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 $1,256 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $1,430 MSRP).
✅Delivers 308.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $1,430 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-3335.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-3335 across 35 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 39,293).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-3335, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Xeon W-3335

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 35 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 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 27.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($1,430 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W 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 W-3335

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,256 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $1,430 MSRP).
✅Delivers 308.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 27.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $1,430 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA4189 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-3335.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.1% higher average FPS across 35 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 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 W-3335 across 35 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 39,293).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-3335, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($1,430 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W 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 W-3335 better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-3335 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-3335 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.1% more average FPS across 35 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon W-3335 is the better fit. You are getting 101.2% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 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-3335 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-3335 is 721.8% more expensive on MSRP at $1,430 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.1% average FPS lead across 35 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 308.5% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 27.5 PassMark/$), 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 W-3335 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
1080p
low	183 FPS	182 FPS
medium	168 FPS	144 FPS
high	139 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	148 FPS
medium	132 FPS	115 FPS
high	106 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	68 FPS
medium	81 FPS	57 FPS
high	64 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-3335

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
1080p
low	471 FPS	447 FPS
medium	397 FPS	385 FPS
high	341 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	266 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	385 FPS
medium	351 FPS	342 FPS
high	309 FPS	287 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	237 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	248 FPS
medium	248 FPS	223 FPS
high	229 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	165 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-3335

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
1080p
low	488 FPS	982 FPS
medium	488 FPS	962 FPS
high	488 FPS	905 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	819 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	836 FPS
medium	488 FPS	736 FPS
high	485 FPS	692 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	618 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	537 FPS
medium	389 FPS	438 FPS
high	337 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	315 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-3335

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
1080p
low	488 FPS	982 FPS
medium	488 FPS	868 FPS
high	488 FPS	751 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	639 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	790 FPS
medium	488 FPS	676 FPS
high	488 FPS	582 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	496 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	550 FPS
medium	450 FPS	480 FPS
high	391 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	363 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Xeon W-3335

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Xeon W-3335

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-3335

The Xeon W-3335 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-W (2021) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4189. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 39,293 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-3335 offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Xeon W-3335 has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4 GHz on the Xeon W-3335 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon W-3335 uses Ice Lake-W (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Xeon W-3335's 39,293 — a 67.2% lead for the Xeon W-3335. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Xeon W-3335.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 32+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+10%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.4 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Ice Lake-W (2021)
PassMark	19,532	39,293+101%
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-3335 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 W-3335 — the Xeon W-3335 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon W-3335 supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 8 (Xeon W-3335). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 64 (Xeon W-3335) — the Xeon W-3335 offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and W790 (Xeon W-3335).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
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+3276700%	4096
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 W-3335). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Xeon W-3335 rivals EPYC 7402.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Xeon W-3335
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 W-3335 debuted at $1430. On MSRP ($174 vs $1430), the Core i5-12400F is $1256 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 27.5 pts/$ for the Xeon W-3335 — making the Core i5-12400F the 121.3% better value option.