Intel Core i9-12900KF vs Intel Core i5-10400F

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CPU comparison with benchmarks


Intel Core i9-12900KF CPU1 vs CPU2 Intel Core i5-10400F
Intel Core i9-12900KF Intel Core i5-10400F

CPU comparison

In this CPU comparison, we compare the Intel Core i9-12900KF and the Intel Core i5-10400F and use benchmarks to check which processor is faster.

We compare the Intel Core i9-12900KF 16 core processor released in Q4/2021 with the Intel Core i5-10400F which has 6 CPU cores and was introduced in Q2/2020.
Intel Core i9 (78) Family Intel Core i5 (328)
Intel Core i 12000 (34) CPU group Intel Core i 10000 (43)
12 Generation 10
Alder Lake S Architecture Comet Lake S
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i9-11900KF Predecessor Intel Core i5-9400F
Intel Core i9-13900KF Successor Intel Core i5-11400F

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i9-12900KF is a 16 core processor with a clock frequency of 3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz). The processor can compute 24 threads at the same time. The Intel Core i5-10400F clocks with 2.90 GHz (4.30 GHz), has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.

Intel Core i9-12900KF Characteristic Intel Core i5-10400F
16 Cores 6
24 Threads 12
hybrid (big.LITTLE) Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
Yes Overclocking ? No
3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz)
8x Golden Cove
A-Core 2.90 GHz (4.30 GHz)
2.40 GHz (3.90 GHz)
8x Gracemont
B-Core --

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 i9-12900KF Characteristic Intel Core i5-10400F
-- AI hardware --
-- AI specifications --

Internal Graphics

Graphics (iGPU) integrated into the processor not only enable image output without having to rely on a dedicated graphics solution, but can also efficiently accelerate video playback.

no iGPU GPU no iGPU
GPU frequency --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
-- GPU Generation --
Technology
Max. displays
-- Compute units --
-- Shader --
No Hardware Raytracing No
No Frame Generation No
-- Max. GPU Memory --
-- DirectX Version --

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.

no iGPU GPU no iGPU
No Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
No Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
No Codec h264 No
No Codec VP9 No
No Codec VP8 No
No Codec AV1 No
No Codec AVC No
No Codec VC-1 No
No Codec JPEG No

Memory & PCIe

Up to 128 GB of memory in a maximum of 2 memory channels is supported by the Intel Core i9-12900KF, while the Intel Core i5-10400F supports a maximum of 128 GB of memory with a maximum memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s enabled.

Intel Core i9-12900KF Characteristic Intel Core i5-10400F
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 Memory DDR4-2666
128 GB Max. Memory 128 GB
2 (Dual Channel) Memory channels 2 (Dual Channel)
76.8 GB/s Max. Bandwidth 42.7 GB/s
No ECC No
14.00 MB L2 Cache --
30.00 MB L3 Cache 12.00 MB
5.0 PCIe version 3.0
20 PCIe lanes 16
78.8 GB/s PCIe Bandwidth 15.8 GB/s

Thermal Management

The Intel Core i9-12900KF has a TDP of 125 W. The TDP of the Intel Core i5-10400F is 65 W. System integrators use the TDP of the processor as a guide when dimensioning the cooling solution.

Intel Core i9-12900KF Characteristic Intel Core i5-10400F
125 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 65 W
241 W TDP (PL2) --
-- TDP up --
-- TDP down --
100 °C Tjunction max. 100 °C

Technical details

The Intel Core i9-12900KF has 44.00 MB cache and is manufactured in 10 nm. The cache of Intel Core i5-10400F is at 12.00 MB. The processor is manufactured in 14 nm.

Intel Core i9-12900KF Characteristic Intel Core i5-10400F
10 nm Technology 14 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+ ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
LGA 1700 Socket LGA 1200
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
Q4/2021 Release date Q2/2020
564 $ Release price 157 $
show more data show more data


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Here you can rate the Intel Core i9-12900KF to help other visitors make their purchasing decisions. The average rating is 4.5 stars (2 ratings). Rate now:
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Average performance in benchmarks

⌀ Single core performance in 7 CPU benchmarks
⌀ Multi core performance in 9 CPU benchmarks

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
124 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
68 (55%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
1564 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
443 (28%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
1997 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
1120 (56%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
27472 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
8191 (30%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
1990 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
1120 (56%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
17595 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
6014 (34%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
2664 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
1433 (54%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
15986 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
6322 (40%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
779 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
450 (58%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
10511 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
3197 (30%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
364 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
110 (30%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
41207 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
12399 (30%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
819 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
458 (56%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz
11365 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 2.90 GHz
3548 (31%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz
294 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.30 GHz
190 (65%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz
4111 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
6C 12T @ 4.00 GHz
1341 (33%)

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 i9-12900KF Intel Core i9-12900KF
27,472 CB R23 MC @ 240 W
114 (100%)
Intel Core i5-10400F Intel Core i5-10400F
2.90 GHz
0 (0%)

Devices using this processor

Intel Core i9-12900KF Intel Core i5-10400F
Unknown Unknown

News and articles for the Intel Core i9-12900KF and the Intel Core i5-10400F


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