Core i5-12600HX vs Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

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 i5-12600HX

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (24,396 vs 24,613).

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.8% higher average FPS across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Core i5-12600HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-12600HX

2022

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

2025

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.8% higher average FPS across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (24,396 vs 24,613).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Core i5-12600HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12600HX can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 better than Core i5-12600HX?

Yes. Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.8% average FPS lead across 27 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% 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 PRO 380 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.8% more average FPS across 27 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 PRO 380 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is at an unclear MSRP at $400 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 5.8% average FPS lead across 27 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (61.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 12/16. 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 i5-12600HX Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	170 FPS	272 FPS
medium	154 FPS	239 FPS
high	127 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	233 FPS
medium	123 FPS	184 FPS
high	99 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	81 FPS	161 FPS
medium	74 FPS	129 FPS
high	59 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	546 FPS	402 FPS
medium	465 FPS	327 FPS
high	389 FPS	282 FPS
ultra	355 FPS	244 FPS
1440p
low	456 FPS	341 FPS
medium	401 FPS	287 FPS
high	344 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	216 FPS
4K
low	275 FPS	257 FPS
medium	243 FPS	221 FPS
high	228 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	170 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	610 FPS	615 FPS
medium	519 FPS	615 FPS
high	477 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	420 FPS	554 FPS
1440p
low	567 FPS	615 FPS
medium	475 FPS	588 FPS
high	427 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	429 FPS
4K
low	449 FPS	509 FPS
medium	368 FPS	416 FPS
high	327 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	267 FPS	289 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	610 FPS	615 FPS
medium	610 FPS	615 FPS
high	610 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	588 FPS	615 FPS
1440p
low	610 FPS	615 FPS
medium	610 FPS	615 FPS
high	563 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	589 FPS
4K
low	507 FPS	602 FPS
medium	463 FPS	536 FPS
high	414 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	361 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i5-12600HX Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12600HX and Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Core i5-12600HX

The Core i5-12600HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 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: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,396 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

The Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 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 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 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: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,613 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12600HX packs 12 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12600HX has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12600HX versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-12600HX uses the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12600HX scores 24,396 against the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380's 24,613 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600HX vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380.

Feature	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
Cores / Threads	12 / 16+100%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-HX (2022)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	24,396	24,613
Geekbench 6 Single	2,434	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12600HX uses the FCBGA1964 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12600HX	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
Socket	FCBGA1964	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	48	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12600HX) / not specified (Ryzen AI Max PRO 380). The Core i5-12600HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12600HX targets Workstation Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12600HX rivals Ryzen 7 6800H.