Core i5-12400F vs Celeron 4205U

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Celeron 4205U

2 Cores2 Thrd15 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

+1346.8%

1,350

0.0%

About PassMark

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400F

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

121%

#16

Core Ultra 5 225F

MSRP: $231|Avg: $150

118%

#17

Core Ultra 7 265K

MSRP: $309|Avg: $285

116%

#18

Ryzen 9 3900

MSRP: $499|Avg: $150

115%

#19

Ryzen 5 3600X

MSRP: $249|Avg: $90

113%

#20

Core i7-14700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $260

113%

#21

Core i7-14700K

MSRP: $409|Avg: $270

109%

#22

Ryzen 5 4500

MSRP: $129|Avg: $85

106%

#23

Ryzen 5 5600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $115

106%

#24

Celeron G5925

MSRP: $62|Avg: $15

105%

#25

Ryzen 5 7500F

MSRP: $179|Avg: $145

104%

#26

Core Ultra 5 245

MSRP: $319|Avg: $220

103%

#27

Ryzen 7 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $86

102%

#28

Core Ultra 7 265KF

MSRP: $379|Avg: $323

102%

#29

Core Ultra 7 265F

MSRP: $369|Avg: $276

100%

#30

Core i5-12400F

MSRP: $174|Avg: $110

100%

#31

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

99%

#32

Ryzen 7 2700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $100

98%

#33

Core i3-10100F

MSRP: $88|Avg: $50

98%

#34

Ryzen 5 7400F

MSRP: $150|Avg: $147

98%

#35

Ryzen 5 9600X

MSRP: $279|Avg: $178

95%

#36

Ryzen 7 3800X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $140

93%

#37

Ryzen 3 5300G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

92%

#38

Ryzen 9 7900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $316

91%

#39

Ryzen 5 5600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $135

91%

#40

Core i5-14600KF

MSRP: $304|Avg: $239

91%

#41

Ryzen 7 5800

MSRP: $349|Avg: $160

91%

#42

Core i3-14100F

MSRP: $109|Avg: $96

90%

#43

Ryzen 7 3700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $140

90%

#44

Ryzen 5 7600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $178

90%

#45

Ryzen 3 3100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 4205U

#42

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

MSRP: $749|Avg: N/A

98%

#140

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

326%

#141

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

321%

#142

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

295%

#143

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

294%

#144

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

291%

#146

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

281%

#147

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

269%

#148

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

269%

#149

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

262%

#152

Celeron 4205U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#158

Core i5-3210M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-12400F delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Celeron 4205U in both compute-intensive tasks (174.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-12400F	Celeron 4205U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-12400F	Celeron 4205U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

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

Celeron 4205U Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Celeron 4205U

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.

Celeron 4205U

The Celeron 4205U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,350 points. Launch price was $107.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Celeron 4205U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 1.8 GHz on the Celeron 4205U — a 83.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Celeron 4205U uses Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Celeron 4205U's 1,350 — a 174.1% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 347, a 132.2% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 585 (11.6% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 4205U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Celeron 4205U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+200%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+144%	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+39%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+800%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	19,532+1347%	1,350
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+390%	347
Geekbench 6 Multi	657+12%	585

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Celeron 4205U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-2133 on the Celeron 4205U — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 12 (Celeron 4205U) — the Core i5-12400F offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Whiskey Lake-U (Celeron 4205U).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Celeron 4205U
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	20+67%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 4205U). The Celeron 4205U includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 610), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Celeron 4205U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Celeron 4205U rivals Pentium Gold 4417U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Celeron 4205U
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 610
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Budget