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 $565 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Delivers 90.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 58.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 150W, a 85W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900KS.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 27,796).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900KS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-12900KS

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 58.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($739 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌130.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-12900KS

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $565 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Delivers 90.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 58.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $739 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 150W, a 85W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900KS.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 770, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900KS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 27,796).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-12900KS can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 58.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($739 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌130.8% higher power demand at 150W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i9-12900KS is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 31.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 124.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 122.9% 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 i9-12900KS is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 31.1% 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 i9-12900KS is the better fit. You are getting 124.5% 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 i9-12900KS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900KS is 324.7% more expensive on MSRP at $739 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 31.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 90.6% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 58.9 PassMark/$), 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 i9-12900KS is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 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 i9-12900KS Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	183 FPS	283 FPS
medium	168 FPS	269 FPS
high	139 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	235 FPS
medium	132 FPS	199 FPS
high	106 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	158 FPS
medium	81 FPS	134 FPS
high	64 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	91 FPS

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

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	471 FPS	716 FPS
medium	397 FPS	603 FPS
high	341 FPS	501 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	443 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	617 FPS
medium	351 FPS	541 FPS
high	309 FPS	454 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	380 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	363 FPS
medium	248 FPS	326 FPS
high	229 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	263 FPS

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

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	488 FPS	866 FPS
medium	488 FPS	686 FPS
high	488 FPS	605 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	502 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	748 FPS
medium	488 FPS	602 FPS
high	485 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	523 FPS
medium	389 FPS	432 FPS
high	337 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	332 FPS

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

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900KS
1080p
low	488 FPS	973 FPS
medium	488 FPS	879 FPS
high	488 FPS	763 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	693 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	812 FPS
medium	488 FPS	723 FPS
high	488 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	556 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	555 FPS
medium	450 FPS	502 FPS
high	391 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	396 FPS

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

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i9-12900KS

The Core i9-12900KS is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 150 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 43,528 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-12900KS offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-12900KS has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.3 GHz on the Core i9-12900KS — a 18.6% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900KS (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). Both are built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture using a Intel 7 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-12900KS's 43,528 — a 76.1% lead for the Core i9-12900KS. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 27,796 (76.7% advantage for the Core i9-12900KS). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,082, a 20.2% lead for the Core i9-12900KS that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900KS.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900KS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.4 GHz+36%
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	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	19,532	43,528+123%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	27,796+125%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,082+22%
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 LGA1700 (Core i9-12900KS).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900KS
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 support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-12900KS). The Core i9-12900KS includes integrated graphics (UHD 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 i9-12900KS
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD 770
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-12900KS debuted at $739. On MSRP ($174 vs $739), the Core i5-12400F is $565 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 58.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-12900KS — making the Core i5-12400F the 62.3% better value option.