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

✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 23,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.4% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌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 PRO 5945

2022

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.4% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 23,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌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 PRO 5945 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.4% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 87.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 76.9% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.4% 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 PRO 5945 is the better fit. You are getting 87.4% 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 PRO 5945 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.4% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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, 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 i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 PRO 5945 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	183 FPS	164 FPS
medium	168 FPS	136 FPS
high	139 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	149 FPS
medium	132 FPS	119 FPS
high	106 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	83 FPS
medium	81 FPS	72 FPS
high	64 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	471 FPS	630 FPS
medium	397 FPS	544 FPS
high	341 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	381 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	524 FPS
medium	351 FPS	460 FPS
high	309 FPS	385 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	315 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	307 FPS
medium	248 FPS	271 FPS
high	229 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	488 FPS	845 FPS
medium	488 FPS	670 FPS
high	488 FPS	586 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	494 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	676 FPS
medium	488 FPS	535 FPS
high	485 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	480 FPS
medium	389 FPS	398 FPS
high	337 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	293 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
1080p
low	488 FPS	864 FPS
medium	488 FPS	864 FPS
high	488 FPS	836 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	743 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	864 FPS
medium	488 FPS	757 FPS
high	488 FPS	661 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	626 FPS
medium	450 FPS	557 FPS
high	391 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	423 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 9 PRO 5945

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 PRO 5945

The Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 34,549 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 — a 6.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945's 34,549 — a 55.5% lead for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 23,200 (60.8% advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,175, a 24.5% lead for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 12,500 (180% advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.7 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	64 MB+256%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	19,532	34,549+77%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	23,200+87%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,175+28%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	12,500+1803%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 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 PRO 5945 — 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. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and X570,B550,A520,X470,B450 (Ryzen 9 PRO 5945).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 5945
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	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 9 PRO 5945). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 targets High-end Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 rivals Core i9-12900.