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

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $65 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $225 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 66.7 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $225 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12500TE.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12500TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-12500TE

2022

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅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.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 770, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (659 vs 8,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($225 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-12500TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $65 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $225 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 66.7 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $225 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12500TE.

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅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.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 770, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12500TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (659 vs 8,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($225 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1142.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.3% 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 i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 1142.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $65 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $225 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 22.1% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 66.7 PassMark/$), 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 LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12500TE can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core i5-12500TE 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, and 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB). 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 i5-12500TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500TE
1080p
low	192 FPS	177 FPS
medium	152 FPS	154 FPS
high	123 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	148 FPS
medium	119 FPS	124 FPS
high	97 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	78 FPS
medium	70 FPS	70 FPS
high	55 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500TE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	229 FPS
medium	318 FPS	201 FPS
high	290 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	152 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	203 FPS
medium	292 FPS	181 FPS
high	267 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	143 FPS
medium	258 FPS	129 FPS
high	235 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	103 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500TE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	375 FPS
medium	326 FPS	375 FPS
high	326 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	375 FPS
medium	326 FPS	375 FPS
high	326 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	375 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	375 FPS
medium	326 FPS	353 FPS
high	289 FPS	304 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	247 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500TE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	375 FPS
medium	326 FPS	375 FPS
high	326 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	375 FPS
medium	326 FPS	375 FPS
high	326 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	375 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	375 FPS
medium	326 FPS	375 FPS
high	326 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	340 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12500TE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i5-12500TE

The Core i5-12500TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 15,008 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-12500TE share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-12500TE — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12500TE uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-12500TE's 15,008 — a 14.1% lead for the Core i5-12500TE. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 659 (170.2% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,962, a 29.7% lead for the Core i5-12500TE that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 1,898 (101.2% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500TE.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500TE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+53%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	18 MB (total)+50%
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	15,008+15%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191+1143%	659
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,962+35%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783+205%	1,898

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12500TE 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 i5-12500TE — the Core i5-12500TE 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 i5-12500TE) — the Core i5-12500TE 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 i5-12500TE).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12500TE
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	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-12500TE includes integrated graphics (UHD 770), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-12500TE targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i5-12500TE rivals Core i5-12400T.

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

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i5-12500TE debuted at $225. On MSRP ($160 vs $225), the Core i5-10400F is $65 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 66.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-12500TE — making the Core i5-10400F the 19.9% better value option.