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: +22.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $258 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $432 MSRP).
✅Delivers 192.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $432 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-1260P.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 9,532).
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-1260P can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-1260P

2022

Why buy it

✅+1350.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU, 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 38.4 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($432 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i7-1260P

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $258 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $432 MSRP).
✅Delivers 192.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $432 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-1260P.

Why buy it

✅+1350.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 9,532).
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-1260P 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 38.4 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($432 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-1260P better than Core i5-12400F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 22.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-1260P pulls ahead with 1350.8% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-1260P is the better fit. You are getting 1350.8% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i7-1260P is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-1260P is 148.3% more expensive on MSRP at $432 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you 1350.8% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i5-12400F is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 22.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 192.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$), 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 i7-1260P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 12 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 i7-1260P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
1080p
low	183 FPS	170 FPS
medium	168 FPS	154 FPS
high	139 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	143 FPS
medium	132 FPS	123 FPS
high	106 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	74 FPS
high	64 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1260P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
1080p
low	471 FPS	314 FPS
medium	397 FPS	268 FPS
high	341 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	265 FPS
medium	351 FPS	233 FPS
high	309 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	175 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	163 FPS
medium	248 FPS	145 FPS
high	229 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	122 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1260P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
1080p
low	488 FPS	415 FPS
medium	488 FPS	415 FPS
high	488 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	415 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	415 FPS
medium	488 FPS	415 FPS
high	485 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	415 FPS
medium	389 FPS	414 FPS
high	337 FPS	370 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	310 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1260P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
1080p
low	488 FPS	415 FPS
medium	488 FPS	415 FPS
high	488 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	415 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	415 FPS
medium	488 FPS	415 FPS
high	488 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	415 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	415 FPS
medium	450 FPS	415 FPS
high	391 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1260P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i7-1260P

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 i7-1260P

The Core i7-1260P is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-P (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,592 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-1260P offers 12 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-1260P has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-1260P — a 6.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-1260P (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-1260P uses Alder Lake-P (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i7-1260P's 16,592 — a 16.3% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,424, a 35.1% lead for the Core i7-1260P that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 9,532 (174.2% advantage for the Core i7-1260P). Both processors carry 18 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	18 MB (total)
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-P (2022)
PassMark	19,532+18%	16,592
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,424+43%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	9,532+1351%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-1260P uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% 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 Adler Lake-P PCH (Core i7-1260P).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-1260P). The Core i7-1260P includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i7-1260P targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1260P
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel Iris Xe Graphics 96EU
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High Performance Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i7-1260P debuted at $432. On MSRP ($174 vs $432), the Core i5-12400F is $258 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 38.4 pts/$ for the Core i7-1260P — making the Core i5-12400F the 98% better value option.