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

✅Costs $375 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 58.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 5900X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 71.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $375 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 58.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 5900X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +31.6% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 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 9 5900X across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 21,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 71.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 31.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 69.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 99.4% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 31.6% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better fit. You are getting 69.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 5900X is 215.5% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 31.6% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 58.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 71.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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?

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 9 5900X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	183 FPS	323 FPS
medium	168 FPS	291 FPS
high	139 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	307 FPS
medium	132 FPS	248 FPS
high	106 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	193 FPS
medium	81 FPS	156 FPS
high	64 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	103 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	471 FPS	772 FPS
medium	397 FPS	647 FPS
high	341 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	450 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	619 FPS
medium	351 FPS	536 FPS
high	309 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	365 FPS
medium	248 FPS	318 FPS
high	229 FPS	289 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	255 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	488 FPS	832 FPS
medium	488 FPS	645 FPS
high	488 FPS	558 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	459 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	721 FPS
medium	488 FPS	565 FPS
high	485 FPS	488 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	407 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	511 FPS
medium	389 FPS	421 FPS
high	337 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	308 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
1080p
low	488 FPS	974 FPS
medium	488 FPS	974 FPS
high	488 FPS	934 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	826 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	959 FPS
medium	488 FPS	843 FPS
high	488 FPS	726 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	617 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	694 FPS
medium	450 FPS	621 FPS
high	391 FPS	541 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 5900X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 9 5900X

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 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 66.4% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 21,000 (51.6% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,174, a 24.5% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 11,888 (179.1% advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.8 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	64 MB+256%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	19,532	38,955+99%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	21,000+70%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,174+28%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	11,888+1709%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X 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 9 5900X — 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 9 5900X) — the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 9 5900X).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
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 9 5900X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 5900X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 5900X debuted at $549. On MSRP ($174 vs $549), the Core i5-12400F is $375 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 71.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5900X — making the Core i5-12400F the 45.1% better value option.