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

✅+40.3% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $2,270 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $2,444 MSRP).
✅Delivers 722.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $2,444 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 22,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6240R, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6240R

2020

Why buy it

✅+81.7% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+98.6% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,212 vs 1,700).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($2,444 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Xeon Gold 6240R

2020

Why buy it

✅+40.3% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $2,270 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $2,444 MSRP).
✅Delivers 722.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $2,444 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA3647 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+81.7% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+98.6% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅140% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 22,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 36 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6240R, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,212 vs 1,700).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.6 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($2,444 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA3647 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Xeon Gold 6240R?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6240R makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-12400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Gold 6240R is the better fit. You are getting 81.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 98.6% larger total L3 cache (36 MB vs 18 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 $2,270 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $2,444 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Gold 6240R is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 81.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 722.6% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 13.6 PassMark/$), 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 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA3647. 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

Xeon Gold 6240R Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
1080p
low	183 FPS	197 FPS
medium	168 FPS	159 FPS
high	139 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	157 FPS
medium	132 FPS	123 FPS
high	106 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	72 FPS
medium	81 FPS	60 FPS
high	64 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6240R

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
1080p
low	471 FPS	443 FPS
medium	397 FPS	386 FPS
high	341 FPS	314 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	260 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	383 FPS
medium	351 FPS	336 FPS
high	309 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	221 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	240 FPS
medium	248 FPS	213 FPS
high	229 FPS	188 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	154 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6240R

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
1080p
low	488 FPS	781 FPS
medium	488 FPS	634 FPS
high	488 FPS	570 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	501 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	606 FPS
medium	488 FPS	499 FPS
high	485 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	391 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	441 FPS
medium	389 FPS	350 FPS
high	337 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	249 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6240R

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
1080p
low	488 FPS	834 FPS
medium	488 FPS	834 FPS
high	488 FPS	738 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	644 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	744 FPS
medium	488 FPS	654 FPS
high	488 FPS	562 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	488 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	541 FPS
medium	450 FPS	483 FPS
high	391 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6240R

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Xeon Gold 6240R

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.

Xeon Gold 6240R

The Xeon Gold 6240R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 35.75 MB. L2 cache: 24 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 33,353 points. Launch price was $2,200.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6240R offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Xeon Gold 6240R has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6240R — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6240R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Xeon Gold 6240R's 33,353 — a 52.3% lead for the Xeon Gold 6240R. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 22,500 (58% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6240R). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,212, a 33.5% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 17,218 (185.3% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6240R). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 35.75 MB on the Xeon Gold 6240R.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 48+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+10%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	35.75 MB+99%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	24 MB+1820%
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	19,532	33,353+71%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	22,500+82%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+40%	1,212
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	17,218+2521%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 6240R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-2933 on the Xeon Gold 6240R — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6240R supports up to 1024 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6240R). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6240R) — the Xeon Gold 6240R offers 28 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and C621,Lewisburg (Xeon Gold 6240R).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
Socket	LGA1700	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1024 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	48+140%

🔧

Advanced Features

Both support VT-x, VT-d, EPT virtualization. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Xeon Gold 6240R targets Server / High-load computing. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Xeon Gold 6240R rivals EPYC 7402.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6240R
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Server / High-load computing

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6240R debuted at $2444. On MSRP ($174 vs $2444), the Core i5-12400F is $2270 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 13.6 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6240R — making the Core i5-12400F the 156.6% better value option.