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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max 390.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max 390 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 41,834).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 390 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Ryzen AI Max 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon 8050S, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen AI Max 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max 390.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +25.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅40% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon 8050S, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max 390 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 41,834).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 390 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max 390 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 25.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 114.2% 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, Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 25.1% 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, Ryzen AI Max 390 is the better fit. You are getting 114.2% better PassMark, 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 AI Max 390 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max 390 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 25.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen AI Max 390 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), 255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 6/12. 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 AI Max 390 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	183 FPS	265 FPS
medium	168 FPS	241 FPS
high	139 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	252 FPS
medium	132 FPS	206 FPS
high	106 FPS	162 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	175 FPS
medium	81 FPS	143 FPS
high	64 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	96 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	471 FPS	671 FPS
medium	397 FPS	578 FPS
high	341 FPS	435 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	376 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	564 FPS
medium	351 FPS	503 FPS
high	309 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	318 FPS
medium	248 FPS	288 FPS
high	229 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	219 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	488 FPS	769 FPS
medium	488 FPS	602 FPS
high	488 FPS	526 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	442 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	668 FPS
medium	488 FPS	527 FPS
high	485 FPS	457 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	387 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	478 FPS
medium	389 FPS	395 FPS
high	337 FPS	351 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max 390

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
1080p
low	488 FPS	1046 FPS
medium	488 FPS	953 FPS
high	488 FPS	833 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	751 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	838 FPS
medium	488 FPS	746 FPS
high	488 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	566 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	616 FPS
medium	450 FPS	552 FPS
high	391 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	422 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max 390

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen AI Max 390

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 AI Max 390

The Ryzen AI Max 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 41,834 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max 390 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen AI Max 390 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 390 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max 390 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max 390 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen AI Max 390's 41,834 — a 72.7% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 390. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max 390.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+256%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	19,532	41,834+114%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen AI Max 390 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 8000 on the Ryzen AI Max 390 — the Ryzen AI Max 390 supports 199.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 4 (Ryzen AI Max 390). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 28 (Ryzen AI Max 390) — the Ryzen AI Max 390 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and Strix Halo (Ryzen AI Max 390).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
Socket	LGA1700	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	8000+159900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+104857500%	128
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	28+40%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max 390). The Ryzen AI Max 390 includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon 8050S), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen AI Max 390 rivals Apple M4 Max.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max 390
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon 8050S
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI Max 390 debuted at $0. On MSRP ($174 vs $0), the Ryzen AI Max 390 is $174 cheaper.