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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-14650HX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-14650HX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 23,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i7-14650HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Core i7-14650HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics (32 EU), while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i7-14650HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-14650HX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics (32 EU), while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-14650HX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 23,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i7-14650HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-14650HX better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i7-14650HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 85.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 77.1% 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 i7-14650HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.7% 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 i7-14650HX is the better fit. You are getting 85.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i7-14650HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-14650HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-14650HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i7-14650HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
1080p
low	183 FPS	262 FPS
medium	168 FPS	252 FPS
high	139 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	223 FPS
medium	132 FPS	191 FPS
high	106 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	133 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 i7-14650HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
1080p
low	471 FPS	342 FPS
medium	397 FPS	293 FPS
high	341 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	224 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	298 FPS
medium	351 FPS	264 FPS
high	309 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	192 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	176 FPS
medium	248 FPS	159 FPS
high	229 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	132 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14650HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	647 FPS
medium	488 FPS	529 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	373 FPS
high	337 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	289 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14650HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	865 FPS
medium	488 FPS	829 FPS
high	488 FPS	715 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	643 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	778 FPS
medium	488 FPS	694 FPS
high	488 FPS	599 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	528 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	534 FPS
medium	450 FPS	484 FPS
high	391 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	378 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14650HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i7-14650HX

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 i7-14650HX

The Core i7-14650HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 34,598 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-14650HX offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-14650HX has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i7-14650HX — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-14650HX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-14650HX uses Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i7-14650HX's 34,598 — a 55.7% lead for the Core i7-14650HX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 23,000 (60% advantage for the Core i7-14650HX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,770, a 47.9% lead for the Core i7-14650HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 14,930 (183.1% advantage for the Core i7-14650HX). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i7-14650HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.1 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+14%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+67%
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 Refresh (2024)
PassMark	19,532	34,598+77%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	23,000+86%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,770+63%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	14,930+2172%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-14650HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i7-14650HX 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. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and HM770,WM790 (Core i7-14650HX).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core i7-14650HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics (32 EU)), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i7-14650HX targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i7-14650HX rivals Core i7-13700HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14650HX
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics (32 EU)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Gaming