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 $449 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $623 MSRP).
✅Delivers 222.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 34.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $623 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1787 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-11955M.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 21,702).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-11955M, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Xeon W-11955M

2021

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 34.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($623 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1787 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Xeon W-11955M

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $449 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $623 MSRP).
✅Delivers 222.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 34.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $623 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1787 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-11955M.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 21,702).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-11955M, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 34.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($623 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1787 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-11955M better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-11955M 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 W-11955M is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 0.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W-11955M is the better fit. You are getting 11.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Xeon W-11955M is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-11955M is 258.0% more expensive on MSRP at $623 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 222.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 34.8 PassMark/$), 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 FCBGA1787. 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 W-11955M Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
1080p
low	183 FPS	247 FPS
medium	168 FPS	230 FPS
high	139 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	166 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	220 FPS
medium	132 FPS	185 FPS
high	106 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	154 FPS
medium	81 FPS	131 FPS
high	64 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-11955M

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
1080p
low	471 FPS	343 FPS
medium	397 FPS	293 FPS
high	341 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	225 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	298 FPS
medium	351 FPS	266 FPS
high	309 FPS	227 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	194 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	177 FPS
medium	248 FPS	161 FPS
high	229 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	134 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-11955M

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
1080p
low	488 FPS	543 FPS
medium	488 FPS	543 FPS
high	488 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	388 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	543 FPS
medium	488 FPS	501 FPS
high	485 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	345 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	428 FPS
medium	389 FPS	368 FPS
high	337 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-11955M

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
1080p
low	488 FPS	543 FPS
medium	488 FPS	543 FPS
high	488 FPS	543 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	543 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	543 FPS
medium	488 FPS	543 FPS
high	488 FPS	543 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	476 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	510 FPS
medium	450 FPS	458 FPS
high	391 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	348 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-11955M

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Xeon W-11955M

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 W-11955M

The Xeon W-11955M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,702 points. Launch price was $623.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-11955M offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon W-11955M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Xeon W-11955M — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Xeon W-11955M (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon W-11955M uses Tiger Lake-H (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Xeon W-11955M's 21,702 — a 10.5% lead for the Xeon W-11955M. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Xeon W-11955M.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm SuperFin
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Tiger Lake-H (2021)
PassMark	19,532	21,702+11%
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 W-11955M uses FCBGA1787 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1787
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
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 (Xeon W-11955M). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-11955M
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 Xeon W-11955M debuted at $623. On MSRP ($174 vs $623), the Core i5-12400F is $449 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 34.8 pts/$ for the Xeon W-11955M — making the Core i5-12400F the 105.3% better value option.