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

✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-13905H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13905H across 28 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 19,384).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i9-13905H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i9-13905H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.5% higher average FPS across 28 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe 96EU, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core i9-13905H

2023

Why buy it

✅66.7% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i9-13905H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.5% higher average FPS across 28 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe 96EU, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-13905H across 28 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 19,384).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core i9-13905H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i9-13905H better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core i9-13905H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.5% average FPS lead across 28 shared CPU game tests in our data, 56.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 52.6% higher 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 i9-13905H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.5% more average FPS across 28 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i9-13905H is the better fit. You are getting 56.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Core i9-13905H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i9-13905H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.5% average FPS lead across 28 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i9-13905H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i9-13905H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
1080p
low	183 FPS	262 FPS
medium	168 FPS	253 FPS
high	139 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	223 FPS
medium	132 FPS	192 FPS
high	106 FPS	154 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	154 FPS
medium	81 FPS	132 FPS
high	64 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13905H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
1080p
low	471 FPS	636 FPS
medium	397 FPS	543 FPS
high	341 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	417 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	554 FPS
medium	351 FPS	492 FPS
high	309 FPS	416 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	357 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	325 FPS
medium	248 FPS	296 FPS
high	229 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13905H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
1080p
low	488 FPS	648 FPS
medium	488 FPS	530 FPS
high	488 FPS	467 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	405 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	591 FPS
medium	488 FPS	491 FPS
high	485 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	434 FPS
medium	389 FPS	374 FPS
high	337 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	290 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13905H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
1080p
low	488 FPS	745 FPS
medium	488 FPS	745 FPS
high	488 FPS	745 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	672 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	745 FPS
medium	488 FPS	723 FPS
high	488 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	552 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	555 FPS
medium	450 FPS	504 FPS
high	391 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	394 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core i9-13905H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core i9-13905H

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 i9-13905H

The Core i9-13905H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1792. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 29,807 points. Launch price was $697.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i9-13905H offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i9-13905H has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Core i9-13905H — a 20.4% clock advantage for the Core i9-13905H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i9-13905H uses Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core i9-13905H's 29,807 — a 41.7% lead for the Core i9-13905H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 19,384 (44.1% advantage for the Core i9-13905H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,300, a 30% lead for the Core i9-13905H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 14,000 (182.1% advantage for the Core i9-13905H). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i9-13905H.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.4 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.6 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raptor Lake-H (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,532	29,807+53%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	19,384+57%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,300+35%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	14,000+2031%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i9-13905H uses FCBGA1792 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 12 (Core i9-13905H) — the Core i5-12400F offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and WM790,HM770 (Core i9-13905H).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA1792
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+67%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i9-13905H). The Core i9-13905H includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe 96EU), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core i9-13905H targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Core i9-13905H rivals Ryzen 9 7940HS.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core i9-13905H
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Iris Xe 96EU
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Workstation