Core i5-12400F vs Core i9-9990XE

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Core i9-9990XE

14 Cores28 Thrd255 WWMax: 5.1 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

30,162

+54.4%

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 Core i9-9990XE

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

13781%

Core i9-9990XE

MSRP: $2000|Avg: N/A

100%

Xeon W-11855M

MSRP: $450|Avg: $200

257%

Xeon W-11955M

MSRP: $623|Avg: $450

231%

Xeon W-11865MLE

MSRP: $467|Avg: $350

226%

Xeon W-11865MRE

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

217%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

2602%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

2312%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

1786%

#16

EPYC 7302

MSRP: $978|Avg: $109

1777%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-12400F leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i9-9990XE is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 42.8% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9990XE
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($110)	⚠️ Higher cost ($2,000)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Skylake (server) (2017−2018) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: The Core i5-12400F leads not only in performance but also in value. It is effectively 95% cheaper ($110 vs $2,000) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9990XE
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1077%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($110)	⚠️ Higher cost ($2,000)

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

Core i9-9990XE Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-9990XE

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.

Core i9-9990XE

The Core i9-9990XE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 14 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 19.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 255 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 30,162 points. Launch price was $2,800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-9990XE offers 14 cores / 28 threads — the Core i9-9990XE has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.1 GHz on the Core i9-9990XE — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-9990XE (base: 2.5 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-9990XE uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-9990XE's 30,162 — a 42.8% lead for the Core i9-9990XE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,392, a 19.9% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 16,199 (184.4% advantage for the Core i9-9990XE). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 19.25 MB (total) on the Core i9-9990XE.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9990XE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 28+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.1 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	4 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	19.25 MB (total)+7%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	19,532	30,162+54%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+22%	1,392
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	16,199+2366%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-9990XE uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i9-9990XE — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 4 (Core i9-9990XE). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 44 (Core i9-9990XE) — the Core i9-9990XE offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and X299 (Core i9-9990XE).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-9990XE
Socket	LGA1700	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	20	44+120%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-9990XE). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i9-9990XE targets HEDT. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i9-9990XE rivals Threadripper 2970WX.