Pentium Gold 6405U vs Core i5-12400F
Pentium Gold 6405U
Core i5-12400F
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. The Pentium Gold 6405U is positioned at rank #770 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 6405U
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400F
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Gold 6405U | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Gold 6405U | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) |
Performance Check
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 Pentium Gold 6405U and Core i5-12400F
Pentium Gold 6405U
The Pentium Gold 6405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,320 points. Launch price was $161.
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.
Processing Power
The Pentium Gold 6405U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 6405U versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 58.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Pentium Gold 6405U uses the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 6405U scores 1,320 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 174.7% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 6405U vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 6405U | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 6 / 12+200% |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 4.4 GHz+83% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.5 GHz+4% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 18 MB (total)+800% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1.25 MB (per core)+25% |
| Process | 14 nm | Intel 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) | Alder Lake-S (2022) |
| PassMark | 1,320 | 19,532+1380% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 12,380 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,700 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 657 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Gold 6405U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 6405U | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | LGA1700 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 20 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Gold 6405U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 6405U | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Gaming Performance/Value |
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