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 $494 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅Delivers 63.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 68.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-13980HX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13980HX across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 45,950).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-13980HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.2% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($668 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-13980HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $494 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅Delivers 63.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 68.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $668 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-13980HX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.2% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13980HX across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 45,950).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-13980HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 68.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($668 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13980HX better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-13980HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 21.2% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 135.3% 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 i9-13980HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 21.2% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13980HX is the better fit. You are getting 135.3% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i9-13980HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-13980HX is 283.9% more expensive on MSRP at $668 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 21.2% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 63.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 68.8 PassMark/$), 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 i9-13980HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 100% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 32 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 i9-13980HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
1080p
low	183 FPS	321 FPS
medium	168 FPS	311 FPS
high	139 FPS	247 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	209 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	278 FPS
medium	132 FPS	240 FPS
high	106 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	158 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	192 FPS
medium	81 FPS	164 FPS
high	64 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	112 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13980HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
1080p
low	471 FPS	497 FPS
medium	397 FPS	434 FPS
high	341 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	313 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	422 FPS
medium	351 FPS	380 FPS
high	309 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	236 FPS
medium	248 FPS	216 FPS
high	229 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	179 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13980HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	762 FPS
medium	488 FPS	626 FPS
high	488 FPS	543 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	467 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	680 FPS
medium	488 FPS	567 FPS
high	485 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	423 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	497 FPS
medium	389 FPS	430 FPS
high	337 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	329 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13980HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	1012 FPS
medium	488 FPS	905 FPS
high	488 FPS	792 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	704 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	840 FPS
medium	488 FPS	739 FPS
high	488 FPS	646 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	568 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	620 FPS
medium	450 FPS	555 FPS
high	391 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	430 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13980HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-13980HX

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 i9-13980HX

The Core i9-13980HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX (2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5.5 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 45,950 points. Launch price was $668.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-13980HX offers 24 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-13980HX has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.5 GHz on the Core i9-13980HX — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-13980HX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-13980HX uses Raptor Lake-HX (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-13980HX's 45,950 — a 80.7% lead for the Core i9-13980HX. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-13980HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 32+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.5 GHz+25%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+14%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	36 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raptor Lake-HX (2023)
PassMark	19,532	45,950+135%
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 i9-13980HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 5600 on the Core i9-13980HX — the Core i9-13980HX supports 199.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i9-13980HX supports up to 192 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. 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 Raptor Lake-HX (Core i9-13980HX).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	5600+111900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+69904967%	192
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 i9-13980HX). The Core i9-13980HX includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics), 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; Core i9-13980HX rivals Ryzen 9 7945HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13980HX
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics
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 i9-13980HX debuted at $668. On MSRP ($174 vs $668), the Core i5-12400F is $494 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 68.8 pts/$ for the Core i9-13980HX — making the Core i5-12400F the 48% better value option.