Intel Core i5-12400F vs Intel Core i5-11600K vs Intel Core i9-11900K

Intel Core i5-12400F

The Intel Core i5-12400F is a fast six-core processor based on the Alder Lake architecture, which was introduced in January 2022. The processor has a base clock speed of 2.5 GHz and reaches a maximum clock speed of up to 4.4 GHz under load. As with its predecessor, the Intel Core i5-11400F, Alder-Lake also supports hyperthreading, which means that up to 12 threads can be processed simultaneously. The Intel Core i5-12400F is manufactured using the 10 nm process. There are many changes to the new architecture, which is essentially based on a hybrid architecture. However, the Intel Core i5-12400F does not fully benefit from this, as only P-cores are used under the heatspreader. Only with the faster Intel Core i5-12600K can you enjoy the performance of the combination of P and E cores. The Intel Core i5-12400F is a non-K CPU, which in turn means that there is no freely selectable multiplier, which means that the CPU is not suitable for overclocking.

Performance

Compared to the Intel Core i5-11400F , the IPC of the Intel Core i5-12400F has been significantly increased again. The performance difference between the two processors is between 10 and 20 percent in most cases. Due to the good single-thread performance, the Intel Core i5-12400F is definitely a sensible CPU to use as the basis in a gaming PC.

Graphics unit

The processors marked with an "F" in the nomenclature do not offer an integrated graphics unit. All other non-F processors can rely on the Intel Iris Xe.

Power consumption

The TDP is relatively low at 65 watts. This is the PL1 value. For Turbo, the Intel Core i5-12400F with PL2 offers a higher TDP of up to 117 watts. If all restrictions are deactivated in the BIOS, there is no time limit for the PL2 value. With the maximum 117 watts, a large cooling unit is not required.

Intel Core i5-11600K

The Intel Core i5-11600K is a high-end desktop CPU based on the Rocket Lake architecture. The CPU offers 6 cores and 12 threads clocked at 3.9 - 4.9 GHz (Turbo Boost 2.0 only). Using all cores, the CPU can clock up to 4.6 GHz.  

The TDP is rated at 125 Watt (PL1, power limit sustained load) but the PL2 is set to around 250 Watt for short term boosts (up to 56 seconds). 

The Sunny Cove processor cores (known from the Ice Lake mobile CPUs) offer larger caches and an improved IPC (up to 19%). Furthermore, the chip also includes (partly) integrated WiFi 6E and Thunderbolt 4. The platform supports PCIe 4.0 and Intel DL Boost for AI acceleration.

Thanks to the faster core architecture, the 11600K can beat the old i5-10600K by around 20 percent. Therefore, the i5-11600K is a good mid range choice for gaming.

The faster Rocket Lake-S CPUs also integrate a new Intel UHD Graphics 750 that is based on the current Intel Xe architecture (e.g. mobile Tiger Lake) and offers 32 EUs. In the 11600K, the GPU is clocked from 350 - 1300 MHz.

The CPU is manufactured on the old 14nm process like the Comet Lake predecessors. The power consumption is not as high, as the Core i9-11900K, but can't come close to the power efficient Ryzen 5 5600X.

Intel Core i9-11900K

The Intel Core i9-11900K is a high-end desktop CPU based on the Rocket Lake architecture. The CPU offers 8 cores and 16 threads clocked at 3.5 - 5.3 GHz (Turbo Boost 3.0 / TVB). With Turbo Boost 2.0, 5.1 GHz can be reached with a single thread. Using all cores, the CPU can clock up to 4.8 GHz. Adaptive Boost enables even higher multi-core frequencies (5.1 GHz all core Turbo) but uses a lot more power.

The TDP is rated at 125 Watt (PL1, power limit sustained load) but the PL2 is set to around 250 Watt for short term boosts (up to 56 seconds).

The Sunny Cove processor cores (known from the Ice Lake mobile CPUs) offer larger caches and an improved IPC (up to 19%). Furthermore, the chip also includes (partly) integrated WiFi 6E and Thunderbolt 4. The platform supports PCIe 4.0 and Intel DL Boost for AI acceleration.

The faster Rocket Lake-S CPUs also integrate a new Intel UHD Graphics 750 that is based on the current Intel Xe architecture (e.g. mobile Tiger Lake) and offers 32 EUs. In the 11900K, the GPU is clocked from 350 - 1300 MHz.

Performance

The average 11900K in our database is in the same league as the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. Which is an impressive result, as of mid 2022, and good enough for any task imaginable including content creation and professional gaming.

Power consumption

This Core i9 has a 125 W TDP, also known as the long-term power limit. Intel lets PC manufacturers reduce that value somewhat if required, 95 W being the lower limit, which would result in lower clock speeds and lower performance. The reality is, an 11900K can be much more power hungry than either of the two numbers imply simply because of its sheer might but also because it is manufactured on an old 14 nm Intel process that makes for lower-than-average, as of mid-2022, energy efficiency.