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

✅Costs $325 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 150.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 44.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,382).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-10900K

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 44.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($499 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.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-10900K

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $325 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 150.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 44.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.9% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-10900K across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,382).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 44.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($499 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.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-10900K better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-10900K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data and 14.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i9-10900K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.9% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10900K is the better fit. You are getting 14.6% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i9-10900K is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-10900K is 186.8% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.9% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 150.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 44.9 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. 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 i9-10900K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
1080p
low	183 FPS	263 FPS
medium	168 FPS	242 FPS
high	139 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	227 FPS
medium	132 FPS	189 FPS
high	106 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	157 FPS
medium	81 FPS	131 FPS
high	64 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10900K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
1080p
low	471 FPS	560 FPS
medium	397 FPS	487 FPS
high	341 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	497 FPS
medium	351 FPS	436 FPS
high	309 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	321 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	291 FPS
medium	248 FPS	259 FPS
high	229 FPS	247 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	215 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10900K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
1080p
low	488 FPS	560 FPS
medium	488 FPS	560 FPS
high	488 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	426 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	560 FPS
medium	488 FPS	546 FPS
high	485 FPS	464 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	473 FPS
medium	389 FPS	407 FPS
high	337 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	299 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10900K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
1080p
low	488 FPS	560 FPS
medium	488 FPS	560 FPS
high	488 FPS	560 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	560 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	560 FPS
medium	488 FPS	560 FPS
high	488 FPS	560 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	540 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	539 FPS
medium	450 FPS	490 FPS
high	391 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	383 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-10900K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-10900K

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 i9-10900K

The Core i9-10900K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 22,382 points. Launch price was $488.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-10900K offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Core i9-10900K has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Core i9-10900K — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900K (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-10900K uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-10900K's 22,382 — a 13.6% lead for the Core i9-10900K. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i9-10900K.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.2 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+11%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	19,532	22,382+15%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-10900K uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-2933 on the Core i9-10900K — 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. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 16 (Core i9-10900K) — the Core i5-12400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Intel 400 series (Core i9-10900K).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-10900K). The Core i9-10900K includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i9-10900K targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900K
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-10900K debuted at $499. On MSRP ($174 vs $499), the Core i5-12400F is $325 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 44.9 pts/$ for the Core i9-10900K — making the Core i5-12400F the 85.8% better value option.