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 $579 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Delivers 38.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 58.9 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 150W, a 85W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900KS.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 27,796).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i9-12900KS moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900KS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-12900KS

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +82.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 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.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 770, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 58.9 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($739 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌130.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i9-12900KS

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $579 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Delivers 38.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 58.9 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 150W, a 85W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900KS.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +82.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+150% larger total L3 cache (30 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.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 770, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 27,796).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i9-12900KS moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900KS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 58.9 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($739 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌130.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900KS better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i9-12900KS is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 82.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 239.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 234.1% 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 i9-12900KS is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 82.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900KS is the better fit. You are getting 239.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i9-12900KS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900KS is 361.9% more expensive on MSRP at $739 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 82.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 38.3% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 58.9 PassMark/$), 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 i9-12900KS 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, 150% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 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 i9-12900KS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	192 FPS	283 FPS
medium	152 FPS	269 FPS
high	123 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	235 FPS
medium	119 FPS	199 FPS
high	97 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	158 FPS
medium	70 FPS	134 FPS
high	55 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i9-12900KS

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	326 FPS	716 FPS
medium	318 FPS	603 FPS
high	290 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	443 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	617 FPS
medium	292 FPS	541 FPS
high	267 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	380 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	363 FPS
medium	258 FPS	326 FPS
high	235 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	263 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i9-12900KS

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	326 FPS	866 FPS
medium	326 FPS	686 FPS
high	326 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	502 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	748 FPS
medium	326 FPS	602 FPS
high	326 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	523 FPS
medium	326 FPS	432 FPS
high	289 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	332 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i9-12900KS

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	326 FPS	973 FPS
medium	326 FPS	879 FPS
high	326 FPS	763 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	812 FPS
medium	326 FPS	723 FPS
high	326 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	556 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	555 FPS
medium	326 FPS	502 FPS
high	326 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	396 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i9-12900KS

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i9-12900KS

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 i9-12900KS

The Core i9-12900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 43,528 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-12900KS offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-12900KS has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5.3 GHz on the Core i9-12900KS — a 20.8% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900KS (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-12900KS uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i9-12900KS's 43,528 — a 107.9% lead for the Core i9-12900KS. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 27,796 (109% advantage for the Core i9-12900KS). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,082, a 35.5% lead for the Core i9-12900KS that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900KS.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.3 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.4 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+150%
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	43,528+234%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	27,796+239%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,082+43%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-12900KS 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 i9-12900KS — the Core i9-12900KS 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 i9-12900KS) — the Core i9-12900KS offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and LGA1700 (Core i9-12900KS).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
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

Only the Core i9-12900KS has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i9-12900KS supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i9-12900KS includes integrated graphics (UHD 770), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i9-12900KS
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD 770
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i9-12900KS debuted at $739. On MSRP ($160 vs $739), the Core i5-10400F is $579 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 58.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-12900KS — making the Core i5-10400F the 32.1% better value option.