $1799|Avg: $1247

125%

#391

Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX

MSRP: $1299|Avg: $1300

116%

#392

Celeron G4920

MSRP: $52|Avg: $115

109%

#393

Core i3-9300T

MSRP: $309|Avg: $309

100%

#394

Ryzen 3 2200GE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

97%

#395

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

MSRP: $4491|Avg: $4491

69%

#396

Ryzen Embedded R2314

MSRP: $300|Avg: $762

38%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400F

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

121%

#16

Core Ultra 5 225F

MSRP: $231|Avg: $150

118%

#17

Core Ultra 7 265K

MSRP: $309|Avg: $285

116%

#18

Ryzen 9 3900

MSRP: $499|Avg: $150

115%

#19

Ryzen 5 3600X

MSRP: $249|Avg: $90

113%

#20

Core i7-14700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $260

113%

#21

Core i7-14700K

MSRP: $409|Avg: $270

109%

#22

Ryzen 5 4500

MSRP: $129|Avg: $85

106%

#23

Ryzen 5 5600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $115

106%

#24

Celeron G5925

MSRP: $62|Avg: $15

105%

#25

Ryzen 5 7500F

MSRP: $179|Avg: $145

104%

#26

Core Ultra 5 245

MSRP: $319|Avg: $220

103%

#27

Ryzen 7 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $86

102%

#28

Core Ultra 7 265KF

MSRP: $379|Avg: $323

102%

#29

Core Ultra 7 265F

MSRP: $369|Avg: $276

100%

#30

Core i5-12400F

MSRP: $174|Avg: $110

100%

#31

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

99%

#32

Ryzen 7 2700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $100

98%

#33

Core i3-10100F

MSRP: $88|Avg: $50

98%

#34

Ryzen 5 7400F

MSRP: $150|Avg: $147

98%

#35

Ryzen 5 9600X

MSRP: $279|Avg: $178

95%

#36

Ryzen 7 3800X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $140

93%

#37

Ryzen 3 5300G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

92%

#38

Ryzen 9 7900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $316

91%

#39

Ryzen 5 5600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $135

91%

#40

Core i5-14600KF

MSRP: $304|Avg: $239

91%

#41

Ryzen 7 5800

MSRP: $349|Avg: $160

91%

#42

Core i3-14100F

MSRP: $109|Avg: $96

90%

#43

Ryzen 7 3700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $140

90%

#44

Ryzen 5 7600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $178

90%

#45

Ryzen 3 3100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-12400F delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-9300T in both compute-intensive tasks (102.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-9300T	Core i5-12400F
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($309)	✅ More affordable ($110)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: The Core i5-12400F leads not only in performance but also in value. It is effectively 64% cheaper ($110 vs $309) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-9300T	Core i5-12400F
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+768%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($309)	✅ More affordable ($110)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i3-9300T Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-9300T and Core i5-12400F

Core i3-9300T

The Core i3-9300T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 6,323 points. Launch price was $143.

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 i3-9300T packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i3-9300T versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 14.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i3-9300T uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-9300T scores 6,323 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 102.2% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,000 vs 1,700, a 51.9% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 3,265 vs 657 (133% advantage for the Core i3-9300T). L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i3-9300T vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.

Feature	Core i3-9300T	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.4 GHz+16%
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+28%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB	18 MB (total)+125%
L2 Cache	1 MB	1.25 MB (per core)+25%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	6,323	19,532+209%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	1,000	1,700+70%
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,265+397%	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-9300T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-9300T versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-9300T) vs 20 (Core i5-12400F) — the Core i5-12400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H310,B360,H370,Z370,Z390 (Core i3-9300T) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Core i3-9300T	Core i5-12400F
Socket	LGA1151	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	✅	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core i3-9300T includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-9300T targets Low Power Desktop, Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i3-9300T	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Low Power Desktop	Gaming Performance/Value

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-9300T launched at $309 MSRP, while the Core i5-12400F debuted at $174. At current prices ($309 vs $110), the Core i5-12400F is $199 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-9300T delivers 20.5 pts/$ vs 177.6 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 158.7% better value option.