Intel Core i7-8700K vs Intel Core i5-12400

Last updated: 2023-11-18

CPU comparison with benchmarks


Intel Core i7-8700K		Intel Core i5-12400
CPU comparison Intel Core i7-8700K or Intel Core i5-12400 - which processor is faster? In this comparison we look at the differences and analyze which of these two CPUs is better. We compare the technical data and benchmark results. The Intel Core i7-8700K has 6 cores with 12 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 4.70 GHz. Up to 128 GB of memory is supported in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i7-8700K was released in Q4/2017. The Intel Core i5-12400 has 6 cores with 12 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 4.40 GHz. The CPU supports up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i5-12400 was released in Q1/2022.

Intel Core i7 (298)	Family	Intel Core i5 (331)
Intel Core i 8000 (20)	CPU group	Intel Core i 12000 (34)
8	Generation	12
Coffee Lake S	Architecture	Alder Lake S
Desktop / Server	Segment	Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-7700K	Predecessor	Intel Core i5-11400
Intel Core i7-9700K	Successor	Intel Core i5-13400

CPU Cores and Base Frequency The Intel Core i7-8700K has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel. The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-8700K is 3.70 GHz (4.70 GHz) while the Intel Core i5-12400 has 6 CPU cores and 12 threads can calculate simultaneously. The clock frequency of the Intel Core i5-12400 is at 2.50 GHz (4.40 GHz).
Intel Core i7-8700K	Characteristic	Intel Core i5-12400
6	Cores	6
12	Threads	12
normal	Core architecture	normal
Yes	Hyperthreading	Yes
Yes	Overclocking ?	No
3.70 GHz	Frequency	2.50 GHz
4.70 GHz	Turbo Frequency (1 Core)	4.40 GHz
4.30 GHz	Turbo Frequency (All Cores)	4.00 GHz

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. Algorithms for ML improve their performance the more data they have collected via software. ML tasks can be processed up to 10,000 times faster than with a classic processor.
Intel Core i7-8700K	Characteristic	Intel Core i5-12400
--	AI hardware	--
--	AI specifications	--

Internal Graphics The Intel Core i7-8700K or Intel Core i5-12400 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short. The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
Intel UHD Graphics 630	GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 730
0.35 GHz	GPU frequency	0.30 GHz
1.20 GHz	GPU (Turbo)	1.45 GHz
9.5	GPU Generation	12
14 nm	Technology	14 nm
3	Max. displays	3
24	Compute units	24
192	Shader	192
No	Hardware Raytracing	No
No	Frame Generation	No
64 GB	Max. GPU Memory	64 GB
12	DirectX Version	12

Hardware codec support A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Intel UHD Graphics 630	GPU	Intel UHD Graphics 730
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit)	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit)	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec h264	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec VP9	Decode / Encode
Decode / Encode	Codec VP8	Decode / Encode
No	Codec AV1	Decode
Decode / Encode	Codec AVC	Decode / Encode
Decode	Codec VC-1	Decode
Decode / Encode	Codec JPEG	Decode / Encode

Memory & PCIe The Intel Core i7-8700K can use up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The maximum memory bandwidth is 42.7 GB/s. The Intel Core i5-12400 supports up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels and achieves a memory bandwidth of up to 76.8 GB/s.
Intel Core i7-8700K	Characteristic	Intel Core i5-12400
DDR4-2666	Memory	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200
128 GB	Max. Memory	128 GB
2 (Dual Channel)	Memory channels	2 (Dual Channel)
42.7 GB/s	Max. Bandwidth	76.8 GB/s
No	ECC	No
--	L2 Cache	7.50 MB
12.00 MB	L3 Cache	18.00 MB
3.0	PCIe version	5.0
16	PCIe lanes	20
15.8 GB/s	PCIe Bandwidth	78.8 GB/s
Thermal Management The thermal design power (TDP for short) of the Intel Core i7-8700K is 95 W, while the Intel Core i5-12400 has a TDP of 65 W. The TDP specifies the necessary cooling solution that is required to cool the processor sufficiently.
Intel Core i7-8700K	Characteristic	Intel Core i5-12400
95 W	TDP (PL1 / PBP)	65 W
--	TDP (PL2)	117 W
--	TDP up	--
--	TDP down	--
--	Tjunction max.	100 °C
Technical details The Intel Core i7-8700K is manufactured in 14 nm and has 12.00 MB cache. The Intel Core i5-12400 is manufactured in 10 nm and has a 25.50 MB cache.
Intel Core i7-8700K	Characteristic	Intel Core i5-12400
14 nm	Technology	10 nm
Monolithic	Chip design	Monolithic
x86-64 (64 bit)	Instruction set (ISA)	x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2	ISA extensions	SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
LGA 1151-2	Socket	LGA 1700
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d	Virtualization	VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Yes	AES-NI	Yes
Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux	Operating systems	Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux
Q4/2017	Release date	Q1/2022
370 $	Release price	192 $

