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 $426 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
✅Delivers 56.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 72.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max PRO 390.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 43,174).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.2% higher average FPS across 6 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

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($600 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $426 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
✅Delivers 56.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 72.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max PRO 390.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +40.2% higher average FPS across 6 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 PRO 390 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 43,174).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($600 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 40.2% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 121% 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 390 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 40.2% 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 AI Max PRO 390 is the better fit. You are getting 121% 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 PRO 390 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is 244.8% more expensive on MSRP at $600 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 40.2% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 56.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 72.0 PassMark/$), 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 PRO 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 PRO 390 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	183 FPS	286 FPS
medium	168 FPS	253 FPS
high	139 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	185 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	266 FPS
medium	132 FPS	211 FPS
high	106 FPS	165 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	147 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	184 FPS
medium	81 FPS	147 FPS
high	64 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	97 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	471 FPS	778 FPS
medium	397 FPS	656 FPS
high	341 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	459 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	654 FPS
medium	351 FPS	572 FPS
high	309 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	368 FPS
medium	248 FPS	326 FPS
high	229 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	264 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	488 FPS	1021 FPS
medium	488 FPS	783 FPS
high	488 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	580 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	818 FPS
medium	488 FPS	635 FPS
high	485 FPS	551 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	469 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	565 FPS
medium	389 FPS	460 FPS
high	337 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	342 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	488 FPS	1079 FPS
medium	488 FPS	1015 FPS
high	488 FPS	912 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	811 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	895 FPS
medium	488 FPS	788 FPS
high	488 FPS	689 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	605 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	658 FPS
medium	450 FPS	582 FPS
high	391 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

The Ryzen AI Max PRO 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: 43,174 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 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 PRO 390 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390's 43,174 — a 75.4% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 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	43,174+121%
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 PRO 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 PRO 390 — the Ryzen AI Max PRO 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 PRO 390). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 28 (Ryzen AI Max PRO 390) — the Ryzen AI Max PRO 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 PRO 390).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 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 PRO 390). The Ryzen AI Max PRO 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 PRO 390 rivals Apple M4 Max.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 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 PRO 390 debuted at $600. On MSRP ($174 vs $600), the Core i5-12400F is $426 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 72.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 — making the Core i5-12400F the 43.8% better value option.