Core i5-12600K vs Core i5-12400

CPU Head-to-Head · FPS & Value Comparison

Core i5-12600K vs Core i5-12400: Gaming Performance Comparison in 1080p Ultra

In gaming, the Core i5-12600K delivers approximately +11% higher frame rates compared to the Core i5-12400 in 1080p Ultra. For budget-conscious buyers, the Core i5-12400 currently offers +17.0% better value, available at a $47.13 price difference.

Core i5-12600K Advantages

Up to 11% faster in gaming benchmarks on average – 157 vs 142 FPS

More processing cores – 10 vs 6 cores

Core i5-12400 Advantages

Up to 17.0% better value for money – $1.13 vs $1.32/FPS

Costs only 77% of the price – $161 vs $208 (23% cheaper)

Is newer – 2022-01-04 vs 2021-11-04

Consumes up to 48% less energy – 65W vs 125W

Performance Analytics

Average FPS across 21 games · all benchmarks use the same test suite

1080p Low

Full HD — min settings

AVG FPS
Core i5-12600K
157fps(100%)
Core i5-12400
142fps(90%)
WinnerCore i5-12600K
+11% faster
General Explanation of Benchmark Percentages

When you see two FPS numbers, there are two common but different ways to show the difference:

"X% of the performance"

This compares the slower card to the faster card.

Formula: (Core i5-12400 FPS ÷ Core i5-12600K FPS) × 100
Example: (142 ÷ 157) × 100 = 90%
"X% faster"

This shows how much more the faster card performs compared to the slower one.

Formula: ((Core i5-12600K FPS - Core i5-12400 FPS) ÷ Core i5-12400 FPS) × 100
Example: ((157 - 142) ÷ 142) × 100 = 11%
Why Someone Might Get Confused:

You naturally think: "If Core i5-12400 is only 90% as fast, then Core i5-12600K should be 10% faster" — but that's incorrect.

The "11% faster" is measured against the slower card, not against the faster one. So both numbers (90% of and 11% faster) are mathematically correct at the same time.

Efficiency Coefficient 1080p Ultra (Higher = Better Value)

Performance delivered per currency unit: FPS/$

Core i5-12600K
0.755 Value85% Efficiency
Core i5-12400
0.884 Value100% Efficiency