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

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $346 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $520 MSRP).
✅Delivers 202.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 37.1 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $520 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌282.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 17W.

Core Ultra 7 266V

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 65W, a 48W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,274 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.1 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($520 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 7 266V

2024

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $346 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $520 MSRP).
✅Delivers 202.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 37.1 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $520 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 65W, a 48W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌282.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 17W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,274 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.1 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($520 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 266V better than Core i5-12400F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core Ultra 7 266V is ahead with a 1.2% average FPS lead across 34 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F pulls ahead with 1.3% 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 1.3% 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 7 266V is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 7 266V is 198.9% more expensive on MSRP at $520 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.2% average FPS lead across 34 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-12400F is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.3% better PassMark. Core i5-12400F is also 202.9% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 37.1 PassMark/$), 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 7 266V is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 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 7 266V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
1080p
low	183 FPS	272 FPS
medium	168 FPS	243 FPS
high	139 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	176 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	130 FPS
high	64 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 266V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
1080p
low	471 FPS	236 FPS
medium	397 FPS	195 FPS
high	341 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	155 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	210 FPS
medium	351 FPS	181 FPS
high	309 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	139 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	155 FPS
medium	248 FPS	138 FPS
high	229 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	114 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 266V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
1080p
low	488 FPS	482 FPS
medium	488 FPS	482 FPS
high	488 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	482 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	482 FPS
medium	488 FPS	482 FPS
high	485 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	468 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	482 FPS
medium	389 FPS	462 FPS
high	337 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 266V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
1080p
low	488 FPS	482 FPS
medium	488 FPS	482 FPS
high	488 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	482 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	482 FPS
medium	488 FPS	482 FPS
high	488 FPS	482 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	482 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	482 FPS
medium	450 FPS	482 FPS
high	391 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	418 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 266V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 7 266V

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 7 266V

The Core Ultra 7 266V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 19,274 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 266V offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core Ultra 7 266V has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 266V — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 266V (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 266V uses Lunar Lake (2024) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 7 266V's 19,274 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 266V.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+14%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+50%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2.5 MB (per core)+100%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Lunar Lake (2024)
PassMark	19,532+1%	19,274
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 266V uses FCBGA2833 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2833
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	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Core Ultra 7 266V). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 266V
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 7 266V debuted at $520. On MSRP ($174 vs $520), the Core i5-12400F is $346 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 37.1 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 7 266V — making the Core i5-12400F the 100.7% better value option.