Core i5-12400F vs Core Ultra 7 265

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Core Ultra 7 265

20 Cores20 Thrd65 WWMax: 5.3 GHz2025

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

49,666

+154.3%

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 Ultra 7 265

#39

Ryzen 5 5600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $135

104%

#40

Core i5-14600KF

MSRP: $304|Avg: $239

104%

#41

Ryzen 7 5800

MSRP: $349|Avg: $160

104%

#42

Core i3-14100F

MSRP: $109|Avg: $96

103%

#43

Ryzen 7 3700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $140

103%

#44

Ryzen 5 7600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $178

103%

#45

Ryzen 3 3100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

102%

#46

Core i5-13490F

MSRP: $235|Avg: $170

101%

#47

Ryzen 5 5600F

MSRP: $99|Avg: $129

101%

#48

Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

MSRP: $499|Avg: $200

101%

#49

Ryzen 3 4300GE

MSRP: $94|Avg: $72

101%

#50

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400GE

MSRP: $169|Avg: $50

100%

#51

Core Ultra 5 225

MSRP: $240|Avg: $200

100%

#52

Core i5-11500

MSRP: $192|Avg: $110

100%

#53

Core i3-12100F

MSRP: $97|Avg: $90

100%

#54

Core Ultra 7 265

MSRP: $384|Avg: $320

100%

#55

Ryzen 7 5800X

MSRP: $449|Avg: $180

99%

#56

Core i5-11400F

MSRP: $157|Avg: $110

99%

#57

Ryzen 7 5700G

MSRP: $359|Avg: $160

98%

#58

Ryzen 7 5700X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $175

98%

#59

Core i5-9500

MSRP: $192|Avg: $65

97%

#60

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

MSRP: $429|Avg: $450

97%

#61

Core i9-9960X

MSRP: $1684|Avg: $200

96%

#62

Core Ultra 5 225T

MSRP: $240|Avg: $180

96%

#63

Ryzen 3 3300X

MSRP: $120|Avg: $90

96%

#64

Core i5-12600K

MSRP: $289|Avg: $185

96%

#65

Core Ultra 5 235

MSRP: $257|Avg: $269

96%

#66

Ryzen 7 5700

MSRP: $179|Avg: $164

96%

#67

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $90

95%

#68

Ryzen 3 4100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

95%

#69

Ryzen 9 9900X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $370

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core Ultra 7 265 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-12400F in both compute-intensive tasks (87.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 265
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($110)	⚠️ Higher cost ($320)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) / 3 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: The Core i5-12400F offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $110 (vs $320), it costs 66% less. While offering significantly lower raw performance, it results in a 14% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core Ultra 7 265.

Insight	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 265
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+14%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($110)	⚠️ Higher cost ($320)

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 Ultra 7 265 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 7 265

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 Ultra 7 265

The Core Ultra 7 265 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) architecture. It features 20 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.3 GHz. L3 cache: 30 MB (total). L2 cache: 3 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1851. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 49,666 points. Launch price was $394.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 265 offers 20 cores / 20 threads — the Core Ultra 7 265 has 14 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.3 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 265 — a 18.6% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 265 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 265 uses Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 7 265's 49,666 — a 87.1% lead for the Core Ultra 7 265. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 30 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 265.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 265
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	20 / 20+233%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	30 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	3 MB (per core)+140%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Arrow Lake-S (2024−2025)
PassMark	19,532	49,666+154%
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 Core Ultra 7 265 uses LGA1851 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 6400 on the Core Ultra 7 265 — the Core Ultra 7 265 supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core Ultra 7 265 supports up to 256 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 24 (Core Ultra 7 265) — the Core Ultra 7 265 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Z890,B860 (Core Ultra 7 265).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 265
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1851
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	6400+127900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+52428700%	256
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 7 265). The Core Ultra 7 265 includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Graphics), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core Ultra 7 265 rivals Ryzen 7 9700X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 265
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel Arc Graphics
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 Core Ultra 7 265 debuted at $384. At current prices ($110 vs $320), the Core i5-12400F is $210 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 177.6 pts/$ vs 155.2 pts/$ for the Core Ultra 7 265 — making the Core i5-12400F the 13.4% better value option.