PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.8% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $125 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 53.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅+11.8% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 5 5600X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.8% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $125 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 53.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600X.

Why buy it

✅+11.8% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 21,845).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 73.1 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Ryzen 5 5600X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 7.8% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X pulls ahead with 11.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 5600X also has the bigger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600X is the better fit. You are getting 11.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $125 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.8% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 11.8% better PassMark. It is also 53.6% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 73.1 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5600X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	183 FPS	203 FPS
medium	168 FPS	174 FPS
high	139 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	169 FPS
medium	132 FPS	141 FPS
high	106 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	85 FPS
medium	81 FPS	76 FPS
high	64 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	471 FPS	464 FPS
medium	397 FPS	387 FPS
high	341 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	291 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	397 FPS
medium	351 FPS	334 FPS
high	309 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	263 FPS
medium	248 FPS	226 FPS
high	229 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	488 FPS	546 FPS
medium	488 FPS	473 FPS
high	488 FPS	432 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	358 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	508 FPS
medium	488 FPS	413 FPS
high	485 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	348 FPS
medium	389 FPS	292 FPS
high	337 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	199 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
1080p
low	488 FPS	546 FPS
medium	488 FPS	546 FPS
high	488 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	546 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	546 FPS
medium	488 FPS	546 FPS
high	488 FPS	546 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	524 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	529 FPS
medium	450 FPS	484 FPS
high	391 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 5600X

Core i5-12400F

The Core i5-12400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,532 points. Launch price was $180.

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 5600X share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 5 5600X's 21,845 — a 11.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	32 MB+78%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	19,532	21,845+12%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600X debuted at $299. On MSRP ($174 vs $299), the Core i5-12400F is $125 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 73.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600X — making the Core i5-12400F the 42.3% better value option.