Core i5-12400F vs Core Ultra 5 125H

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

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 125H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 125H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 20,754).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 125H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core Ultra 5 125H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 5 125H

2023

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 125H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 5 125H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 20,754).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 125H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 125H better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core Ultra 5 125H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 6.3% better 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 Ultra 5 125H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 5 125H is the better fit. You are getting 6.3% better PassMark, backed by 14 cores and 18 threads.

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

Core Ultra 5 125H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 125H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 5 125H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 18 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 Ultra 5 125H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	183 FPS	192 FPS
medium	168 FPS	153 FPS
high	139 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	101 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	155 FPS
medium	132 FPS	121 FPS
high	106 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	86 FPS
medium	81 FPS	73 FPS
high	64 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	471 FPS	519 FPS
medium	397 FPS	517 FPS
high	341 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	519 FPS
medium	351 FPS	453 FPS
high	309 FPS	376 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	321 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	335 FPS
medium	248 FPS	281 FPS
high	229 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	224 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	488 FPS	519 FPS
medium	488 FPS	519 FPS
high	488 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	519 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	519 FPS
medium	488 FPS	519 FPS
high	485 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	494 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	519 FPS
medium	389 FPS	441 FPS
high	337 FPS	400 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	321 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
1080p
low	488 FPS	519 FPS
medium	488 FPS	519 FPS
high	488 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	519 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	519 FPS
medium	488 FPS	519 FPS
high	488 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	519 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	519 FPS
medium	450 FPS	519 FPS
high	391 FPS	473 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	413 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 125H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 5 125H

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 Ultra 5 125H

The Core Ultra 5 125H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-H (2023) architecture. It features 14 cores and 18 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 18 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,754 points. Launch price was $375.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 125H offers 14 cores / 18 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125H has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125H — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 125H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 125H uses Meteor Lake-H (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 5 125H's 20,754 — a 6.1% lead for the Core Ultra 5 125H. Both processors carry 18 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 18+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Meteor Lake-H (2023)
PassMark	19,532	20,754+6%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 125H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 125H). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.