Core i5-12400F vs Core Ultra 5 125U

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: +29.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 125U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 125U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core Ultra 5 125U

2023

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,152 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 5 125U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 125U.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 125U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (17,152 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 29.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 13.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 29.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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 13.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is at an unclear MSRP at $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 29.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 5 125U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 125U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125U
1080p
low	183 FPS	181 FPS
medium	168 FPS	145 FPS
high	139 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	147 FPS
medium	132 FPS	116 FPS
high	106 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	79 FPS
medium	81 FPS	67 FPS
high	64 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	42 FPS

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

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125U
1080p
low	471 FPS	181 FPS
medium	397 FPS	153 FPS
high	341 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	123 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	160 FPS
medium	351 FPS	139 FPS
high	309 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	131 FPS
medium	248 FPS	117 FPS
high	229 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	95 FPS

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

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125U
1080p
low	488 FPS	429 FPS
medium	488 FPS	429 FPS
high	488 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	429 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	429 FPS
medium	488 FPS	429 FPS
high	485 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	413 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	429 FPS
medium	389 FPS	380 FPS
high	337 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	265 FPS

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

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125U
1080p
low	488 FPS	429 FPS
medium	488 FPS	429 FPS
high	488 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	429 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	429 FPS
medium	488 FPS	429 FPS
high	488 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	429 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	429 FPS
medium	450 FPS	429 FPS
high	391 FPS	417 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	364 FPS

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

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 125U

The Core Ultra 5 125U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,152 points. Launch price was $363.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 125U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 125U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 125U — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 125U uses Meteor Lake-P (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 5 125U's 17,152 — a 13% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 125U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 14+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+2%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+92%	1.3 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+50%	12 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-P (2023)
PassMark	19,532+14%	17,152
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 125U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 125U
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 125U). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.