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

✅+28.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+28.6% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 14 MB).
✅Costs $825 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 436.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 20.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 8,536).

Core i9-7900X

2017

Why buy it

✅+1199.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,323 vs 1,700).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (14 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-7900X

2017

Why buy it

✅+28.5% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅+28.6% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 14 MB).
✅Costs $825 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 436.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 20.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+1199.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅120% more PCIe lanes (44 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 8,536).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,323 vs 1,700).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (14 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core i9-7900X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7900X pulls ahead with 1199.2% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i5-12400F also has the bigger cache pool with 28.6% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 14 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7900X is the better fit. You are getting 1199.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $825 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-7900X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1199.2% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 436.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 20.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play 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 2017), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011, and 28.6% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 14 MB). That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i9-7900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
1080p
low	183 FPS	178 FPS
medium	168 FPS	142 FPS
high	139 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	150 FPS
medium	132 FPS	117 FPS
high	106 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	82 FPS
medium	81 FPS	69 FPS
high	64 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
1080p
low	471 FPS	332 FPS
medium	397 FPS	277 FPS
high	341 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	222 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	297 FPS
medium	351 FPS	253 FPS
high	309 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	200 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	234 FPS
medium	248 FPS	203 FPS
high	229 FPS	189 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	163 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
1080p
low	488 FPS	523 FPS
medium	488 FPS	523 FPS
high	488 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	461 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	523 FPS
medium	488 FPS	478 FPS
high	485 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	372 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	429 FPS
medium	389 FPS	345 FPS
high	337 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	248 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
1080p
low	488 FPS	523 FPS
medium	488 FPS	523 FPS
high	488 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	523 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	523 FPS
medium	488 FPS	523 FPS
high	488 FPS	523 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	523 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	523 FPS
medium	450 FPS	523 FPS
high	391 FPS	484 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	423 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-7900X

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 i9-7900X

The Core i9-7900X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 14 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,907 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-7900X offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Core i9-7900X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Core i9-7900X — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i9-7900X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-7900X uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-7900X's 20,907 — a 6.8% lead for the Core i9-7900X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,323, a 24.9% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 8,536 (171.4% advantage for the Core i9-7900X). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 14 MB (total) on the Core i9-7900X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.3 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+29%	14 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	19,532	20,907+7%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+28%	1,323
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	8,536+1199%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-7900X uses LGA2011 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-7900X — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 4 (Core i9-7900X). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 44 (Core i9-7900X) — the Core i9-7900X offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and X299 (Core i9-7900X).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	44+120%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-7900X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i9-7900X targets High-End Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7900X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High-End Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-7900X debuted at $999. On MSRP ($174 vs $999), the Core i5-12400F is $825 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 20.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-7900X — making the Core i5-12400F the 137.1% better value option.