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 $81 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14600.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14600 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 32,319).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 126.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-14600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-14600

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.8% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Delivers 12.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 126.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($255 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
46.6% HIGHER MSRP
$255 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i5-14600

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $81 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14600.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.8% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Delivers 12.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 126.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($255 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14600 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 32,319).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 126.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $255 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-14600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
46.6% HIGHER MSRP
$255 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-14600 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i5-14600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 12.8% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 65.5% 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 i5-14600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 12.8% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14600 is the better fit. You are getting 65.5% 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 i5-14600 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-14600 is 46.6% more expensive on MSRP at $255 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 12.8% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 12.9% better value on MSRP (126.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), 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 i5-14600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 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 i5-14600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	183 FPS	259 FPS
medium	168 FPS	249 FPS
high	139 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	221 FPS
medium	132 FPS	190 FPS
high	106 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	152 FPS
medium	81 FPS	130 FPS
high	64 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	471 FPS	615 FPS
medium	397 FPS	522 FPS
high	341 FPS	444 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	531 FPS
medium	351 FPS	467 FPS
high	309 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	312 FPS
medium	248 FPS	280 FPS
high	229 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	234 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	488 FPS	647 FPS
medium	488 FPS	530 FPS
high	488 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	590 FPS
medium	488 FPS	490 FPS
high	485 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	433 FPS
medium	389 FPS	374 FPS
high	337 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
1080p
low	488 FPS	808 FPS
medium	488 FPS	808 FPS
high	488 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	652 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	788 FPS
medium	488 FPS	703 FPS
high	488 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	536 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	539 FPS
medium	450 FPS	490 FPS
high	391 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i5-14600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i5-14600

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 i5-14600

The Core i5-14600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 32,319 points. Launch price was $255.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-14600 offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-14600 has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i5-14600 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-14600 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-14600 uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i5-14600's 32,319 — a 49.3% lead for the Core i5-14600. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-14600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.2 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.7 GHz+8%
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-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	19,532	32,319+65%
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. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-14600 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.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
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 i5-14600). The Core i5-14600 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i5-14600 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i5-14600
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i5-14600 debuted at $255. On MSRP ($174 vs $255), the Core i5-12400F is $81 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 126.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-14600 — making the Core i5-14600 the 12.1% better value option.