Intel Core i5-12400
Intel Core i5-12600K
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Intel Core i5-12400 vs Intel Core i5-12600K. Specifications, performance, tests

User rating
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Released
Q1/2022
Intel Core i5-12400
Intel Core i5-12400
Released
Q4/2021
User rating
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Intel Core i5-12600K
Intel Core i5-12600K

What's the best choice Intel Core i5-12400 or Intel Core i5-12600K? Which processor is faster?

Compare the available specifications of these models.

Intel Core i5-12400 has a base frequency of 2.50 GHz. 6 / 12 CPU Cores / Threads. Stated TDP / base power 65 W. Released in Q1/2022.

Intel Core i5-12600K has a base frequency of 3.70 GHz. 10 / 16 CPU Cores / Threads. Stated TDP / base power 125 W. Released in Q4/2021.

Differences

  • Place in the overall ranking

    (based on several benchmarks)

    88 left arrow place
  • Lower stated TDP / base power

    Power limits alone do not measure performance per watt.

    65 W left arrow 125 W

Positions in all rankings

Common positions Intel Core i5-12400 CPU in popular benchmarks, for comparison with other models.

  • Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)
    53 place
  • Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)
    105 place
  • Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)
    28 place
  • Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)
    109 place
  • Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)
    99 place
  • Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)
    143 place
  • iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)
    548 place
  • Higher clock speed

    Around 48% better clock speed

    3.70 GHz left arrow 2.50 GHz
  • More number of cores

    4 more cores

    10 left arrow 6
  • Higher turbo clock speed

    Around 11 % higher specified turbo frequency

    4.90 GHz left arrow 4.40 GHz

Specifications

Technical data
Intel Core i5-12400 Intel Core i5-12400
Intel Core i5-12600K Intel Core i5-12600K
CPU family and group

Background information about the processors being compared, series, generation and market segment.

  • CPU group
    Intel Core i 12000 left arrow Intel Core i 12000
  • Family
    12th Generation Intel Core i5 Processors left arrow 12th Generation Intel Core i5 Processors
  • Generation
    12 left arrow 12
  • Predecessor
    Intel Core i5-11400 left arrow Intel Core i5-11600K
  • Processor Number
    i5-12400 left arrow i5-12600K
  • Segment
    Desktop left arrow Desktop
CPU Technical specs

Core counts, threads, cache and clock modes describe the CPU configuration. Performance depends on the workload and comparable measured results.

  • A-Core
    6x Golden Cove left arrow 6x Golden Cove
  • B-Core
    - left arrow 4x Gracemont
  • Base Frequency
    2.5 GHz left arrow 3.7 GHz
  • Core architecture
    normal left arrow hybrid (big.LITTLE)
  • CPU Cores
    6 left arrow 10
  • CPU Threads
    12 left arrow 16
  • Efficient Cores
    0 left arrow 4
  • Hyperthreading / SMT
    Yes left arrow Yes
  • Max. Boost Clock
    4.4 GHz left arrow 4.9 GHz
  • Overclocking
    No left arrow Yes
  • P-core Base Clock
    2.5 GHz left arrow 3.7 GHz
  • P-core Max Turbo
    4.4 GHz left arrow 4.9 GHz
  • Performance Cores
    6 left arrow 6
  • Turbo Frequency (1 Core)
    4.4 GHz left arrow 4.9 GHz
  • Turbo Frequency (6 Cores)
    4 GHz left arrow -
  • E-core Base Clock
    - left arrow 2.8 GHz
  • E-core Max Turbo
    - left arrow 3.6 GHz
  • Turbo Frequency (10 Cores)
    - left arrow 4.5 GHz
IGPU

Internal Graphics does not affect the performance of the CPU, performs the work of the graphics card in its absence or on mobile devices.

  • DirectX Version
    12 left arrow 12
  • Execution units
    24 left arrow 32
  • Generation
    12 left arrow 12
  • GPU Frequency
    300 MHz left arrow 400 MHz
  • GPU name
    Intel UHD Graphics 730 left arrow Intel UHD Graphics 770
  • GPU Turbo
    1450 MHz left arrow 1450 MHz
  • Graphics Base Frequency
    300 MHz left arrow 300 MHz
  • Graphics Output
    eDP 1.4b, DP 1.4a, HDMI 2.1 left arrow eDP 1.4b, DP 1.4a, HDMI 2.1
  • Max. displays
    3 left arrow 4
  • Max. GPU Memory
    64 GB left arrow 16 GB
  • Release date
    Q1/2021 left arrow Q4/2021
  • Shader
    192 left arrow 256
  • Technology
    14 nm left arrow 10 nm
Hardware codec support

Built-in codecs used to encode and decode content. Significantly speeds up the required operations.

