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 $154 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700F across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 21,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 96.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i7-12700F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.1% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 18.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 96.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($314 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

❌
96.3% HIGHER MSRP
$314 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-12700F

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $154 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.1% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 18.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 96.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($314 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 i7-12700F across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 21,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 96.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
96.3% HIGHER MSRP
$314 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700F better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i7-12700F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 42.1% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 162.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 132.8% 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 i7-12700F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 42.1% more average FPS across 7 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700F is the better fit. You are getting 162.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-12700F is the smarter buy today. Core i7-12700F is 96.3% more expensive on MSRP at $314 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 42.1% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 18.6% better value on MSRP (96.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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 i7-12700F 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, 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 20 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 i7-12700F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	192 FPS	262 FPS
medium	152 FPS	252 FPS
high	123 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	228 FPS
medium	119 FPS	196 FPS
high	97 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	159 FPS
medium	70 FPS	136 FPS
high	55 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12700F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	326 FPS	312 FPS
medium	318 FPS	265 FPS
high	290 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	204 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	257 FPS
medium	292 FPS	228 FPS
high	267 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	172 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	157 FPS
medium	258 FPS	141 FPS
high	235 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	118 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12700F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	326 FPS	758 FPS
medium	326 FPS	615 FPS
high	326 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	689 FPS
medium	326 FPS	553 FPS
high	326 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	415 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	498 FPS
medium	326 FPS	416 FPS
high	289 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12700F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	326 FPS	758 FPS
medium	326 FPS	758 FPS
high	326 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	597 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	738 FPS
medium	326 FPS	657 FPS
high	326 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	519 FPS
medium	326 FPS	473 FPS
high	326 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12700F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-12700F

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 i7-12700F

The Core i7-12700F 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 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 25 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: 30,332 points. Launch price was $386.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12700F offers 12 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-12700F has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-12700F — a 13% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-12700F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-12700F's 30,332 — a 79.8% lead for the Core i7-12700F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 21,500 (89.7% advantage for the Core i7-12700F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,388, a 48.6% lead for the Core i7-12700F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 12,448 (73.1% advantage for the Core i7-12700F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700F.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 20+100%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.9 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+38%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
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	30,332+133%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	21,500+162%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,388+64%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	12,448+115%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-12700F 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 i7-12700F — the Core i7-12700F 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 i7-12700F) — the Core i7-12700F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Z790,B760,Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700F).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
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 i7-12700F). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i7-12700F targets High-performance Gaming / Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i7-12700F rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700F
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	High-performance Gaming / Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i7-12700F debuted at $314. On MSRP ($160 vs $314), the Core i5-10400F is $154 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 96.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-12700F — making the Core i7-12700F the 17% better value option.