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 i5-12490F

2022

Why buy it

✅+17.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Ryzen 5 8640U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,800 vs 2,519).
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8640U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅+39.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Core i5-12490F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,675 vs 12,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12490F.

Core i5-12490F

2022

Ryzen 5 8640U

2023

Why buy it

✅+17.1% higher Cinebench R23 multi-core.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Ryzen 5 8640U.

Why buy it

✅+39.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 760M, while Core i5-12490F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,800 vs 2,519).
❌Launch MSRP is still $250 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 8640U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (10,675 vs 12,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (16 MB vs 20 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12490F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8640U better than Core i5-12490F?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 8640U is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12490F pulls ahead with 17.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i5-12490F also has the bigger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12490F is the better fit. You are getting 17.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 16 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 8640U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12490F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 8640U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $250 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-12490F is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 17.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core. Core i5-12490F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 8640U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i5-12490F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 8640U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	172 FPS	261 FPS
medium	148 FPS	237 FPS
high	120 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	230 FPS
medium	123 FPS	190 FPS
high	99 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	159 FPS
medium	72 FPS	133 FPS
high	58 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	475 FPS	371 FPS
medium	404 FPS	309 FPS
high	341 FPS	272 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	236 FPS
1440p
low	414 FPS	313 FPS
medium	360 FPS	270 FPS
high	313 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	267 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	278 FPS	234 FPS
medium	246 FPS	206 FPS
high	226 FPS	191 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	161 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	509 FPS	507 FPS
medium	509 FPS	507 FPS
high	509 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	502 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	507 FPS
medium	498 FPS	507 FPS
high	451 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	443 FPS
4K
low	418 FPS	493 FPS
medium	351 FPS	435 FPS
high	306 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	247 FPS	308 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 8640U
1080p
low	509 FPS	507 FPS
medium	509 FPS	507 FPS
high	509 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	509 FPS	507 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	507 FPS
medium	509 FPS	507 FPS
high	509 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	509 FPS	507 FPS
4K
low	509 FPS	507 FPS
medium	499 FPS	501 FPS
high	441 FPS	442 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	380 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 8640U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12490F and Ryzen 5 8640U

Core i5-12490F

The Core i5-12490F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 20,366 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 8640U

The Ryzen 5 8640U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,274 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12490F and Ryzen 5 8640U share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12490F versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640U — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640U (base: 3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-12490F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12490F scores 20,366 against the Ryzen 5 8640U's 20,274 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-12490F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,500 vs 10,675 (15.7% advantage for the Core i5-12490F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,800 vs 2,519, a 33.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 8640U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 8,800 vs 10,308 (15.8% advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640U). L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-12490F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640U.

Feature	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 8640U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)+25%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm	4 nm-60%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4) (2023−2025)
PassMark	20,366	20,274
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,500+17%	10,675
Geekbench 6 Single	1,800	2,519+40%
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,800	10,308+17%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12490F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 8640U uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 8640U 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: B660,H610,H670,Z690,B760 (Core i5-12490F) and SoC (Ryzen 5 8640U).

Feature	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 8640U
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	LPDDR5x-7500
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Ryzen 5 8640U supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12490F) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 5 8640U). The Ryzen 5 8640U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 760M), while the Core i5-12490F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12490F targets Gaming Desktop, Ryzen 5 8640U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-12490F rivals Ryzen 5 5600X; Ryzen 5 8640U rivals Core i5-1335U.