Core 5 220H vs Core i5-12400F

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 220H

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core 5 220H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 220H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 21,192).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core 5 220H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core 5 220H

2024

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core 5 220H.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 5 220H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 21,192).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core 5 220H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 5 220H better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core 5 220H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 16.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 8.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core 5 220H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.5% 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 5 220H is the better fit. You are getting 8.5% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core 5 220H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core 5 220H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core 5 220H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 16 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 5 220H Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	277 FPS	183 FPS
medium	249 FPS	168 FPS
high	210 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	230 FPS	153 FPS
medium	186 FPS	132 FPS
high	152 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	161 FPS	87 FPS
medium	131 FPS	81 FPS
high	101 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	49 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	530 FPS	471 FPS
medium	521 FPS	397 FPS
high	427 FPS	341 FPS
ultra	385 FPS	301 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	407 FPS
medium	449 FPS	351 FPS
high	376 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	265 FPS
4K
low	330 FPS	282 FPS
medium	279 FPS	248 FPS
high	256 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	196 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	530 FPS	488 FPS
medium	530 FPS	488 FPS
high	530 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	488 FPS
medium	530 FPS	488 FPS
high	530 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	496 FPS	434 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	442 FPS
medium	492 FPS	389 FPS
high	439 FPS	337 FPS
ultra	370 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12400F
1080p
low	530 FPS	488 FPS
medium	530 FPS	488 FPS
high	530 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	488 FPS
1440p
low	530 FPS	488 FPS
medium	530 FPS	488 FPS
high	530 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	530 FPS	473 FPS
4K
low	530 FPS	488 FPS
medium	530 FPS	450 FPS
high	500 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	431 FPS	330 FPS

Open Core 5 220H Open Core i5-12400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 5 220H and Core i5-12400F

Core 5 220H

The Core 5 220H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 December 2024 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4X-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 21,192 points. Launch price was $342.

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.

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Processing Power

The Core 5 220H packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core 5 220H has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.9 GHz on the Core 5 220H versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core 5 220H (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core 5 220H uses the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core 5 220H scores 21,192 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 8.2% lead for the Core 5 220H. Both processors carry 18 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.9 GHz+11%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+8%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+60%	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	Intel 7 nm-30%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	21,192+8%	19,532
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

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Memory & Platform

The Core 5 220H uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 5 220H	Core i5-12400F
Socket	FCBGA1744	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

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 5 220H) / 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.