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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7845HX across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 26,654).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7845HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Ryzen 9 7845HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 610M, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 9 7845HX

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +35.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 610M, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7845HX across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 26,654).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7845HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7845HX better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 7845HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 35.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 115.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 130.1% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 7845HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 35.6% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 7845HX is the better fit. You are getting 115.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 7845HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 7845HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 35.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 7845HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022), 255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 9 7845HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
1080p
low	183 FPS	285 FPS
medium	168 FPS	258 FPS
high	139 FPS	218 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	264 FPS
medium	132 FPS	215 FPS
high	106 FPS	168 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	151 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	183 FPS
medium	81 FPS	150 FPS
high	64 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	101 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 7845HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
1080p
low	471 FPS	767 FPS
medium	397 FPS	636 FPS
high	341 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	413 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	644 FPS
medium	351 FPS	553 FPS
high	309 FPS	431 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	342 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	363 FPS
medium	248 FPS	316 FPS
high	229 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	239 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 7845HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	896 FPS
medium	488 FPS	712 FPS
high	488 FPS	619 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	534 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	721 FPS
medium	488 FPS	574 FPS
high	485 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	519 FPS
medium	389 FPS	430 FPS
high	337 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	326 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 7845HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
1080p
low	488 FPS	1124 FPS
medium	488 FPS	1006 FPS
high	488 FPS	873 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	770 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	902 FPS
medium	488 FPS	791 FPS
high	488 FPS	690 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	586 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	649 FPS
medium	450 FPS	579 FPS
high	391 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 7845HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 9 7845HX

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 9 7845HX

The Ryzen 9 7845HX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Dragon Range-HX (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on CCD = 5 nm, I/O = 6 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 44,940 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7845HX offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 7845HX has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7845HX — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7845HX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7845HX uses Dragon Range-HX (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (CCD = 5 nm, I/O = 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 9 7845HX's 44,940 — a 78.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 7845HX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 26,654 (73.1% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7845HX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,697, a 45.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 7845HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 15,039 (183.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7845HX). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7845HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.2 GHz+18%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+256%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	CCD = 5 nm, I/O = 6 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Dragon Range-HX (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,532	44,940+130%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	26,654+115%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,697+59%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	15,039+2189%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 7845HX uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 7845HX) — the Ryzen 9 7845HX offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and FL1 (Ryzen 9 7845HX).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
Socket	LGA1700	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 7845HX). The Ryzen 9 7845HX includes integrated graphics (Radeon 610M), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 9 7845HX targets High-end Gaming / Content Creation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 9 7845HX rivals Core i9-13900HX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 7845HX
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon 610M
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	High-end Gaming / Content Creation