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 i5-12400

2022

Why buy it

✅+43.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $165 less on MSRP ($209 MSRP vs $374 MSRP).
✅Delivers 136.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($209 MSRP vs $374 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-9700KF

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,659 vs 2,381).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (7,072 vs 10,632).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 89.9 PassMark/$ ($374 MSRP vs $209 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Core i5-12400

2022

Core i7-9700KF

2019

Why buy it

✅+43.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $165 less on MSRP ($209 MSRP vs $374 MSRP).
✅Delivers 136.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($209 MSRP vs $374 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,659 vs 2,381).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (7,072 vs 10,632).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 89.9 PassMark/$ ($374 MSRP vs $209 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400 better than Core i7-9700KF?

Yes. Core i5-12400 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 50.3% better Geekbench multi-core, 31.9% 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 i5-12400 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.9% 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 i5-12400 is the better fit. You are getting 50.3% better Geekbench 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 i5-12400 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400 is $165 cheaper on MSRP at $209 MSRP versus $374 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 136.0% better value on MSRP (89.9 vs 38.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-12400 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/8. 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 i5-12400 Benchmark Check

Core i7-9700KF Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
1080p
low	183 FPS	334 FPS
medium	168 FPS	293 FPS
high	139 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	278 FPS
medium	132 FPS	219 FPS
high	106 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	175 FPS
medium	81 FPS	139 FPS
high	64 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-12400 Open Core i7-9700KF

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
1080p
low	470 FPS	356 FPS
medium	397 FPS	356 FPS
high	341 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	318 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	356 FPS
medium	351 FPS	356 FPS
high	309 FPS	319 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	337 FPS
medium	248 FPS	281 FPS
high	229 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	223 FPS

Open Core i5-12400 Open Core i7-9700KF

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
1080p
low	470 FPS	356 FPS
medium	470 FPS	356 FPS
high	470 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	470 FPS	356 FPS
medium	470 FPS	356 FPS
high	470 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	356 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	356 FPS
medium	389 FPS	356 FPS
high	337 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	349 FPS

Open Core i5-12400 Open Core i7-9700KF

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
1080p
low	470 FPS	356 FPS
medium	470 FPS	356 FPS
high	470 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	470 FPS	356 FPS
medium	470 FPS	356 FPS
high	470 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	470 FPS	356 FPS
4K
low	470 FPS	356 FPS
medium	450 FPS	356 FPS
high	391 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	356 FPS

Open Core i5-12400 Open Core i7-9700KF

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400 and Core i7-9700KF

Core i5-12400

The Core i5-12400 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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: 18,794 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i7-9700KF

The Core i7-9700KF is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 14,250 points. Launch price was $374.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-9700KF offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700KF has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400 versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700KF — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700KF (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-12400 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-9700KF uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400 scores 18,794 against the Core i7-9700KF's 14,250 — a 27.5% lead for the Core i5-12400. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,381 vs 1,659, a 35.7% lead for the Core i5-12400 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 10,632 vs 7,072 (40.2% advantage for the Core i5-12400). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700KF.

Feature	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+50%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	18,794+32%	14,250
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,400	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,381+44%	1,659
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,632+50%	7,072

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i7-9700KF uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400 versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700KF — the Core i5-12400 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: 20 (Core i5-12400) vs 16 (Core i7-9700KF) — the Core i5-12400 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400) and LGA1151 (Core i7-9700KF).

Feature	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700KF). The Core i5-12400 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Core i7-9700KF requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400 targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400 rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400	Core i7-9700KF
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 730	—
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400 launched at $209 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700KF debuted at $374. On MSRP ($209 vs $374), the Core i5-12400 is $165 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400 delivers 89.9 pts/$ vs 38.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700KF — making the Core i5-12400 the 81% better value option.