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 $308 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $482 MSRP).
✅Delivers 169.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 41.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $482 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-1280P.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 20,043).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.

Core i7-1280P

2022

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 41.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($482 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i7-1280P

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $308 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $482 MSRP).
✅Delivers 169.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 41.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $482 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-1280P.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 20,043).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 41.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($482 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-1280P better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i7-1280P is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2.6% 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 i7-1280P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1.3% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-1280P is the better fit. You are getting 2.6% 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 i7-1280P is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-1280P is 177.0% more expensive on MSRP at $482 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.3% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 169.9% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 41.6 PassMark/$), 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 i7-1280P is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 i7-1280P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
1080p
low	183 FPS	267 FPS
medium	168 FPS	257 FPS
high	139 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	229 FPS
medium	132 FPS	197 FPS
high	106 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	159 FPS
medium	81 FPS	136 FPS
high	64 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1280P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
1080p
low	471 FPS	320 FPS
medium	397 FPS	272 FPS
high	341 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	211 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	264 FPS
medium	351 FPS	234 FPS
high	309 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	177 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	164 FPS
medium	248 FPS	146 FPS
high	229 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	123 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1280P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
1080p
low	488 FPS	501 FPS
medium	488 FPS	501 FPS
high	488 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	501 FPS
medium	488 FPS	501 FPS
high	485 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	416 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 i7-1280P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
1080p
low	488 FPS	501 FPS
medium	488 FPS	501 FPS
high	488 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	501 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	501 FPS
medium	488 FPS	501 FPS
high	488 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	488 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	501 FPS
medium	450 FPS	469 FPS
high	391 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	361 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-1280P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i7-1280P

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 i7-1280P

The Core i7-1280P 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 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24 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: 20,043 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-1280P offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-1280P has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-1280P — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-1280P (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-1280P uses Alder Lake-P (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i7-1280P's 20,043 — a 2.6% lead for the Core i7-1280P. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-1280P.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+39%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
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	20,043+3%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-1280P uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Core i7-1280P). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-1280P
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i7-1280P debuted at $482. On MSRP ($174 vs $482), the Core i5-12400F is $308 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 41.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-1280P — making the Core i5-12400F the 91.9% better value option.