Core i5-12400F
VS
Xeon E-2278G

Core i5-12400F vs Xeon E-2278G

Intel

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022
VS
Intel

Xeon E-2278G

8 Cores16 Thrd80 WWMax: 5 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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 Xeon E-2278G

#115
Xeon W-1370
MSRP: $323|Avg: $323
106%
#119
Xeon 6505P
MSRP: $563|Avg: $563
104%
#127
Xeon E-2278G
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#130
EPYC 9115
MSRP: $726|Avg: $726
99%
#131
EPYC 74F3
MSRP: $913|Avg: $824
99%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($0) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E-2278G is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.
InsightCore i5-12400FXeon E-2278G
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior 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 (Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i5-12400F ($110), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($110 less, Infinity% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.
InsightCore i5-12400FXeon E-2278G
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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Xeon E-2278G

Intel

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.

Intel

Xeon E-2278G

The Xeon E-2278G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 May 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 16,825 points. Launch price was $494.

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E-2278G offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E-2278G has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Xeon E-2278G — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2278G (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 E-2278G uses Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Xeon E-2278G's 16,825 — a 14.9% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2278G.

FeatureCore i5-12400FXeon E-2278G
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
5 GHz+14%
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
3.4 GHz+36%
L3 Cache
18 MB (total)+13%
16 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)
Coffee Lake-S WS (2018−2019)
PassMark
19,532+16%
16,825
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 E-2278G uses LGA1151 (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 Xeon E-2278G — 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. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 16 (Xeon E-2278G) — the Core i5-12400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and C242,C246 (Xeon E-2278G).

FeatureCore i5-12400FXeon E-2278G
Socket
LGA1700
LGA1151
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
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
20+25%
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Xeon E-2278G). The Xeon E-2278G includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics P630), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Xeon E-2278G targets Server. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

FeatureCore i5-12400FXeon E-2278G
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics P630
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
VT-x / VT-d / EPT
Target Use
Gaming Performance/Value
Server