Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i5-12400

Processor comparisons   28-09-2022
   For example you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i9-12900KS vs Intel Core i5-12400 tests and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software like 7zip, AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, SuperPi, Blender, MATLAB, PassMark, 3DMark, WPrime, Furmark, Handbrake, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, VeraCrypt, Prime95, RealBench, Gears 5, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PCMark 10.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Valorant
Rainbow Six Siege
Fortnite
Overwatch
Halo Infinite
Apex Legends
Cyberpunk 2077
Borderlands 3
Death Stranding
DOOM: Eternal
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Red Dead Redemption 2
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Grand Theft Auto V
Fallout 76
Watch Dogs Legion
Last Man Standing
Valheim

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-12400 or Intel Core i9-12900KS.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i9-12900KS

73%

Core i5-12400

57%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900KS is 21% better than Core i5-12400. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-12900KS

61%

Core i5-12400

55%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Ghostrunner, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, League of Legends (LOL), Control, Battlefield V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Forza Horizon 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, NBA 2K20.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	108.6	97.5
Valorant	123.4	110.8
Cyberpunk 2077	69.1	62.0
Apex Legends	116.0	104.1
Call of Duty Warzone	92.6	83.1
Overwatch	100.0	89.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.1	76.4
DOOM Eternal	61.7	55.4
Warzone	96.3	86.4
Assassin's Creed	103.7	93.0
Valheim	102.4	91.9

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-12900KS

48%

Core i5-12400

91%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-12400 is more energy efficient than the Core i9-12900KS since it has less power consumption: 150W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, video rendering or video editing, programming, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i5-12400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	669	337
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	6984	2465
Cinbench 20 Single-core	1113	808
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	15520	5598
Cinbench 23 Single-core	3930	1889
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	44652	18452

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i5-12400
Single-Core	4211	4427
Multi-Core	76561	25834

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i5-12400
Single-Core	2187	1785
Multi-Core	20189	9275

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-12900KS	Intel Core i5-12400
Announcement date	March 27, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCBGA1744
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	5.5 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	4 MHz	3.3 MHz
Cores	16	6
Threads	24	12
Bus rate	16 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	12400 millions	10200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	150 W	65 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6400
Memory bandwidth	76.8 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB
L2 cache	8 MB
L3 cache	30 MB	18 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-12900KS is 17% better than Core i5-12400 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900KS has 10 more core than Core i5-12400. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900KS is better: 31
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-12400 is better: 3
However, it should be understood that the summary data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i9-12900KS and Intel Core i5-12400 before making a selection which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i9-12900KS - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i9-12900KS specs and review.

Intel Core i5-12400 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i5-12400 specs and review.