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 i5-12500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,978 vs 16,211).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 93.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($212 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅+24.9% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $16 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 93.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500 across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-12500

2022

Core i5-13400F

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Core i5-13400F needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+24.9% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $16 less on MSRP ($196 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 127.7 vs 93.1 PassMark/$ ($196 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,978 vs 16,211).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 93.1 vs 127.7 PassMark/$ ($212 MSRP vs $196 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500 across 31 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-13400F better than Core i5-12500?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12500 is ahead with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 31 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F pulls ahead with 24.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-13400F is the better fit. You are getting 24.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-13400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-13400F is $16 cheaper on MSRP at $196 MSRP versus $212 MSRP, and it gives you 24.9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Core i5-12500 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 31 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 37.2% better value on MSRP (127.7 vs 93.1 PassMark/$), 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 i5-13400F 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 10 cores / 16 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 i5-12500 Benchmark Check

Core i5-13400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	186 FPS	171 FPS
medium	170 FPS	158 FPS
high	142 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	143 FPS
medium	133 FPS	123 FPS
high	107 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	88 FPS	81 FPS
medium	81 FPS	74 FPS
high	65 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Core i5-13400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	493 FPS	545 FPS
medium	428 FPS	464 FPS
high	362 FPS	389 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	356 FPS
1440p
low	433 FPS	458 FPS
medium	373 FPS	403 FPS
high	324 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	278 FPS	301 FPS
4K
low	289 FPS	280 FPS
medium	254 FPS	247 FPS
high	234 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	204 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Core i5-13400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	493 FPS	530 FPS
medium	493 FPS	449 FPS
high	493 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	375 FPS
1440p
low	493 FPS	490 FPS
medium	493 FPS	422 FPS
high	491 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	343 FPS
4K
low	456 FPS	393 FPS
medium	401 FPS	331 FPS
high	345 FPS	296 FPS
ultra	281 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Core i5-13400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
1080p
low	493 FPS	626 FPS
medium	493 FPS	626 FPS
high	493 FPS	626 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	626 FPS
1440p
low	493 FPS	626 FPS
medium	493 FPS	626 FPS
high	493 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	521 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	535 FPS
medium	482 FPS	492 FPS
high	422 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	355 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Core i5-13400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12500 and Core i5-13400F

Core i5-12500

The Core i5-12500 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 19,739 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i5-13400F

The Core i5-13400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 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, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 25,029 points. Launch price was $196.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12500 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-13400F offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-13400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12500 versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-13400F — identical boost frequencies (base: 3 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-12500 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Core i5-13400F uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500 scores 19,739 against the Core i5-13400F's 25,029 — a 23.6% lead for the Core i5-13400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,978 vs 16,211 (22.2% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,319 vs 2,407, a 3.7% lead for the Core i5-13400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 9,003 vs 11,408 (23.6% advantage for the Core i5-13400F). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500 vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-13400F.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.6 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+20%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+11%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,739	25,029+27%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,978	16,211+25%
Geekbench 6 Single	2,319	2,407+4%
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,003	11,408+27%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1700 socket with PCIe 4.0. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-13400F supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% 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 i5-12500) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-13400F).

Feature	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
Socket	LGA1700	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-12500 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-13400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500 targets Productivity, Core i5-13400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500 rivals Ryzen 5 5500; Core i5-13400F rivals Ryzen 5 7600.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Core i5-13400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Productivity	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12500 launched at $212 MSRP, while the Core i5-13400F debuted at $196. On MSRP ($212 vs $196), the Core i5-13400F is $16 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12500 delivers 93.1 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-13400F — making the Core i5-13400F the 31.3% better value option.