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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.0% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $103 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅Delivers 194.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Core 5 120UL

2024

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.0% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $103 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅Delivers 194.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.1 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $277 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (10,558 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.1 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($277 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core 5 120UL?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 22.0% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data and 85% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 22.0% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 85% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $103 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $277 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.0% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 194.5% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 38.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 5 120UL is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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 5 120UL Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	173 FPS	183 FPS
medium	141 FPS	168 FPS
high	117 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	153 FPS
medium	114 FPS	132 FPS
high	94 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	79 FPS	87 FPS
medium	68 FPS	81 FPS
high	54 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	49 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-12400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	201 FPS	471 FPS
medium	171 FPS	397 FPS
high	155 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	301 FPS
1440p
low	177 FPS	407 FPS
medium	155 FPS	351 FPS
high	143 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	265 FPS
4K
low	138 FPS	282 FPS
medium	125 FPS	248 FPS
high	118 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	196 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-12400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	264 FPS	488 FPS
medium	264 FPS	488 FPS
high	264 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	488 FPS
medium	264 FPS	488 FPS
high	264 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	434 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	442 FPS
medium	264 FPS	389 FPS
high	264 FPS	337 FPS
ultra	249 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-12400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	264 FPS	488 FPS
medium	264 FPS	488 FPS
high	264 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	264 FPS	488 FPS
medium	264 FPS	488 FPS
high	264 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	473 FPS
4K
low	264 FPS	488 FPS
medium	264 FPS	450 FPS
high	264 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	264 FPS	330 FPS

Open Core 5 120UL Open Core i5-12400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 120UL and Core i5-12400F

Core 5 120UL

The Core 5 120UL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,558 points. Launch price was $149.

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 Core 5 120UL packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 5 120UL has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core 5 120UL versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core 5 120UL (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core 5 120UL uses the Raptor Lake-PS (2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 120UL scores 10,558 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 59.6% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core 5 120UL vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	10 / 12+67%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	2.5 GHz+92%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	18 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-PS (2024)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	10,558	19,532+85%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 5.0.

Feature	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 120UL) / 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	Core 5 120UL	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Gaming Performance/Value

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 5 120UL launched at $277 MSRP, while the Core i5-12400F debuted at $174. On MSRP ($277 vs $174), the Core i5-12400F is $103 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 5 120UL delivers 38.1 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 98.6% better value option.