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 i5-12500T

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 80W, a 45W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA2579 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon D-2733NT, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $302 MSRP, while Xeon D-2733NT mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon D-2733NT

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500T across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,206 vs 16,339).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 18 MB).
❌128.6% higher power demand at 80W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA2579 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12500T

2022

Xeon D-2733NT

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+20% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 15 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 80W, a 45W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA2579 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon D-2733NT, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $302 MSRP, while Xeon D-2733NT mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500T across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,206 vs 16,339).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (15 MB vs 18 MB).
❌128.6% higher power demand at 80W vs 35W.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA2579 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12500T better than Xeon D-2733NT?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon D-2733NT makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-12500T 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, Core i5-12500T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.9% 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 i5-12500T is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 20% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 15 MB).

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

Core i5-12500T is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12500T is at an unclear MSRP at $302 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 16.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12500T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FCBGA2579, 20% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 15 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-12500T Benchmark Check

Xeon D-2733NT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12500T	Xeon D-2733NT
1080p
low	183 FPS	173 FPS
medium	168 FPS	141 FPS
high	139 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	143 FPS
medium	132 FPS	114 FPS
high	106 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	67 FPS
medium	81 FPS	57 FPS
high	64 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-12500T Open Xeon D-2733NT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12500T	Xeon D-2733NT
1080p
low	257 FPS	154 FPS
medium	217 FPS	135 FPS
high	187 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	223 FPS	135 FPS
medium	192 FPS	122 FPS
high	170 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	146 FPS	87 FPS
4K
low	155 FPS	98 FPS
medium	136 FPS	91 FPS
high	127 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	108 FPS	63 FPS

Open Core i5-12500T Open Xeon D-2733NT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12500T	Xeon D-2733NT
1080p
low	408 FPS	405 FPS
medium	408 FPS	405 FPS
high	408 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	408 FPS	405 FPS
medium	408 FPS	405 FPS
high	408 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	344 FPS
4K
low	408 FPS	405 FPS
medium	389 FPS	321 FPS
high	337 FPS	273 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	220 FPS

Open Core i5-12500T Open Xeon D-2733NT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12500T	Xeon D-2733NT
1080p
low	408 FPS	405 FPS
medium	408 FPS	405 FPS
high	408 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	408 FPS	405 FPS
medium	408 FPS	405 FPS
high	408 FPS	405 FPS
ultra	408 FPS	405 FPS
4K
low	408 FPS	405 FPS
medium	408 FPS	405 FPS
high	386 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	327 FPS	312 FPS

Open Core i5-12500T Open Xeon D-2733NT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12500T and Xeon D-2733NT

Core i5-12500T

The Core i5-12500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 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 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,339 points. Launch price was $299.

Xeon D-2733NT

The Xeon D-2733NT is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Ice Lake-D (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2579. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,206 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12500T packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon D-2733NT offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon D-2733NT has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12500T versus 3.2 GHz on the Xeon D-2733NT — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-12500T (base: 2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-12500T uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Xeon D-2733NT uses Ice Lake-D (2022−2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500T scores 16,339 against the Xeon D-2733NT's 16,206 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-12500T. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500T vs 15 MB (total) on the Xeon D-2733NT.

Feature	Core i5-12500T	Xeon D-2733NT
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+38%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.1 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+20%	15 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Ice Lake-D (2022−2023)
PassMark	16,339	16,206
Cinebench R23 Multi	6,625	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,300	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,900	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Xeon D-2733NT uses FCBGA2579 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12500T	Xeon D-2733NT
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2579
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500T) / not specified (Xeon D-2733NT). The Core i5-12500T includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 770), while the Xeon D-2733NT requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500T targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500T rivals Ryzen 5 5600GE.