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: +36.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅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.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-10900T.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 7,476).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 122.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $120 MSRP).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i9-10900T

2020

Why buy it

✅+1037.9% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $54 less on MSRP ($120 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Delivers 9.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 122.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($120 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌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 i9-10900T

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅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.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-10900T.

Why buy it

✅+1037.9% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $54 less on MSRP ($120 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Delivers 9.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 122.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($120 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 7,476).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 122.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $120 MSRP).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i9-10900T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌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 i9-10900T better than Core i5-12400F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 36.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10900T pulls ahead with 1037.9% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-10900T is the better fit. You are getting 1037.9% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads.

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

Core i9-10900T is the smarter buy today. Core i9-10900T is $54 cheaper on MSRP at $120 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you 1037.9% better Geekbench multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i5-12400F is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 36.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 9.3% better value on MSRP (122.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), 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 LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12400F is still an elite gaming CPU and a very strong platform-matched choice because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap while remaining one of the strongest gaming chips you can buy.

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 i9-10900T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900T
1080p
low	183 FPS	183 FPS
medium	168 FPS	149 FPS
high	139 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	149 FPS
medium	132 FPS	118 FPS
high	106 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	83 FPS
medium	81 FPS	72 FPS
high	64 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	45 FPS

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

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900T
1080p
low	471 FPS	287 FPS
medium	397 FPS	242 FPS
high	341 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	247 FPS
medium	351 FPS	215 FPS
high	309 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	159 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	153 FPS
medium	248 FPS	133 FPS
high	229 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	110 FPS

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

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900T
1080p
low	488 FPS	368 FPS
medium	488 FPS	368 FPS
high	488 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	368 FPS
medium	488 FPS	368 FPS
high	485 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	368 FPS
medium	389 FPS	368 FPS
high	337 FPS	340 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	274 FPS

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

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900T
1080p
low	488 FPS	368 FPS
medium	488 FPS	368 FPS
high	488 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	368 FPS
medium	488 FPS	368 FPS
high	488 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	368 FPS
medium	450 FPS	368 FPS
high	391 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	368 FPS

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

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 i9-10900T

The Core i9-10900T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2020 (5 years ago). It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 14,727 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-10900T offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Core i9-10900T has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i9-10900T — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Core i9-10900T (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-10900T's 14,727 — a 28.1% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,710, a 0.6% lead for the Core i9-10900T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 7,476 (167.7% advantage for the Core i9-10900T). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Core i9-10900T.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900T
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+32%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	20 MB Intel® Smart Cache+11%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm-50%	14 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	—
PassMark	19,532+33%	14,727
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	1,710
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	7,476+1038%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-10900T 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 i9-10900T — 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 i9-10900T) — 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 Z490,H470,B460,H410,Z590,B560,H510 (Core i9-10900T).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-10900T
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 Yes (Core i9-10900T). The Core i9-10900T includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

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

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Core i9-10900T debuted at $120. On MSRP ($174 vs $120), the Core i9-10900T is $54 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 122.7 pts/$ for the Core i9-10900T — making the Core i9-10900T the 8.9% better value option.