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

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,025 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 472.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 19.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 23,508).

Core i9-7920X

2017

Why buy it

✅+20.4% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-7920X

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.8% higher average FPS across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $1,025 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 472.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 19.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $1,199 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+20.4% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 23,508).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 16 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($1,199 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core i9-7920X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 6.8% average FPS lead across 16 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7920X pulls ahead with 20.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7920X is the better fit. You are getting 20.4% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 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 $1,025 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $1,199 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.8% average FPS lead across 16 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i9-7920X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 20.4% better PassMark. It is also 472.5% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 19.6 PassMark/$), 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) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. 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 i9-7920X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
1080p
low	183 FPS	163 FPS
medium	168 FPS	142 FPS
high	139 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	140 FPS
medium	132 FPS	119 FPS
high	106 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	76 FPS
medium	81 FPS	70 FPS
high	64 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7920X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
1080p
low	471 FPS	352 FPS
medium	397 FPS	300 FPS
high	341 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	243 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	315 FPS
medium	351 FPS	274 FPS
high	309 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	215 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	227 FPS
medium	248 FPS	201 FPS
high	229 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	162 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7920X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
1080p
low	488 FPS	560 FPS
medium	488 FPS	468 FPS
high	488 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	366 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	507 FPS
medium	488 FPS	431 FPS
high	485 FPS	385 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	390 FPS
medium	389 FPS	322 FPS
high	337 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	231 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7920X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
1080p
low	488 FPS	588 FPS
medium	488 FPS	588 FPS
high	488 FPS	588 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	588 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	588 FPS
medium	488 FPS	588 FPS
high	488 FPS	579 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	502 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	531 FPS
medium	450 FPS	480 FPS
high	391 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	366 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7920X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-7920X

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 i9-7920X

The Core i9-7920X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16.5 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 23,508 points. Launch price was $1,199.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-7920X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Core i9-7920X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7920X — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-7920X uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-7920X's 23,508 — a 18.5% lead for the Core i9-7920X. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16.5 MB (total) on the Core i9-7920X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.9 GHz+16%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+9%	16.5 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	23,508+20%
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 i9-7920X uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
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 i9-7920X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7920X
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 i9-7920X debuted at $1199. On MSRP ($174 vs $1199), the Core i5-12400F is $1025 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 19.6 pts/$ for the Core i9-7920X — making the Core i5-12400F the 140.5% better value option.