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 $235 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-14700K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-14700K across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 36,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-14700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-14700K

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.3% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+83.3% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Delivers 13.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
135.1% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i7-14700K

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $235 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-14700K.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +24.3% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+83.3% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Delivers 13.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($409 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-14700K across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 36,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $409 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-14700K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
135.1% HIGHER MSRP
$409 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-14700K better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i7-14700K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 24.3% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 190.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 167.4% 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 i7-14700K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 24.3% 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 i7-14700K is the better fit. You are getting 190.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 83.3% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i7-14700K is the smarter buy today. Core i7-14700K is 135.1% more expensive on MSRP at $409 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 24.3% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 13.8% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), 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 i7-14700K is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 83.3% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 28 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 i7-14700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
1080p
low	183 FPS	349 FPS
medium	168 FPS	332 FPS
high	139 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	223 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	291 FPS
medium	132 FPS	246 FPS
high	106 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	162 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	195 FPS
medium	81 FPS	164 FPS
high	64 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14700K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
1080p
low	471 FPS	687 FPS
medium	397 FPS	581 FPS
high	341 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	440 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	594 FPS
medium	351 FPS	525 FPS
high	309 FPS	441 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	347 FPS
medium	248 FPS	314 FPS
high	229 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	261 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14700K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
1080p
low	488 FPS	647 FPS
medium	488 FPS	530 FPS
high	488 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	591 FPS
medium	488 FPS	492 FPS
high	485 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	372 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	437 FPS
medium	389 FPS	382 FPS
high	337 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	295 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14700K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
1080p
low	488 FPS	951 FPS
medium	488 FPS	865 FPS
high	488 FPS	750 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	674 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	802 FPS
medium	488 FPS	716 FPS
high	488 FPS	620 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	547 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	565 FPS
medium	450 FPS	513 FPS
high	391 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	402 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-14700K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i7-14700K

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 i7-14700K

The Core i7-14700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 October 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 33 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 52,228 points. Launch price was $319.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-14700K offers 20 cores / 28 threads — the Core i7-14700K has 14 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.6 GHz on the Core i7-14700K — a 24% clock advantage for the Core i7-14700K (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-14700K uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i7-14700K's 52,228 — a 91.1% lead for the Core i7-14700K. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 36,000 (97.6% advantage for the Core i7-14700K). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,900, a 52.2% lead for the Core i7-14700K that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 21,500 (188.1% advantage for the Core i7-14700K). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-14700K.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	20 / 28+233%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.6 GHz+27%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.4 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	33 MB (total)+83%
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	52,228+167%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	36,000+191%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,900+71%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	21,500+3172%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i7-14700K 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 Z790,H770,B760,Z690,H670,B660,H610 (Core i7-14700K).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
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

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. The Core i7-14700K includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i7-14700K targets High-End Gaming/Creation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-14700K
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High-End Gaming/Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i7-14700K debuted at $409. On MSRP ($174 vs $409), the Core i5-12400F is $235 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i7-14700K — making the Core i7-14700K the 12.9% better value option.