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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $90 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12490F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 12,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12490F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12490F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +47.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
56.3% HIGHER MSRP
$250 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-12490F

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $90 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +47.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12490F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 12,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12490F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
56.3% HIGHER MSRP
$250 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12490F better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-12490F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 47.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 52.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 56.3% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12490F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 47.7% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12490F is the better fit. You are getting 52.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-12490F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12490F is 56.3% more expensive on MSRP at $250 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 47.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 0.0% better value on MSRP (81.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-10400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-12490F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

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 i5-10400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-12490F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
1080p
low	192 FPS	172 FPS
medium	152 FPS	148 FPS
high	123 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	147 FPS
medium	119 FPS	123 FPS
high	97 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	80 FPS
medium	70 FPS	72 FPS
high	55 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12490F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
1080p
low	326 FPS	475 FPS
medium	318 FPS	404 FPS
high	290 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	300 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	414 FPS
medium	292 FPS	360 FPS
high	267 FPS	313 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	267 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	278 FPS
medium	258 FPS	246 FPS
high	235 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12490F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
1080p
low	326 FPS	509 FPS
medium	326 FPS	509 FPS
high	326 FPS	509 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	502 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	509 FPS
medium	326 FPS	498 FPS
high	326 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	393 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	418 FPS
medium	326 FPS	351 FPS
high	289 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	247 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12490F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
1080p
low	326 FPS	509 FPS
medium	326 FPS	509 FPS
high	326 FPS	509 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	509 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	509 FPS
medium	326 FPS	509 FPS
high	326 FPS	509 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	509 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	509 FPS
medium	326 FPS	499 FPS
high	326 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	377 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12490F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-12490F

Core i5-10400F

The Core i5-10400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,029 points. Launch price was $155.

Core i5-12490F

The Core i5-12490F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 20,366 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-12490F share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12490F — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12490F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12490F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-12490F's 20,366 — a 43.9% lead for the Core i5-12490F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 12,500 (41.7% advantage for the Core i5-12490F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,800, a 21.3% lead for the Core i5-12490F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 8,800 (41.4% advantage for the Core i5-12490F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-12490F.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	13,029	20,366+56%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	12,500+53%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,800+24%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	8,800+52%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12490F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-4800 on the Core i5-12490F — the Core i5-12490F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Core i5-12490F) — the Core i5-12490F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and B660,H610,H670,Z690,B760 (Core i5-12490F).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12490F). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-12490F targets Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i5-12490F rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12490F
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	Gaming Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i5-12490F debuted at $250. On MSRP ($160 vs $250), the Core i5-10400F is $90 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 81.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-12490F — making the Core i5-12490F the 0% better value option.