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 $415 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).
✅Delivers 60.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 69.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900K.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 41,180).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-12900K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.6% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 69.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($589 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-12900K

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $415 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).
✅Delivers 60.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 69.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $589 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900K.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.6% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅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 i9-12900K across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 41,180).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 69.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($589 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-12900K better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-12900K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 42.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 110.8% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-12900K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 42.6% 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 i9-12900K is the better fit. You are getting 110.8% better PassMark, 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 i9-12900K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900K is 238.5% more expensive on MSRP at $589 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 42.6% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 60.6% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 69.9 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i9-12900K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
1080p
low	183 FPS	272 FPS
medium	168 FPS	261 FPS
high	139 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	185 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	233 FPS
medium	132 FPS	199 FPS
high	106 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	160 FPS
medium	81 FPS	137 FPS
high	64 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	94 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-12900K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
1080p
low	471 FPS	636 FPS
medium	397 FPS	540 FPS
high	341 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	414 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	545 FPS
medium	351 FPS	482 FPS
high	309 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	353 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	321 FPS
medium	248 FPS	290 FPS
high	229 FPS	275 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	244 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-12900K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
1080p
low	488 FPS	776 FPS
medium	488 FPS	620 FPS
high	488 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	692 FPS
medium	488 FPS	560 FPS
high	485 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	414 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	499 FPS
medium	389 FPS	418 FPS
high	337 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	320 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-12900K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
1080p
low	488 FPS	900 FPS
medium	488 FPS	817 FPS
high	488 FPS	706 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	637 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	778 FPS
medium	488 FPS	693 FPS
high	488 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	529 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	534 FPS
medium	450 FPS	483 FPS
high	391 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	378 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-12900K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-12900K

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 i9-12900K

The Core i9-12900K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 November 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 41,180 points. Launch price was $589.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-12900K offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-12900K has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i9-12900K — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900K (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-12900K uses Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-12900K's 41,180 — a 71.3% lead for the Core i9-12900K. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.2 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Alder Lake, Golden Cove, Gracemont (2021)
PassMark	19,532	41,180+111%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. 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 Intel 600 series,Intel 700 series (Core i9-12900K).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Core i9-12900K). The Core i9-12900K 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. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900K
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics 770
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-12900K debuted at $589. On MSRP ($174 vs $589), the Core i5-12400F is $415 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 69.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-12900K — making the Core i5-12400F the 46.5% better value option.