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

✅Costs $2,816 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Delivers 734.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 205W, a 140W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon Gold 6338.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6338 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 40,225).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6338, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6338

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅220% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($2,990 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌215.4% higher power demand at 205W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 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 6338

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,816 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Delivers 734.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 13.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $2,990 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 205W, a 140W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon Gold 6338.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅220% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6338 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 40,225).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6338, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($2,990 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌215.4% higher power demand at 205W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA4189 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6338 better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6338 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon Gold 6338 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.7% 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, Xeon Gold 6338 is the better fit. You are getting 105.9% better PassMark, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Xeon Gold 6338 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Gold 6338 is 1618.4% more expensive on MSRP at $2,990 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 734.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 13.5 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA4189. 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 6338 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	183 FPS	186 FPS
medium	168 FPS	149 FPS
high	139 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	152 FPS
medium	132 FPS	118 FPS
high	106 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	71 FPS
medium	81 FPS	59 FPS
high	64 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6338

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	471 FPS	233 FPS
medium	397 FPS	208 FPS
high	341 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	199 FPS
medium	351 FPS	181 FPS
high	309 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	124 FPS
medium	248 FPS	115 FPS
high	229 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	82 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6338

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	488 FPS	969 FPS
medium	488 FPS	848 FPS
high	488 FPS	802 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	712 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	775 FPS
medium	488 FPS	669 FPS
high	485 FPS	632 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	561 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	498 FPS
medium	389 FPS	393 FPS
high	337 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6338

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
1080p
low	488 FPS	884 FPS
medium	488 FPS	800 FPS
high	488 FPS	687 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	587 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	691 FPS
medium	488 FPS	606 FPS
high	488 FPS	518 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	440 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	499 FPS
medium	450 FPS	446 FPS
high	391 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon Gold 6338

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Xeon Gold 6338

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 6338

The Xeon Gold 6338 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 205 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 40,225 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6338 offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Xeon Gold 6338 has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6338 — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Xeon Gold 6338's 40,225 — a 69.3% lead for the Xeon Gold 6338. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 48 MB on the Xeon Gold 6338.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	32 / 64+433%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+38%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+25%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	48 MB+167%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	—
PassMark	19,532	40,225+106%
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 Xeon Gold 6338 uses LGA4189 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 3200 on the Xeon Gold 6338 — the Xeon Gold 6338 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Gold 6338 supports up to 6144 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 191.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 8 (Xeon Gold 6338). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 64 (Xeon Gold 6338) — the Xeon Gold 6338 offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and C621A (Xeon Gold 6338).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
Socket	LGA1700	LGA4189
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	3200+63900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+2184433%	6144
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	64+220%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Gold 6338). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Xeon Gold 6338 rivals EPYC 7543.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon Gold 6338
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6338 debuted at $2990. On MSRP ($174 vs $2990), the Core i5-12400F is $2816 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 13.5 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6338 — making the Core i5-12400F the 157.2% better value option.