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 $320 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 142.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 46.3 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900TE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900TE across 33 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,887).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Core i9-12900TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.8% higher average FPS across 33 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.3 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-12900TE

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $320 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅Delivers 142.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 46.3 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $494 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-12900TE.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.8% higher average FPS across 33 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (30 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-12900TE across 33 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,887).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 30 MB).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 46.3 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($494 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i9-12900TE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.8% average FPS lead across 33 shared CPU game tests in our data, 17.2% 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 i9-12900TE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.8% more average FPS across 33 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-12900TE is the better fit. You are getting 17.2% 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 i9-12900TE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-12900TE is 183.9% more expensive on MSRP at $494 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.8% average FPS lead across 33 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 142.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 46.3 PassMark/$), 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 i9-12900TE 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 i9-12900TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	183 FPS	254 FPS
medium	168 FPS	239 FPS
high	139 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	220 FPS
medium	132 FPS	187 FPS
high	106 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	151 FPS
medium	81 FPS	128 FPS
high	64 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	87 FPS

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

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	471 FPS	330 FPS
medium	397 FPS	281 FPS
high	341 FPS	235 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	211 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	273 FPS
medium	351 FPS	242 FPS
high	309 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	178 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	169 FPS
medium	248 FPS	151 FPS
high	229 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	123 FPS

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

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	488 FPS	572 FPS
medium	488 FPS	572 FPS
high	488 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	572 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	572 FPS
medium	488 FPS	572 FPS
high	485 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	572 FPS
medium	389 FPS	495 FPS
high	337 FPS	440 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	370 FPS

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

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
1080p
low	488 FPS	572 FPS
medium	488 FPS	572 FPS
high	488 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	572 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	572 FPS
medium	488 FPS	572 FPS
high	488 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	572 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	572 FPS
medium	450 FPS	572 FPS
high	391 FPS	511 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	433 FPS

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

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i9-12900TE

The Core i9-12900TE 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 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,887 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-12900TE offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-12900TE has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-12900TE — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-12900TE (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.1 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 i9-12900TE's 22,887 — a 15.8% lead for the Core i9-12900TE. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core i9-12900TE.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+127%	1.1 GHz
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-S (2022)
PassMark	19,532	22,887+17%
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.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
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 i9-12900TE). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-12900TE
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-12900TE debuted at $494. On MSRP ($174 vs $494), the Core i5-12400F is $320 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 46.3 pts/$ for the Core i9-12900TE — making the Core i5-12400F the 83.1% better value option.