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 i5-12500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $87 less on MSRP ($212 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 93.1 vs 65.7 PassMark/$ ($212 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Ryzen 7 4700GE

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,636 vs 19,739).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 65.7 vs 93.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12500

2022

Ryzen 7 4700GE

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $87 less on MSRP ($212 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 41.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 93.1 vs 65.7 PassMark/$ ($212 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12500 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,636 vs 19,739).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 65.7 vs 93.1 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $212 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12500 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12500 better than Ryzen 7 4700GE?

Yes. Core i5-12500 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 9.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better 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 i5-12500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.8% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12500 is the better fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i5-12500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12500 is $87 cheaper on MSRP at $212 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 41.8% better value on MSRP (93.1 vs 65.7 PassMark/$), 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 7 4700GE can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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

Core i5-12500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4, 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. 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 i5-12500 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 4700GE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	186 FPS	174 FPS
medium	170 FPS	141 FPS
high	142 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	149 FPS
medium	133 FPS	119 FPS
high	107 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	88 FPS	79 FPS
medium	81 FPS	69 FPS
high	65 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	42 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	493 FPS	336 FPS
medium	428 FPS	288 FPS
high	362 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	225 FPS
1440p
low	433 FPS	291 FPS
medium	373 FPS	258 FPS
high	324 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	278 FPS	200 FPS
4K
low	289 FPS	236 FPS
medium	254 FPS	217 FPS
high	234 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	173 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	493 FPS	491 FPS
medium	493 FPS	491 FPS
high	493 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	491 FPS
1440p
low	493 FPS	491 FPS
medium	493 FPS	491 FPS
high	491 FPS	449 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	391 FPS
4K
low	456 FPS	433 FPS
medium	401 FPS	366 FPS
high	345 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	281 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
1080p
low	493 FPS	491 FPS
medium	493 FPS	491 FPS
high	493 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	491 FPS
1440p
low	493 FPS	491 FPS
medium	493 FPS	491 FPS
high	493 FPS	491 FPS
ultra	493 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	491 FPS
medium	482 FPS	444 FPS
high	422 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	355 FPS	329 FPS

Open Core i5-12500 Open Ryzen 7 4700GE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12500 and Ryzen 7 4700GE

Core i5-12500

The Core i5-12500 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 19,739 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 4700GE

The Ryzen 7 4700GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,636 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12500 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4700GE offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 4700GE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12500 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4700GE — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12500 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i5-12500 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4700GE uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500 scores 19,739 against the Ryzen 7 4700GE's 19,636 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-12500. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500 vs 8 MB on the Ryzen 7 4700GE.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+7%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.1 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+125%	8 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	19,739	19,636
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,978	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,319	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,003	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 4700GE uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500) / not specified (Ryzen 7 4700GE). The Core i5-12500 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 7 4700GE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500 rivals Ryzen 5 5500.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 7 4700GE
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 770	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Productivity	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12500 launched at $212 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 4700GE debuted at $299. On MSRP ($212 vs $299), the Core i5-12500 is $87 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12500 delivers 93.1 pts/$ vs 65.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 4700GE — making the Core i5-12500 the 34.6% better value option.