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Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 3.70 GHz (4.70 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save! Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 2.50 GHz (4.40 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save!

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Average performance in benchmarks

⌀ Single core performance in 5 CPU benchmarks

Intel Core i7-8700K (72%)

Intel Core i5-12400 (100%)

⌀ Multi core performance in 8 CPU benchmarks

Intel Core i7-8700K (73%)

Intel Core i5-12400 (100%)

Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)

The Cinebench 2024 benchmark is based on the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxon's 3D program Cinema 4D. The benchmark runs are each 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	72 (71%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	102 (100%)

Cinebench 2024 (Multi-Core)

The Multi-Core test of the Cinebench 2024 benchmark uses all cpu cores to render using the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxons Cinema 4D. The benchmark run is 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	467 (67%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	701 (100%)

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	1209 (74%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	1623 (100%)

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	8960 (72%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	12454 (100%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	1242 (75%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	1647 (100%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	6693 (71%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	9451 (100%)

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The single-core benchmark only evaluates the performance of the fastest CPU core, the number of CPU cores in a processor is irrelevant here.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	1486 (68%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	2181 (100%)

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The multi-core benchmark evaluates the performance of all of the processor's CPU cores. Virtual thread improvements such as AMD SMT or Intel's Hyper-Threading have a positive impact on the benchmark result.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	6750 (77%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	8820 (100%)

Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R20 is the successor of Cinebench R15 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	487 (73%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	664 (100%)

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R20 is the successor of Cinebench R15 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	3689 (77%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	4784 (100%)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

The theoretical computing performance of the internal graphics unit of the processor with simple accuracy (32 bit) in GFLOPS. GFLOPS indicates how many billion floating point operations the iGPU can perform per second.


	Intel Core i7-8700K Intel UHD Graphics 630 @ 1.20 GHz	461 (83%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 Intel UHD Graphics 730 @ 1.45 GHz	557 (100%)

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

In the Blender Benchmark 3.1, the scenes "monster", "junkshop" and "classroom" are rendered and the time required by the system is measured. In our benchmark we test the CPU and not the graphics card. Blender 3.1 was presented as a standalone version in March 2022.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	126 (74%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	170 (100%)

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Some of the CPUs listed below have been benchmarked by CPU-monkey. However the majority of CPUs have not been tested and the results have been estimated by a CPU-monkey’s secret proprietary formula. As such they do not accurately reflect the actual Passmark CPU mark values and are not endorsed by PassMark Software Pty Ltd.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	13770 (70%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	19559 (100%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 3.70 GHz	3709 (78%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 2.50 GHz	4737 (100%)

Blender 2.81 (bmw27)

Blender is a free 3D graphics software for rendering (creating) 3D bodies, which can also be textured and animated in the software. The Blender benchmark creates predefined scenes and measures the time (s) required for the entire scene. The shorter the time required, the better. We selected bmw27 as the benchmark scene.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	232.4 (100%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	0 (0%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Single-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	510 (100%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R15 is the successor of Cinebench 11.5 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.70 GHz	208 (100%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.40 GHz	0 (0%)

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R15 is the successor of Cinebench 11.5 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz	1447 (100%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz	0 (0%)

CPU performance per watt (efficiency)

Efficiency of the processor under full load in the Cinebench R23 (multi-core) benchmark. The benchmark result is divided by the average energy required (CPU package power in watts). The higher the value, the more efficient the CPU is under full load.


	Intel Core i7-8700K 3.70 GHz	0 (0%)
	Intel Core i5-12400 12,454 CB R23 MC @ 82 W	152 (100%)

Devices using this processor
Intel Core i7-8700K	Intel Core i5-12400
PC mit Intel Core i7-8700K	Unknown

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