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 $1,225 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 517.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 18.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 25,452).

Core i9-7940X

2017

Why buy it

✅+30.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W 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 i9-7940X

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,225 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 517.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 18.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $1,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+30.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 25,452).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($1,399 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W 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 i9-7940X better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-7940X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 30.3% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

For gaming, the two CPUs are effectively a wash in the available data.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-7940X is the better fit. You are getting 30.3% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 28 threads.

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

Core i9-7940X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-7940X is 704.0% more expensive on MSRP at $1,399 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 517.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 18.2 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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 i9-7940X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	183 FPS	168 FPS
medium	168 FPS	148 FPS
high	139 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	141 FPS
medium	132 FPS	121 FPS
high	106 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	79 FPS
medium	81 FPS	73 FPS
high	64 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7940X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	471 FPS	446 FPS
medium	397 FPS	384 FPS
high	341 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	303 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	391 FPS
medium	351 FPS	344 FPS
high	309 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	261 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	250 FPS
medium	248 FPS	219 FPS
high	229 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	179 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7940X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	488 FPS	534 FPS
medium	488 FPS	451 FPS
high	488 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	365 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	485 FPS
medium	488 FPS	415 FPS
high	485 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	379 FPS
medium	389 FPS	319 FPS
high	337 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	233 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7940X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
1080p
low	488 FPS	636 FPS
medium	488 FPS	636 FPS
high	488 FPS	636 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	610 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	636 FPS
medium	488 FPS	636 FPS
high	488 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	500 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	524 FPS
medium	450 FPS	475 FPS
high	391 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-7940X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-7940X

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 i9-7940X

The Core i9-7940X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 25,452 points. Launch price was $1,399.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-7940X offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Core i9-7940X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i9-7940X — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-7940X uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-7940X's 25,452 — a 26.3% lead for the Core i9-7940X. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-7940X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 28+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.1 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	19.25 MB (total)+7%
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	25,452+30%
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 i9-7940X uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
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 i9-7940X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-7940X
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 i9-7940X debuted at $1399. On MSRP ($174 vs $1399), the Core i5-12400F is $1225 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 18.2 pts/$ for the Core i9-7940X — making the Core i5-12400F the 144.2% better value option.