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

✅+11.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $25 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+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 Cinebench R23 multi-core (11,077 vs 12,380).
❌
14.4% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 5 5600

2022

Why buy it

✅+11.8% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $25 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+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 Ryzen 5 5600 across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (11,077 vs 12,380).
❌
14.4% HIGHER MSRP
$199 MSRPvs$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 5600?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 5600 is ahead with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F pulls ahead with 11.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Ryzen 5 5600 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, Core i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 11.8% 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 $199 MSRP, and it gives you 11.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 5600 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 3.7% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 108.3 PassMark/$), 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 5600 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 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 5600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	183 FPS	161 FPS
medium	168 FPS	130 FPS
high	139 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	141 FPS
medium	132 FPS	113 FPS
high	106 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	79 FPS
medium	81 FPS	69 FPS
high	64 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	471 FPS	508 FPS
medium	397 FPS	419 FPS
high	341 FPS	351 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	310 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	447 FPS
medium	351 FPS	375 FPS
high	309 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	277 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	313 FPS
medium	248 FPS	268 FPS
high	229 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	488 FPS	539 FPS
medium	488 FPS	526 FPS
high	488 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	414 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	539 FPS
medium	488 FPS	434 FPS
high	485 FPS	396 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	339 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	371 FPS
medium	389 FPS	298 FPS
high	337 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	197 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
1080p
low	488 FPS	539 FPS
medium	488 FPS	539 FPS
high	488 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	539 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	539 FPS
medium	488 FPS	539 FPS
high	488 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	501 FPS
medium	450 FPS	448 FPS
high	391 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	349 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 5600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 5600

The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 5600 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 9.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 11,077 (11.1% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,052, a 18.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 8,600 (171.6% advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.5 GHz+40%
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
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	19,532	21,550+10%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380+12%	11,077
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,052+21%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	8,600+1209%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600 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 5600 — 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 5600) — the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and B550,X570,B450,X470,A520 (Ryzen 5 5600).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
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 5600). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 5600
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 5600 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 108.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Core i5-12400F the 3.6% better value option.