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: +192.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1364 and older memory support.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-4720HQ.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i7-4720HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Core i7-4720HQ

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,714 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Older platform position on BGA1364, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i7-4720HQ

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +192.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of BGA1364 and older memory support.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-4720HQ.

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i7-4720HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,714 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Older platform position on BGA1364, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core i7-4720HQ?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 192.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 241.8% 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 i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 192.7% 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 i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 241.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 6 MB).

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is at an unclear MSRP at $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 192.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2015), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of BGA1364, 200% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 6 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. 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 i7-4720HQ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	183 FPS	143 FPS
medium	168 FPS	140 FPS
high	139 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	141 FPS
medium	132 FPS	119 FPS
high	106 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	67 FPS
medium	81 FPS	60 FPS
high	64 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-4720HQ

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	471 FPS	143 FPS
medium	397 FPS	143 FPS
high	341 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	141 FPS
medium	351 FPS	124 FPS
high	309 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	110 FPS
medium	248 FPS	100 FPS
high	229 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	58 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-4720HQ

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	488 FPS	143 FPS
medium	488 FPS	143 FPS
high	488 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	143 FPS
medium	488 FPS	143 FPS
high	485 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	143 FPS
medium	389 FPS	143 FPS
high	337 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	143 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-4720HQ

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-4720HQ
1080p
low	488 FPS	143 FPS
medium	488 FPS	143 FPS
high	488 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	143 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	143 FPS
medium	488 FPS	143 FPS
high	488 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	143 FPS
medium	450 FPS	143 FPS
high	391 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	143 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i7-4720HQ

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i7-4720HQ

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 i7-4720HQ

The Core i7-4720HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,714 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-4720HQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4720HQ — a 20% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i7-4720HQ uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i7-4720HQ's 5,714 — a 109.5% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 6 MB on the Core i7-4720HQ.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-4720HQ
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+22%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.6 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+200%	6 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB
Process	Intel 7 nm-68%	22 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	19,532+242%	5,714
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 i7-4720HQ uses BGA1364 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i7-4720HQ
Socket	LGA1700	BGA1364
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 i7-4720HQ). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.