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: +1110.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+1700% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 1 MB).
✅Delivers 838.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 12.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $84 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA775 and older memory support.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
107.1% HIGHER MSRP
$174 MSRPvs$84 MSRP

Pentium E2210

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $90 less on MSRP ($84 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (500 vs 657).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (1 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($84 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA775, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Pentium E2210

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +1110.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+1700% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 1 MB).
✅Delivers 838.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 12.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $84 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA775 and older memory support.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $90 less on MSRP ($84 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
107.1% HIGHER MSRP
$174 MSRPvs$84 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (500 vs 657).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (1 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($84 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA775, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Pentium E2210?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 1110.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 31.4% better Geekbench multi-core, 1843.5% higher 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 i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 1110.7% more average FPS across 3 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 31.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1700% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 1 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 107.1% more expensive on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $84 MSRP, and it gives you a 1110.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 838.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 12.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2009), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA775, 1700% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 1 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 2/2. 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

Pentium E2210 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
1080p
low	183 FPS	25 FPS
medium	168 FPS	25 FPS
high	139 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	25 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	25 FPS
medium	132 FPS	25 FPS
high	106 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	25 FPS
medium	81 FPS	25 FPS
high	64 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	25 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Pentium E2210

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
1080p
low	471 FPS	25 FPS
medium	397 FPS	25 FPS
high	341 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	25 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	25 FPS
medium	351 FPS	25 FPS
high	309 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	25 FPS
medium	248 FPS	25 FPS
high	229 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	18 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Pentium E2210

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
1080p
low	488 FPS	25 FPS
medium	488 FPS	25 FPS
high	488 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	25 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	25 FPS
medium	488 FPS	25 FPS
high	485 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	25 FPS
medium	389 FPS	25 FPS
high	337 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	25 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Pentium E2210

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
1080p
low	488 FPS	25 FPS
medium	488 FPS	25 FPS
high	488 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	25 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	25 FPS
medium	488 FPS	25 FPS
high	488 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	25 FPS
medium	450 FPS	25 FPS
high	391 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	25 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Pentium E2210

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Pentium E2210

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.

Pentium E2210

The Pentium E2210 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,005 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Pentium E2210 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 4 more cores. The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Pentium E2210's 1,005 — a 180.4% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 300, a 140% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 500 (27.1% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 1 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium E2210.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+200%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	—
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+14%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+1700%	1 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm-84%	45 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	—
PassMark	19,532+1843%	1,005
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+467%	300
Geekbench 6 Multi	657+31%	500

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium E2210 uses LGA775 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR2 on the Pentium E2210 — the Core i5-12400F supports 85.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 0 (Pentium E2210) — the Core i5-12400F offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Intel P35,Intel G33,Intel G31,Intel G41 (Pentium E2210).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
Socket	LGA1700	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+150%	DDR2
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3100%	4 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs false (Pentium E2210). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Pentium E2210
Integrated GPU	No	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	false
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Pentium E2210 debuted at $84. On MSRP ($174 vs $84), the Pentium E2210 is $90 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 12.0 pts/$ for the Pentium E2210 — making the Core i5-12400F the 161.5% better value option.