Core i5-12400F vs Core Ultra 5 235U

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

✅+12.3% higher PassMark.
✅+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 235U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 235U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌364.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 14W.

Core Ultra 5 235U

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 14W instead of 65W, a 51W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,397 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 235U

2025

Why buy it

✅+12.3% higher PassMark.
✅+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 235U.

Why buy it

✅Draws 14W instead of 65W, a 51W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 235U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌364.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 14W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (17,397 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 Ultra 5 235U better than Core i5-12400F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 5 235U is ahead with a 1.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F pulls ahead with 12.3% better PassMark. Core i5-12400F also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

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 12.3% 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 Ultra 5 235U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 5 235U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-12400F is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 12.3% better PassMark. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 235U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022). 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 235U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 235U
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 235U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 235U
1080p
low	471 FPS	416 FPS
medium	397 FPS	335 FPS
high	341 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	259 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	354 FPS
medium	351 FPS	296 FPS
high	309 FPS	266 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	227 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	276 FPS
medium	248 FPS	237 FPS
high	229 FPS	219 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	188 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 235U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 235U
1080p
low	488 FPS	435 FPS
medium	488 FPS	435 FPS
high	488 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	435 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	435 FPS
medium	488 FPS	435 FPS
high	485 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	435 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	435 FPS
medium	389 FPS	435 FPS
high	337 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 235U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 235U
1080p
low	488 FPS	435 FPS
medium	488 FPS	435 FPS
high	488 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	435 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	435 FPS
medium	488 FPS	435 FPS
high	488 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	435 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	435 FPS
medium	450 FPS	435 FPS
high	391 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	410 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 235U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 5 235U

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 235U

The Core Ultra 5 235U 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 4.9 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: 17,397 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 235U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 5 235U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 235U — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 235U (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 235U uses Arrow Lake-U (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 5 235U's 17,397 — a 11.6% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 12 MB on the Core Ultra 5 235U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 235U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 14+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
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+12%	17,397
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 235U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 235U
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 235U). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.