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

✅+33% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $5 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
✅42.9% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8500G across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8500G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 8500G

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 740M, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,310 vs 12,380).
❌
2.9% HIGHER MSRP
$179 MSRPvs$174 MSRP

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 5 8500G

2024

Why buy it

✅+33% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅Costs $5 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
✅42.9% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 14) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 740M, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8500G across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8500G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,310 vs 12,380).
❌
2.9% HIGHER MSRP
$179 MSRPvs$174 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8500G better than Core i5-12400F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 8500G is ahead with a 8.3% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F pulls ahead with 33% better Cinebench R23 multi-core.

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 33% 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 8500G is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 8500G is 2.9% more expensive on MSRP at $179 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.3% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-12400F is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 33% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. It is also 6.9% better value on MSRP (120.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), 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 LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12400F 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 5 8500G 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 5 8500G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	183 FPS	267 FPS
medium	168 FPS	238 FPS
high	139 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	173 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	231 FPS
medium	132 FPS	186 FPS
high	106 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	159 FPS
medium	81 FPS	130 FPS
high	64 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 8500G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	471 FPS	455 FPS
medium	397 FPS	371 FPS
high	341 FPS	321 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	279 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	394 FPS
medium	351 FPS	338 FPS
high	309 FPS	294 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	248 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	287 FPS
medium	248 FPS	251 FPS
high	229 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 8500G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	488 FPS	537 FPS
medium	488 FPS	537 FPS
high	488 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	537 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	537 FPS
medium	488 FPS	537 FPS
high	485 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	497 FPS
medium	389 FPS	418 FPS
high	337 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	293 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 8500G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
1080p
low	488 FPS	537 FPS
medium	488 FPS	537 FPS
high	488 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	537 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	537 FPS
medium	488 FPS	537 FPS
high	488 FPS	537 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	537 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	537 FPS
medium	450 FPS	519 FPS
high	391 FPS	462 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	393 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 5 8500G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 8500G

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 8500G

The Ryzen 5 8500G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix2 (2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 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: 21,481 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 8500G share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8500G — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8500G (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 8500G uses Phoenix2 (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 5 8500G's 21,481 — a 9.5% lead for the Ryzen 5 8500G. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 9,310 (28.3% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,500, a 38.1% lead for the Ryzen 5 8500G that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 10,000 (175.3% advantage for the Ryzen 5 8500G). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8500G.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.5 GHz+40%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 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	21,481+10%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380+33%	9,310
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,500+47%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	10,000+1422%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 8500G uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 8500G supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 14 (Ryzen 5 8500G) — the Core i5-12400F offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and A620,B650,B650E,X670,X670E,B840,B850,X870,X870E (Ryzen 5 8500G).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20+43%	14

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 8500G). The Ryzen 5 8500G includes integrated graphics (Radeon 740M), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 5 8500G targets General Use. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 5 8500G rivals Core i5-13400.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 8500G
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon 740M
Unlocked	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	General Use

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 8500G debuted at $179. On MSRP ($174 vs $179), the Core i5-12400F is $5 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 120.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 8500G — making the Ryzen 5 8500G the 6.7% better value option.