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: +29.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $2 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $176 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 80.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $176 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Ryzen 3 8300G

2024

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,113 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 80.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($176 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 3 8300G

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $2 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $176 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 80.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $176 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,113 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 80.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($176 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Ryzen 3 8300G?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 29.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 38.4% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 29.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 38.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 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 $2 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $176 MSRP, and it gives you a 29.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 40.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 80.2 PassMark/$), 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 AM5 + DDR5 setup, Ryzen 3 8300G can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 3 8300G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022). 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 3 8300G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
1080p
low	183 FPS	262 FPS
medium	168 FPS	232 FPS
high	139 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	168 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	229 FPS
medium	132 FPS	184 FPS
high	106 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	159 FPS
medium	81 FPS	129 FPS
high	64 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 3 8300G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
1080p
low	471 FPS	347 FPS
medium	397 FPS	280 FPS
high	341 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	206 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	286 FPS
medium	351 FPS	238 FPS
high	309 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	176 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	212 FPS
medium	248 FPS	183 FPS
high	229 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	124 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 3 8300G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
1080p
low	488 FPS	353 FPS
medium	488 FPS	353 FPS
high	488 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	353 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	353 FPS
medium	488 FPS	353 FPS
high	485 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	353 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	353 FPS
medium	389 FPS	353 FPS
high	337 FPS	352 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 3 8300G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
1080p
low	488 FPS	353 FPS
medium	488 FPS	353 FPS
high	488 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	353 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	353 FPS
medium	488 FPS	353 FPS
high	488 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	353 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	353 FPS
medium	450 FPS	353 FPS
high	391 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	353 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 3 8300G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 3 8300G

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 3 8300G

The Ryzen 3 8300G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix2 (2024) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 14,113 points. Launch price was $176.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 8300G offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 3 8300G — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 8300G (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 3 8300G uses Phoenix2 (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 3 8300G's 14,113 — a 32.2% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 8300G.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.4 GHz+36%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+125%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Phoenix2 (2024)
PassMark	19,532+38%	14,113
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 3 8300G uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Ryzen 3 8300G). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 3 8300G
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 3 8300G debuted at $176. On MSRP ($174 vs $176), the Core i5-12400F is $2 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 80.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 3 8300G — making the Core i5-12400F the 33.3% better value option.