  • AV1
    Decode left arrow Decode
  • H.264 / AVC
    Decode / Encode left arrow Decode / Encode
  • h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
    Decode / Encode left arrow Decode / Encode
  • h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
    Decode / Encode left arrow Decode / Encode
  • JPEG
    Decode / Encode left arrow Decode / Encode
  • VC-1
    Decode left arrow Decode
  • VP8
    Decode / Encode left arrow Decode
  • VP9
    Decode / Encode left arrow Decode / Encode
Memory specs & PCI

Types, channel quantity of RAM supported by Intel Core i5-12600K and Intel Core i5-12400. Depending on the motherboards, higher or lower memory frequencies may be supported.

  • ECC
    No left arrow Yes
  • Max. Memory
    128 GB left arrow 128 GB
  • Memory channels
    2 left arrow 2
  • Memory type
    Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s left arrow Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
  • PCIe
    5.0 x 20 left arrow -
  • PCIe lanes
    20 left arrow 20
  • PCIe version
    5.0 and 4.0 left arrow 5.0 and 4.0
Encryption
  • AES-NI
    Yes left arrow Yes
Thermal Management

Compare the TDP requirements of TDP Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Core i5-12600K Power specifications describe different manufacturer limits. TDP, base power and maximum turbo power are separate values; they do not establish measured system consumption.

  • Maximum Operating Temperature
    100 °C left arrow 100 °C
  • Maximum Turbo Power
    117 W left arrow 150 W
  • Processor Base Power (PBP)
    65 W left arrow 125 W
  • TDP (PL1, legacy label)
    65 W left arrow 125 W
  • TDP (PL2)
    117 W left arrow 228 W / 56 s
Technologies and extensions

Architecture, interfaces, additional instructions supported by Intel Core i5-12400 and Intel Core i5-12600K, virtual machine technologies and process technology.

  • Architecture
    Alder Lake S left arrow Alder Lake S
  • Cache (manufacturer label)
    18 MB Intel Smart Cache left arrow 20 MB Intel Smart Cache
  • Codename
    Products formerly Alder Lake left arrow Products formerly Alder Lake
  • Instruction set (ISA)
    x86-64 (64 bit) left arrow x86-64 (64 bit)
  • ISA extensions
    SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+ left arrow SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
  • L2-Cache
    7.5 MB (Total cache capacity) left arrow 9.5 MB (Total cache capacity)
  • L3-Cache
    18 MB left arrow 20 MB
  • Marketing Status (manufacturer label)
    Launched left arrow Launched
  • Part Number
    - left arrow BX8071512600K
  • Release date
    Q1/2022 left arrow Q4/2021
  • Socket
    FCLGA1700 left arrow FCLGA1700
  • Technology
    Intel 7 (Manufacturer process designation) left arrow Intel 7 (Manufacturer process designation)
  • Use Conditions
    PC/Client/Tablet left arrow PC/Client/Tablet, Workstation
  • Virtualization
    VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d left arrow VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d

Benchmarks

Performance tests CPUs

Shared tests with results for both models: 7

Blender Cycles

Each row uses one Blender version, operating system and compute backend.

Test and settingsIntel Core i5-12400 Intel Core i5-12600KResult difference¹
Blender 5.1.1 / CPU / Windows 161.025624 samples/min Submissions: 12 172.027686 samples/min Submissions: 5 +6.8 %
Blender 4.5.0 / CPU / Windows 154.342732 samples/min Submissions: 28 215.302947 samples/min Submissions: 35 +39.5 %
Blender 4.4.0 / CPU / Windows 143.354139 samples/min Submissions: 21 219.278982 samples/min Submissions: 24 +53.0 %
Blender 4.3.0 / CPU / Windows 148.761142 samples/min Submissions: 17 211.269775 samples/min Submissions: 38 +42.0 %
Blender 4.2.0 / CPU / Windows 142.514016 samples/min Submissions: 19 208.231011 samples/min Submissions: 37 +46.1 %
Blender 4.1.0 / CPU / Windows 153.97685 samples/min Submissions: 11 224.769114 samples/min Submissions: 32 +46.0 %
Blender 4.0.0 / CPU / Windows 156.81274 samples/min Submissions: 28 217.066649 samples/min Submissions: 96 +38.4 %

¹ Difference of the second result relative to the first in that row. No percentage is calculated for different upscaling algorithms. This compares published results, not a universal performance index.

Individual model tests

These results have no shared test of both models with the same version and settings. They are shown separately without a percentage difference.

Intel Core i5-12400

Intel Core i5-12600K

Individual system tests

Results were obtained on the reported systems. Test versions and settings remain separate; incomplete conditions do not support calculated model performance differences.

RandomX / XMRig 6.26.0 / 1M / 10 threads / linux

Model ResultReported conditions
Intel Core i5-12600K 5773.672055 H/s RandomX / XMRig 6.26.0 / 1M / 10 threads / linux
System RAM: 32 GB
OS: Linux x86_64
Motherboard: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. / PRIME Z690-P
Duration: 173.2 s
User-submitted run; tuning and power settings are incomplete.

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