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

✅Better for gaming: +17.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $47 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 91.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 16,094).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13400T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-13400T

2023

Why buy it

✅+30% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 730, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 91.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($221 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-13400T

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $47 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 91.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+30% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 730, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 16,094).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-13400T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 91.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($221 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400T better than Core i5-12400F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 17.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400T pulls ahead with 30% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400T is the better fit. You are getting 30% 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 i5-13400T is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-13400T is 27.0% more expensive on MSRP at $221 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you 30% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i5-12400F is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 17.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 22.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 91.7 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13400T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-13400T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
1080p
low	183 FPS	170 FPS
medium	168 FPS	157 FPS
high	139 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	142 FPS
medium	132 FPS	123 FPS
high	106 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	80 FPS
medium	81 FPS	74 FPS
high	64 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13400T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
1080p
low	471 FPS	289 FPS
medium	397 FPS	246 FPS
high	341 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	247 FPS
medium	351 FPS	218 FPS
high	309 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	165 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	158 FPS
medium	248 FPS	141 FPS
high	229 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	117 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13400T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
1080p
low	488 FPS	507 FPS
medium	488 FPS	449 FPS
high	488 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	374 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	489 FPS
medium	488 FPS	420 FPS
high	485 FPS	380 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	386 FPS
medium	389 FPS	326 FPS
high	337 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13400T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
1080p
low	488 FPS	507 FPS
medium	488 FPS	507 FPS
high	488 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	507 FPS
medium	488 FPS	507 FPS
high	488 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	472 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	491 FPS
medium	450 FPS	449 FPS
high	391 FPS	395 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	345 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13400T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i5-13400T

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 i5-13400T

The Core i5-13400T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 20,265 points. Launch price was $221.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13400T offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400T has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-13400T — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-13400T uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-13400T's 20,265 — a 3.7% lead for the Core i5-13400T. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 16,094 (26.1% advantage for the Core i5-13400T). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,364, a 32.7% lead for the Core i5-13400T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 11,135 (177.7% advantage for the Core i5-13400T). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400T.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+92%	1.3 GHz
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)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,532	20,265+4%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	16,094+30%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,364+39%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	11,135+1595%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-13400T supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. 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 Z790,B760,H770,Z690 (Core i5-13400T).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
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 i5-13400T). The Core i5-13400T includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 730), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i5-13400T targets Energy Efficient Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i5-13400T rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13400T
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 730
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Energy Efficient Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i5-13400T debuted at $221. On MSRP ($174 vs $221), the Core i5-12400F is $47 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 91.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-13400T — making the Core i5-12400F the 20.2% better value option.