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 $805 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 241.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-10980XE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980XE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 24,309).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($979 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-10980XE

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $805 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Delivers 241.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 32.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $979 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-10980XE.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+37.5% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10980XE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 24,309).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 25 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($979 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10980XE better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-10980XE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 45.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 96.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 64.8% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10980XE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 45.3% 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 i9-10980XE is the better fit. You are getting 96.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 37.5% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i9-10980XE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-10980XE is 462.6% more expensive on MSRP at $979 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 45.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 241.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 32.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. 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 i9-10980XE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	183 FPS	280 FPS
medium	168 FPS	249 FPS
high	139 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	234 FPS
medium	132 FPS	189 FPS
high	106 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	165 FPS
medium	81 FPS	134 FPS
high	64 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10980XE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	471 FPS	550 FPS
medium	397 FPS	457 FPS
high	341 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	345 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	456 FPS
medium	351 FPS	394 FPS
high	309 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	290 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	285 FPS
medium	248 FPS	247 FPS
high	229 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	200 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10980XE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	488 FPS	805 FPS
medium	488 FPS	805 FPS
high	488 FPS	805 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	805 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	805 FPS
medium	488 FPS	805 FPS
high	485 FPS	768 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	656 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	596 FPS
medium	389 FPS	501 FPS
high	337 FPS	444 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	374 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10980XE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
1080p
low	488 FPS	805 FPS
medium	488 FPS	805 FPS
high	488 FPS	787 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	704 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	805 FPS
medium	488 FPS	722 FPS
high	488 FPS	630 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	552 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	574 FPS
medium	450 FPS	510 FPS
high	391 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	402 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10980XE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-10980XE

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 i9-10980XE

The Core i9-10980XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake-X (2019) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 32,187 points. Launch price was $979.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-10980XE offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Core i9-10980XE has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-10980XE — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-10980XE (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-10980XE uses Cascade Lake-X (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-10980XE's 32,187 — a 48.9% lead for the Core i9-10980XE. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 24,309 (65% advantage for the Core i9-10980XE). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,242, a 31.1% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 16,275 (184.5% advantage for the Core i9-10980XE). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24.75 MB (total) on the Core i9-10980XE.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	18 / 36+200%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24.75 MB (total)+38%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Cascade Lake-X (2019)
PassMark	19,532	32,187+65%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	24,309+96%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+37%	1,242
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	16,275+2377%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-10980XE uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-2933 on the Core i9-10980XE — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-10980XE supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 4 (Core i9-10980XE). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 48 (Core i9-10980XE) — the Core i9-10980XE offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and X299 (Core i9-10980XE).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	48+140%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs Yes (Core i9-10980XE). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10980XE
Integrated GPU	No	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	Yes
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-10980XE debuted at $979. On MSRP ($174 vs $979), the Core i5-12400F is $805 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 32.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-10980XE — making the Core i5-12400F the 109.4% better value option.