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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 255H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 255H across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 15,700).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 255H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌150% higher power demand at 65W vs 26W.

Core Ultra 7 255H

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.0% higher average FPS across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 26W instead of 65W, a 39W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Graphics 140T, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-12400F

2022

Core Ultra 7 255H

2025

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core Ultra 7 255H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.0% higher average FPS across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 26W instead of 65W, a 39W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Arc Graphics 140T, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core Ultra 7 255H across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 15,700).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Core Ultra 7 255H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌150% higher power demand at 65W vs 26W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core Ultra 7 255H better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Core Ultra 7 255H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 31.0% average FPS lead across 27 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2289.6% better Geekbench multi-core, 58.4% 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 Ultra 7 255H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 31.0% more average FPS across 27 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core Ultra 7 255H is the better fit. You are getting 2289.6% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 16 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 Ultra 7 255H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core Ultra 7 255H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 31.0% average FPS lead across 27 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Ultra 7 255H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 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 i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Core Ultra 7 255H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
1080p
low	183 FPS	309 FPS
medium	168 FPS	278 FPS
high	139 FPS	232 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	199 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	251 FPS
medium	132 FPS	201 FPS
high	106 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	143 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	173 FPS
medium	81 FPS	139 FPS
high	64 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 255H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
1080p
low	471 FPS	773 FPS
medium	397 FPS	637 FPS
high	341 FPS	521 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	715 FPS
medium	351 FPS	570 FPS
high	309 FPS	469 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	391 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	419 FPS
medium	248 FPS	342 FPS
high	229 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	271 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 255H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
1080p
low	488 FPS	773 FPS
medium	488 FPS	773 FPS
high	488 FPS	773 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	662 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	773 FPS
medium	488 FPS	735 FPS
high	485 FPS	635 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	544 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	642 FPS
medium	389 FPS	534 FPS
high	337 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	409 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 255H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
1080p
low	488 FPS	773 FPS
medium	488 FPS	773 FPS
high	488 FPS	773 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	773 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	773 FPS
medium	488 FPS	773 FPS
high	488 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	609 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	612 FPS
medium	450 FPS	540 FPS
high	391 FPS	489 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	427 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Core Ultra 7 255H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Core Ultra 7 255H

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 255H

The Core Ultra 7 255H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Arrow Lake-H (2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2049. Thermal design power (TDP): 26 MB + 24 MB. Memory support: DDR5-6400. Passmark benchmark score: 30,932 points. Launch price was $514.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core Ultra 7 255H offers 16 cores / 16 threads — the Core Ultra 7 255H has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.1 GHz on the Core Ultra 7 255H — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Core Ultra 7 255H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core Ultra 7 255H uses Arrow Lake-H (2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Core Ultra 7 255H's 30,932 — a 45.2% lead for the Core Ultra 7 255H. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,800, a 48.9% lead for the Core Ultra 7 255H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 15,700 (183.9% advantage for the Core Ultra 7 255H). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 24 MB on the Core Ultra 7 255H.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 16+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.1 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	4.4 GHz+76%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	24 MB+33%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Arrow Lake-H (2025)
PassMark	19,532	30,932+58%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,800+65%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	15,700+2290%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core Ultra 7 255H uses FCBGA2049 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 28 (Core Ultra 7 255H) — the Core Ultra 7 255H offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and HM870,WM880 (Core Ultra 7 255H).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
Socket	LGA1700	FCBGA2049
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core Ultra 7 255H). The Core Ultra 7 255H includes integrated graphics (Intel Arc Graphics 140T), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Core Ultra 7 255H targets High-End Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Core Ultra 7 255H
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel Arc Graphics 140T
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High-End Laptop