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 $350 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $524 MSRP).
✅Delivers 29.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 86.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $524 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-14900 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 36,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-14900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-14900

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (36 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 86.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($524 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-14900

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $350 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $524 MSRP).
✅Delivers 29.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 86.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $524 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (36 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 i9-14900 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 36,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-14900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 86.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($524 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-14900 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-14900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 19.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 190.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 132.0% 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 i9-14900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 19.6% 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 i9-14900 is the better fit. You are getting 190.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 i9-14900 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-14900 is 201.1% more expensive on MSRP at $524 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 19.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 29.8% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 86.5 PassMark/$), 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 i9-14900 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 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 i9-14900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
1080p
low	183 FPS	318 FPS
medium	168 FPS	309 FPS
high	139 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	206 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	276 FPS
medium	132 FPS	238 FPS
high	106 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	190 FPS
medium	81 FPS	162 FPS
high	64 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	109 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-14900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
1080p
low	471 FPS	497 FPS
medium	397 FPS	436 FPS
high	341 FPS	355 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	314 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	422 FPS
medium	351 FPS	381 FPS
high	309 FPS	317 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	258 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	236 FPS
medium	248 FPS	217 FPS
high	229 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	180 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-14900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
1080p
low	488 FPS	760 FPS
medium	488 FPS	624 FPS
high	488 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	465 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	680 FPS
medium	488 FPS	567 FPS
high	485 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	424 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	500 FPS
medium	389 FPS	439 FPS
high	337 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	334 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-14900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
1080p
low	488 FPS	990 FPS
medium	488 FPS	886 FPS
high	488 FPS	774 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	688 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	821 FPS
medium	488 FPS	723 FPS
high	488 FPS	631 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	606 FPS
medium	450 FPS	543 FPS
high	391 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-14900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-14900

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 i9-14900

The Core i9-14900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 24 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz. L3 cache: 36 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 45,321 points. Launch price was $549.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-14900 offers 24 cores / 32 threads — the Core i9-14900 has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.6 GHz on the Core i9-14900 — a 24% clock advantage for the Core i9-14900 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-14900 uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-14900's 45,321 — a 79.5% lead for the Core i9-14900. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 36,000 (97.6% advantage for the Core i9-14900). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 3,000, a 55.3% lead for the Core i9-14900 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 20,000 (187.3% advantage for the Core i9-14900). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 36 MB (total) on the Core i9-14900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 32+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.6 GHz+27%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+25%	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-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	19,532	45,321+132%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	36,000+191%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	3,000+76%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	20,000+2944%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i9-14900 supports up to 192 GB 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 H610,B660,Z690,B760,Z790 (Core i9-14900).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
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 i9-14900). The Core i9-14900 includes integrated graphics (UHD 770), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i9-14900 targets Enthusiast. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i9-14900 rivals Ryzen 9 7900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-14900
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD 770
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Enthusiast

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-14900 debuted at $524. On MSRP ($174 vs $524), the Core i5-12400F is $350 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 86.5 pts/$ for the Core i9-14900 — making the Core i5-12400F the 25.9% better value option.