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 i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $115 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 95.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12600K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600K across 26 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 17,500).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-12600K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 26 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 95.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($289 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-12600K

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $115 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
✅Delivers 17.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 95.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12600K.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 26 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600K across 26 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 17,500).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 95.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($289 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12600K better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i5-12600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.7% average FPS lead across 26 shared CPU game tests in our data, 41.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 41.2% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.7% more average FPS across 26 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12600K is the better fit. You are getting 41.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-12600K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-12600K is 66.1% more expensive on MSRP at $289 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.7% average FPS lead across 26 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 17.6% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 95.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-12600K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
1080p
low	183 FPS	311 FPS
medium	168 FPS	292 FPS
high	139 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	267 FPS
medium	132 FPS	223 FPS
high	106 FPS	181 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	145 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	170 FPS
medium	81 FPS	142 FPS
high	64 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	95 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-12600K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
1080p
low	471 FPS	577 FPS
medium	397 FPS	487 FPS
high	341 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	369 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	467 FPS
medium	351 FPS	411 FPS
high	309 FPS	352 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	305 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	282 FPS
medium	248 FPS	249 FPS
high	229 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	206 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-12600K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
1080p
low	488 FPS	690 FPS
medium	488 FPS	635 FPS
high	488 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	476 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	690 FPS
medium	488 FPS	566 FPS
high	485 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	425 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	510 FPS
medium	389 FPS	426 FPS
high	337 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	321 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-12600K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
1080p
low	488 FPS	690 FPS
medium	488 FPS	690 FPS
high	488 FPS	690 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	644 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	690 FPS
medium	488 FPS	689 FPS
high	488 FPS	599 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	526 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	542 FPS
medium	450 FPS	495 FPS
high	391 FPS	444 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	389 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-12600K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i5-12600K

Core i5-12400F

The Core i5-12400F 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: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.

Core i5-12600K

The Core i5-12600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 November 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 27,586 points. Launch price was $289.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-12600K offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-12600K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-12600K — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12600K (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-12600K uses Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-12600K's 27,586 — a 34.2% lead for the Core i5-12600K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 17,500 (34.3% advantage for the Core i5-12600K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,472, a 37% lead for the Core i5-12600K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 11,863 (179% advantage for the Core i5-12600K). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600K.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+11%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)
PassMark	19,532	27,586+41%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	17,500+41%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,472+45%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	11,863+1706%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 4800 on the Core i5-12600K — the Core i5-12600K supports 199.6% 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Z690,B660 (Core i5-12600K).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	4800+95900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+104857500%	128
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12600K). The Core i5-12600K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i5-12600K targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i5-12600K rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600K
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i5-12600K debuted at $289. On MSRP ($174 vs $289), the Core i5-12400F is $115 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 95.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-12600K — making the Core i5-12400F the 16.2% better value option.