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 $90 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $264 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12600KF.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600KF across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 27,594).

Core i5-12600KF

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌
51.7% HIGHER MSRP
$264 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-12600KF

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $90 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $264 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12600KF.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600KF across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 27,594).

Trade-offs

❌
51.7% HIGHER MSRP
$264 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i5-12600KF is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 21.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 41.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12600KF is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 21.1% 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 i5-12600KF is the better fit. You are getting 41.3% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-12600KF is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-12600KF is 51.7% more expensive on MSRP at $264 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 21.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 7.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 104.5 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12600KF Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
1080p
low	183 FPS	313 FPS
medium	168 FPS	293 FPS
high	139 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	268 FPS
medium	132 FPS	224 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 i5-12600KF

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
1080p
low	471 FPS	587 FPS
medium	397 FPS	495 FPS
high	341 FPS	412 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	475 FPS
medium	351 FPS	418 FPS
high	309 FPS	358 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	311 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	287 FPS
medium	248 FPS	254 FPS
high	229 FPS	237 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	210 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-12600KF

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
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 i5-12600KF

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
1080p
low	488 FPS	690 FPS
medium	488 FPS	690 FPS
high	488 FPS	690 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	646 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	690 FPS
medium	488 FPS	689 FPS
high	488 FPS	601 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	528 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	542 FPS
medium	450 FPS	495 FPS
high	391 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	390 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-12600KF

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i5-12600KF

The Core i5-12600KF 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: 9.5 MB. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 27,594 points. Launch price was $264.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-12600KF offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-12600KF has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-12600KF — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12600KF (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 i5-12600KF uses Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-12600KF's 27,594 — a 34.2% lead for the Core i5-12600KF. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600KF.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
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)	9.5 MB+660%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)
PassMark	19,532	27,594+41%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

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 i5-12600KF — the Core i5-12600KF 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 i5-12600KF).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
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 i5-12600KF). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i5-12600KF rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-12600KF
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i5-12600KF debuted at $264. On MSRP ($174 vs $264), the Core i5-12400F is $90 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 104.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-12600KF — making the Core i5-12400F the 7.1% better value option.