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 $140 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).
✅Delivers 16.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 96.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 21,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i7-12700F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 96.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($314 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i7-12700F

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $140 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).
✅Delivers 16.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 96.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $314 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12700F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 21,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 96.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($314 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12700F better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i7-12700F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 73.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 55.3% higher 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 i7-12700F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.4% 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 i7-12700F is the better fit. You are getting 73.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i7-12700F is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12700F is 80.5% more expensive on MSRP at $314 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 16.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 96.6 PassMark/$), 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 i7-12700F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 38.9% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 12 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 i7-12700F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	183 FPS	262 FPS
medium	168 FPS	252 FPS
high	139 FPS	211 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	228 FPS
medium	132 FPS	196 FPS
high	106 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	159 FPS
medium	81 FPS	136 FPS
high	64 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-12700F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	471 FPS	312 FPS
medium	397 FPS	265 FPS
high	341 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	204 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	257 FPS
medium	351 FPS	228 FPS
high	309 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	172 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	157 FPS
medium	248 FPS	141 FPS
high	229 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	118 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-12700F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	488 FPS	758 FPS
medium	488 FPS	615 FPS
high	488 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	689 FPS
medium	488 FPS	553 FPS
high	485 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	415 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	498 FPS
medium	389 FPS	416 FPS
high	337 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-12700F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
1080p
low	488 FPS	758 FPS
medium	488 FPS	758 FPS
high	488 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	597 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	738 FPS
medium	488 FPS	657 FPS
high	488 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	519 FPS
medium	450 FPS	473 FPS
high	391 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-12700F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i7-12700F

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 i7-12700F

The Core i7-12700F 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 12 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 25 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: 30,332 points. Launch price was $386.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12700F offers 12 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-12700F has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-12700F — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-12700F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). Both are built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i7-12700F's 30,332 — a 43.3% lead for the Core i7-12700F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 21,500 (53.8% advantage for the Core i7-12700F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,388, a 33.7% lead for the Core i7-12700F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 12,448 (179.9% advantage for the Core i7-12700F). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12700F.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 20+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+39%
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-S (2022)
PassMark	19,532	30,332+55%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	21,500+74%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,388+40%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	12,448+1795%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. 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 Z790,B760,Z690,B660 (Core i7-12700F).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
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	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i7-12700F targets High-performance Gaming / Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i7-12700F rivals Ryzen 7 5800X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-12700F
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High-performance Gaming / Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i7-12700F debuted at $314. On MSRP ($174 vs $314), the Core i5-12400F is $140 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 96.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-12700F — making the Core i5-12400F the 15% better value option.