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 $218 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅Delivers 55.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 52.2 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-12700TE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700TE across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 19,744).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i7-12700TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 52.2 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($378 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-12700TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $218 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅Delivers 55.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 52.2 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-12700TE.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700TE across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 19,744).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12700TE moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 52.2 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($378 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i7-12700TE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 27.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 51.5% better 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 i7-12700TE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 27.6% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12700TE is the better fit. You are getting 51.5% better PassMark, 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 i7-12700TE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12700TE is 136.3% more expensive on MSRP at $378 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 27.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 55.9% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 52.2 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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 i7-12700TE 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 i7-12700TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	192 FPS	169 FPS
medium	152 FPS	153 FPS
high	123 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	141 FPS
medium	119 FPS	121 FPS
high	97 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	77 FPS
medium	70 FPS	71 FPS
high	55 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

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

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	319 FPS
medium	318 FPS	273 FPS
high	290 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	206 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	273 FPS
medium	292 FPS	241 FPS
high	267 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	179 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	168 FPS
medium	258 FPS	150 FPS
high	235 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	123 FPS

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

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	494 FPS
medium	326 FPS	494 FPS
high	326 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	448 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	494 FPS
medium	326 FPS	494 FPS
high	326 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	450 FPS
medium	326 FPS	363 FPS
high	289 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	266 FPS

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

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	494 FPS
medium	326 FPS	494 FPS
high	326 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	494 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	494 FPS
medium	326 FPS	494 FPS
high	326 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	494 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	494 FPS
medium	326 FPS	474 FPS
high	326 FPS	423 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	371 FPS

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

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i7-12700TE

The Core i7-12700TE 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 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 25 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: 19,744 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12700TE offers 12 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-12700TE has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-12700TE — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700TE (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-12700TE uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-12700TE's 19,744 — a 41% lead for the Core i7-12700TE. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700TE.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 20+100%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+107%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
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	19,744+52%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-12700TE uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Core i7-12700TE). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12700TE
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i7-12700TE debuted at $378. On MSRP ($160 vs $378), the Core i5-10400F is $218 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 52.2 pts/$ for the Core i7-12700TE — making the Core i5-10400F the 43.7% better value option.