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 i5-11600K

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 750, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,520 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 74.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($262 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $88 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
✅Delivers 50.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 74.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-11600K

2021

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 750, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $88 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
✅Delivers 50.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 74.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $262 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,520 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 74.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($262 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11600K across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core i5-11600K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-11600K is ahead with a 6.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark. Core i5-12400F also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

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 0.1% 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 $88 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $262 MSRP, and it gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-11600K is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 50.7% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 74.5 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-11600K can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i5-11600K Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	301 FPS	183 FPS
medium	263 FPS	168 FPS
high	221 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	153 FPS
medium	195 FPS	132 FPS
high	159 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	87 FPS
medium	136 FPS	81 FPS
high	105 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	49 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i5-12400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	480 FPS	471 FPS
medium	380 FPS	397 FPS
high	338 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	301 FPS
1440p
low	413 FPS	407 FPS
medium	332 FPS	351 FPS
high	301 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	265 FPS
4K
low	343 FPS	282 FPS
medium	279 FPS	248 FPS
high	254 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	196 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i5-12400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	488 FPS	488 FPS
medium	488 FPS	488 FPS
high	488 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	488 FPS
medium	488 FPS	488 FPS
high	488 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	451 FPS	434 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	442 FPS
medium	456 FPS	389 FPS
high	390 FPS	337 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i5-12400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	488 FPS	488 FPS
medium	488 FPS	488 FPS
high	488 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	488 FPS
medium	488 FPS	488 FPS
high	488 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	473 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	488 FPS
medium	488 FPS	450 FPS
high	488 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	330 FPS

Open Core i5-11600K Open Core i5-12400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-11600K and Core i5-12400F

Core i5-11600K

The Core i5-11600K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,520 points. Launch price was $299.

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

Both the Core i5-11600K and Core i5-12400F share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-11600K versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-11600K (base: 3.9 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-11600K uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11600K scores 19,520 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11600K vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+11%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.9 GHz+56%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	18 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	19,520	19,532
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11600K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-11600K versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F — 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 500 series,Intel 400 series (Core i5-11600K) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-11600K) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). The Core i5-11600K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11600K targets Desktop, Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-11600K	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 750	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Desktop	Gaming Performance/Value

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-11600K launched at $262 MSRP, while the Core i5-12400F debuted at $174. On MSRP ($262 vs $174), the Core i5-12400F is $88 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-11600K delivers 74.5 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 40.4% better value option.