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: +6.7% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $25 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 26.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅+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 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 12,380).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 88.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.7% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $25 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 26.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 88.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+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

❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,500 vs 12,380).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 88.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Ryzen 5 3600?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.7% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 30.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 10.4% 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, Core i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.7% more average FPS across 5 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 30.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $25 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 6.7% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 26.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 88.9 PassMark/$), 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 3600 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?

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. 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 3600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	183 FPS	200 FPS
medium	168 FPS	161 FPS
high	139 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	154 FPS
medium	132 FPS	119 FPS
high	106 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	70 FPS
medium	81 FPS	58 FPS
high	64 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 3600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	471 FPS	442 FPS
medium	397 FPS	404 FPS
high	341 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	295 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	420 FPS
medium	351 FPS	359 FPS
high	309 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	263 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	297 FPS
medium	248 FPS	259 FPS
high	229 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 3600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	488 FPS	442 FPS
medium	488 FPS	442 FPS
high	488 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	442 FPS
medium	488 FPS	442 FPS
high	485 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	432 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	442 FPS
medium	389 FPS	361 FPS
high	337 FPS	305 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 3600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
1080p
low	488 FPS	442 FPS
medium	488 FPS	442 FPS
high	488 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	442 FPS
medium	488 FPS	442 FPS
high	488 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	442 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	442 FPS
medium	450 FPS	442 FPS
high	391 FPS	413 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	357 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 3600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 3600

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 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 3600 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 9.9% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 9,500 (26.3% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,295, a 27% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 1,898 (97.1% advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+5%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+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)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	19,532+10%	17,685
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380+30%	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+31%	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	1,898+189%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 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 3600 — 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 3600) — the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
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	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 3600
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	Yes
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Gaming/Budget Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 3600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($174 vs $199), the Core i5-12400F is $25 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 3600 — making the Core i5-12400F the 23.3% better value option.