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: +20.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 165U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 10,000).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 165U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 7 165U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core Ultra 7 165U

2023

Why buy it

✅+1422.1% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Graphics, 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.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 7 165U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 165U.

Why buy it

✅+1422.1% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Graphics, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 10,000).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 165U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core Ultra 7 165U 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.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Core Ultra 7 165U?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 20.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 7 165U pulls ahead with 1422.1% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i5-12400F also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 7 165U is the better fit. You are getting 1422.1% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 14 threads.

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 $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 20.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core Ultra 7 165U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1422.1% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 7 165U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 14 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 Ultra 7 165U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
1080p
low	183 FPS	276 FPS
medium	168 FPS	248 FPS
high	139 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	180 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	230 FPS
medium	132 FPS	185 FPS
high	106 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	160 FPS
medium	81 FPS	130 FPS
high	64 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 165U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
1080p
low	471 FPS	214 FPS
medium	397 FPS	176 FPS
high	341 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	140 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	181 FPS
medium	351 FPS	155 FPS
high	309 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	141 FPS
medium	248 FPS	124 FPS
high	229 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	101 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 165U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
1080p
low	488 FPS	421 FPS
medium	488 FPS	421 FPS
high	488 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	421 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	421 FPS
medium	488 FPS	421 FPS
high	485 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	421 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	421 FPS
medium	389 FPS	421 FPS
high	337 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 165U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
1080p
low	488 FPS	421 FPS
medium	488 FPS	421 FPS
high	488 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	421 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	421 FPS
medium	488 FPS	421 FPS
high	488 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	421 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	421 FPS
medium	450 FPS	421 FPS
high	391 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	403 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 165U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 7 165U

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 7 165U

The Core Ultra 7 165U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Meteor Lake-P (2023) architecture. It features 12 cores and 14 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 16,857 points. Launch price was $448.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 165U offers 12 cores / 14 threads — the Core Ultra 7 165U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 165U — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 165U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 165U uses Meteor Lake-P (2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 7 165U's 16,857 — a 14.7% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,350, a 32.1% lead for the Core Ultra 7 165U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 10,000 (175.3% advantage for the Core Ultra 7 165U). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 12 MB (total) on the Core Ultra 7 165U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 14+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+47%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+50%	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB (per core)+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Meteor Lake-P (2023)
PassMark	19,532+16%	16,857
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,350+38%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	10,000+1422%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 165U uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — 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 96 GB — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and SoC (Core Ultra 7 165U).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+33%	96 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 7 165U). The Core Ultra 7 165U includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Graphics), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core Ultra 7 165U targets Premium Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 165U
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel Arc Graphics
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Premium Laptop