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 $52 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 12,978).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 93.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.2% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 14.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 93.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($212 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅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

❌
32.5% HIGHER MSRP
$212 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-12500

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $52 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.2% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 14.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 93.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($212 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅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 i5-12500 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 12,978).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 93.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
32.5% HIGHER MSRP
$212 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12500 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-12500 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 40.2% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 58.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 51.5% 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 i5-12500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 40.2% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12500 is the better fit. You are getting 58.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i5-12500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12500 is 32.5% more expensive on MSRP at $212 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 40.2% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 14.3% better value on MSRP (93.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12500 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, 50% larger total L3 cache (18 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 i5-12500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
1080p
low	192 FPS	186 FPS
medium	152 FPS	170 FPS
high	123 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	120 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	156 FPS
medium	119 FPS	133 FPS
high	97 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	90 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	88 FPS
medium	70 FPS	81 FPS
high	55 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	50 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
1080p
low	326 FPS	493 FPS
medium	318 FPS	428 FPS
high	290 FPS	362 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	319 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	433 FPS
medium	292 FPS	373 FPS
high	267 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	278 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	289 FPS
medium	258 FPS	254 FPS
high	235 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
1080p
low	326 FPS	493 FPS
medium	326 FPS	493 FPS
high	326 FPS	493 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	493 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	493 FPS
medium	326 FPS	493 FPS
high	326 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	440 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	456 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	289 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	281 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
1080p
low	326 FPS	493 FPS
medium	326 FPS	493 FPS
high	326 FPS	493 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	493 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	493 FPS
medium	326 FPS	493 FPS
high	326 FPS	493 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	493 FPS
medium	326 FPS	482 FPS
high	326 FPS	422 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	355 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-12500

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 i5-12500

The Core i5-12500 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 19,739 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-12500 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 i5-12500 — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12500 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12500 uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-12500's 19,739 — a 41% lead for the Core i5-12500. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 12,978 (45.2% advantage for the Core i5-12500). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,319, a 45.9% lead for the Core i5-12500 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 9,003 (43.6% advantage for the Core i5-12500). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
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)	18 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	13,029	19,739+52%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	12,978+58%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,319+59%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	9,003+56%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12500 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12500 — the Core i5-12500 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 i5-12500) — the Core i5-12500 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12500).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-12500 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-12500 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i5-12500 rivals Ryzen 5 5500.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i5-12500 debuted at $212. On MSRP ($160 vs $212), the Core i5-10400F is $52 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 93.1 pts/$ for the Core i5-12500 — making the Core i5-12500 the 13.4% better value option.