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

✅+62.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $249 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $423 MSRP).
✅Delivers 192.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $423 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900 across 17 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-9900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-9900

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.8% higher average FPS across 17 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (7,619 vs 12,380).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.4 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($423 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-9900

2019

Why buy it

✅+62.5% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $249 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $423 MSRP).
✅Delivers 192.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $423 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1151 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.8% higher average FPS across 17 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9900 across 17 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-9900 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (7,619 vs 12,380).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.4 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($423 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1151 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core i9-9900?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i9-9900 is ahead with a 14.8% average FPS lead across 17 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F pulls ahead with 62.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 62.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 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 $249 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $423 MSRP, and it gives you 62.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i9-9900 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 14.8% average FPS lead across 17 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 192.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$), 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 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1151, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 i9-9900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
1080p
low	183 FPS	292 FPS
medium	168 FPS	259 FPS
high	139 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	188 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	240 FPS
medium	132 FPS	191 FPS
high	106 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	166 FPS
medium	81 FPS	135 FPS
high	64 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-9900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
1080p
low	471 FPS	406 FPS
medium	397 FPS	406 FPS
high	341 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	403 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	406 FPS
medium	351 FPS	406 FPS
high	309 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	360 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	397 FPS
medium	248 FPS	337 FPS
high	229 FPS	318 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	273 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-9900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
1080p
low	488 FPS	406 FPS
medium	488 FPS	406 FPS
high	488 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	406 FPS
medium	488 FPS	406 FPS
high	485 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	406 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	406 FPS
medium	389 FPS	406 FPS
high	337 FPS	397 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	331 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-9900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
1080p
low	488 FPS	406 FPS
medium	488 FPS	406 FPS
high	488 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	406 FPS
medium	488 FPS	406 FPS
high	488 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	406 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	406 FPS
medium	450 FPS	406 FPS
high	391 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	406 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-9900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-9900

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 i9-9900

The Core i9-9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 16,238 points. Launch price was $439.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-9900 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Core i9-9900 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Core i9-9900 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i9-9900 (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 i9-9900 uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-9900's 16,238 — a 18.4% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 7,619 (47.6% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,637, a 3.8% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 7,619 (168.2% advantage for the Core i9-9900). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.1 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark	19,532+20%	16,238
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380+62%	7,619
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+4%	1,637
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	7,619+1060%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-9900 uses LGA1151 (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 i9-9900 — 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. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 16 (Core i9-9900) — the Core i5-12400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Z390,B365 (Core i9-9900).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1151
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	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9900). The Core i9-9900 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), 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.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9900
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
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 i9-9900 debuted at $423. On MSRP ($174 vs $423), the Core i5-12400F is $249 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 38.4 pts/$ for the Core i9-9900 — making the Core i5-12400F the 98.1% better value option.