Core i5-12500T vs Ryzen 5 5600H

Intel

Core i5-12500T

6 Cores12 Thrd35 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 5600H

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2021

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

About PassMark

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 i5-12500T

2022

Why buy it

  • Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.
  • Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
  • 25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Ryzen 5 5600H.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600H across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,625 vs 10,126).
  • Launch MSRP is still $302 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 5600H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen 5 5600H

2021

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • 28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.
  • Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12500T.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600H better than Core i5-12500T?
Yes. Ryzen 5 5600H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 52.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 1.2% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 5600H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.3% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5600H is the better fit. You are getting 52.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 5 5600H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12500T makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 5600H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $302 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.3% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12500T is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i5-12500T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FP6. 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
1080p
low183 FPS181 FPS
medium168 FPS143 FPS
high139 FPS116 FPS
ultra119 FPS93 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS147 FPS
medium132 FPS115 FPS
high106 FPS92 FPS
ultra89 FPS73 FPS
4K
low87 FPS68 FPS
medium81 FPS56 FPS
high64 FPS45 FPS
ultra49 FPS36 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
1080p
low257 FPS341 FPS
medium217 FPS290 FPS
high187 FPS256 FPS
ultra165 FPS223 FPS
1440p
low223 FPS304 FPS
medium192 FPS264 FPS
high170 FPS236 FPS
ultra146 FPS204 FPS
4K
low155 FPS241 FPS
medium136 FPS212 FPS
high127 FPS193 FPS
ultra108 FPS166 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
1080p
low408 FPS413 FPS
medium408 FPS413 FPS
high408 FPS413 FPS
ultra408 FPS413 FPS
1440p
low408 FPS413 FPS
medium408 FPS413 FPS
high408 FPS413 FPS
ultra408 FPS371 FPS
4K
low408 FPS413 FPS
medium389 FPS328 FPS
high337 FPS279 FPS
ultra274 FPS220 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
1080p
low408 FPS413 FPS
medium408 FPS413 FPS
high408 FPS413 FPS
ultra408 FPS413 FPS
1440p
low408 FPS413 FPS
medium408 FPS413 FPS
high408 FPS413 FPS
ultra408 FPS413 FPS
4K
low408 FPS413 FPS
medium408 FPS413 FPS
high386 FPS399 FPS
ultra327 FPS347 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12500T and Ryzen 5 5600H

Intel

Core i5-12500T

The Core i5-12500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 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 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): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,339 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Ryzen 5 5600H

The Ryzen 5 5600H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 3 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,533 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12500T and Ryzen 5 5600H share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12500T versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600H — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12500T (base: 2 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-12500T uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600H uses Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500T scores 16,339 against the Ryzen 5 5600H's 16,533 — a 1.2% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 6,625 vs 10,126 (41.8% advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,300 vs 1,764, a 26.4% lead for the Core i5-12500T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,900 vs 7,678 (14.7% advantage for the Core i5-12500T). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500T vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600H.

FeatureCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
6 / 12
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz+5%
4.2 GHz
Base Clock
2 GHz
3.3 GHz+65%
L3 Cache
18 MB (total)+13%
16 MB
L2 Cache
1.25 MB (per core)
3 MB+140%
Process
Intel 7 nm
7 nm
Architecture
Alder Lake-S (2022)
Cezanne-H (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark
16,339
16,533+1%
Cinebench R23 Multi
6,625
10,126+53%
Geekbench 6 Single
2,300+30%
1,764
Geekbench 6 Multi
8,900+16%
7,678
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600H uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800 on the Core i5-12500T versus DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266 on the Ryzen 5 5600H — the Core i5-12500T supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12500T 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 i5-12500T) vs 16 (Ryzen 5 5600H) — the Core i5-12500T offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
Socket
LGA1700
FP6
PCIe Generation
PCIe 5.0+25%
PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR5-4800+25%
DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4266
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB+100%
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
Yes
No
PCIe Lanes
20+25%
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500T) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600H). Both include integrated graphics Intel UHD Graphics 770 (Core i5-12500T) and Radeon Graphics (7-core) (Ryzen 5 5600H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500T targets Low Power Desktop, Ryzen 5 5600H targets Gaming Laptops. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500T rivals Ryzen 5 5600GE; Ryzen 5 5600H rivals Core i5-11400H.

FeatureCore i5-12500TRyzen 5 5600H
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 770
Radeon Graphics (7-core)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V
Target Use
Low Power Desktop
Gaming Laptops