Core i5-12400F vs Core Ultra 5 236V

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 i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 236V.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 236V mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌282.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 17W.

Core Ultra 5 236V

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 65W, a 48W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,313 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 5 236V

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 5 236V.

Why buy it

✅Draws 17W instead of 65W, a 48W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 5 236V mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌282.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 17W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,313 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core Ultra 5 236V?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 21.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 6.7% 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 21.1% more average FPS across 4 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 6.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 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 at an unclear MSRP at $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 21.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 5 236V is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). 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 i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 5 236V Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	183 FPS	180 FPS
medium	168 FPS	147 FPS
high	139 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	148 FPS
medium	132 FPS	118 FPS
high	106 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	83 FPS
medium	81 FPS	71 FPS
high	64 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 236V

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	471 FPS	212 FPS
medium	397 FPS	176 FPS
high	341 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	139 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	181 FPS
medium	351 FPS	154 FPS
high	309 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	137 FPS
medium	248 FPS	122 FPS
high	229 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	100 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 236V

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	488 FPS	458 FPS
medium	488 FPS	458 FPS
high	488 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	458 FPS
medium	488 FPS	458 FPS
high	485 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	458 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	458 FPS
medium	389 FPS	458 FPS
high	337 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 236V

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
1080p
low	488 FPS	458 FPS
medium	488 FPS	458 FPS
high	488 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	458 FPS
medium	488 FPS	458 FPS
high	488 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	458 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	458 FPS
medium	450 FPS	458 FPS
high	391 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	418 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 5 236V

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 5 236V

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 5 236V

The Core Ultra 5 236V is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 September 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Lunar Lake (2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 2.5 MB (per core). Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2833. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,313 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 236V offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core Ultra 5 236V has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 236V — a 6.6% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 5 236V (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 5 236V uses Lunar Lake (2024) (3 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 5 236V's 18,313 — a 6.4% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 8 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 5 236V.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 8+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+125%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2.5 MB (per core)+100%
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Lunar Lake (2024)
PassMark	19,532+7%	18,313
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 5 236V uses FCBGA2833 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2833
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Core Ultra 5 236V). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 5 236V
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

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Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core Ultra 5 236V debuted at $0. On MSRP ($174 vs $0), the Core Ultra 5 236V is $174 cheaper.