Core i5-12400F vs Core i5-13500HX

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

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-13500HX.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 27,827).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i5-13500HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-13500HX

2023

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-13500HX

2023

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-13500HX.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 27,827).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i5-13500HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13500HX better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i5-13500HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.3% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data, 42.5% better 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 i5-13500HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.3% more average FPS across 38 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13500HX is the better fit. You are getting 42.5% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i5-13500HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-13500HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.3% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13500HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 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 i5-13500HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500HX
1080p
low	183 FPS	173 FPS
medium	168 FPS	161 FPS
high	139 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	114 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	143 FPS
medium	132 FPS	124 FPS
high	106 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	75 FPS
high	64 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500HX
1080p
low	471 FPS	546 FPS
medium	397 FPS	465 FPS
high	341 FPS	393 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	361 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	458 FPS
medium	351 FPS	403 FPS
high	309 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	306 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	281 FPS
medium	248 FPS	248 FPS
high	229 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	208 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	648 FPS
medium	488 FPS	527 FPS
high	488 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	590 FPS
medium	488 FPS	486 FPS
high	485 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	433 FPS
medium	389 FPS	372 FPS
high	337 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	696 FPS
medium	488 FPS	696 FPS
high	488 FPS	696 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	646 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	696 FPS
medium	488 FPS	696 FPS
high	488 FPS	610 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	530 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	555 FPS
medium	450 FPS	504 FPS
high	391 FPS	450 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	391 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-13500HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i5-13500HX

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 i5-13500HX

The Core i5-13500HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): + 24 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 27,827 points. Launch price was $326.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13500HX offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-13500HX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i5-13500HX — a 6.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-13500HX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-13500HX uses Raptor Lake-HX (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-13500HX's 27,827 — a 35% lead for the Core i5-13500HX. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-13500HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)
PassMark	19,532	27,827+42%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-13500HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-13500HX
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Core i5-13500HX). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.