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

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 225U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,700 vs 2,374).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 7,846).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 225U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌364.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 14W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 5 225U

2025

Why buy it

✅+39.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 14W instead of 65W, a 51W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores), while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 5 225U

2025

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 225U.

Why buy it

✅+39.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 14W instead of 65W, a 51W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores), while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,700 vs 2,374).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 7,846).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 225U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌364.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 14W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 5 225U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 5 225U better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core Ultra 5 225U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1094.2% better Geekbench multi-core, 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 225U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.5% 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 Ultra 5 225U is the better fit. You are getting 1094.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads.

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

Core Ultra 5 225U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 225U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 225U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 threads instead of 6/12. 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 Ultra 5 225U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
1080p
low	183 FPS	277 FPS
medium	168 FPS	248 FPS
high	139 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	181 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	230 FPS
medium	132 FPS	185 FPS
high	106 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	161 FPS
medium	81 FPS	131 FPS
high	64 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 225U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
1080p
low	471 FPS	420 FPS
medium	397 FPS	335 FPS
high	341 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	358 FPS
medium	351 FPS	296 FPS
high	309 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	227 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	278 FPS
medium	248 FPS	237 FPS
high	229 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	188 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 225U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
1080p
low	488 FPS	461 FPS
medium	488 FPS	461 FPS
high	488 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	461 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	461 FPS
medium	488 FPS	461 FPS
high	485 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	461 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	461 FPS
medium	389 FPS	461 FPS
high	337 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 225U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
1080p
low	488 FPS	461 FPS
medium	488 FPS	461 FPS
high	488 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	461 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	461 FPS
medium	488 FPS	461 FPS
high	488 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	461 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	461 FPS
medium	450 FPS	461 FPS
high	391 FPS	461 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	410 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 225U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 5 225U

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 225U

The Core Ultra 5 225U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-U (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 14 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,434 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 225U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 225U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 225U — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 225U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 5 225U's 18,434 — a 5.8% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,374, a 33.1% lead for the Core Ultra 5 225U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 7,846 (169.1% advantage for the Core Ultra 5 225U). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 225U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 14+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+50%	12 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Arrow Lake-U (2025)
PassMark	19,532+6%	18,434
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,374+40%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	7,846+1094%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 225U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Meteor Lake SoC (Core Ultra 5 225U).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-6400 / LPDDR5x-8400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core Ultra 5 225U). The Core Ultra 5 225U includes integrated graphics (Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores)), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core Ultra 5 225U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core Ultra 5 225U rivals Ryzen 5 8640U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 225U
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel Graphics (4 Xe Cores)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x / VT-d / EPT
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Productivity