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

✅Better for gaming: +56.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $326 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 305.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Embedded V3C18I.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 19,532).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +56.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $326 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 305.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 27.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $500 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Embedded V3C18I.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,856 vs 19,532).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($500 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Ryzen Embedded V3C18I?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 56.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 41% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 56.9% 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, Core i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 41% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $326 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $500 MSRP, and it gives you a 56.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 305.1% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 27.7 PassMark/$), 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 Embedded V3C18I is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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 Embedded V3C18I Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	183 FPS	172 FPS
medium	168 FPS	138 FPS
high	139 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	142 FPS
medium	132 FPS	112 FPS
high	106 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	66 FPS
medium	81 FPS	55 FPS
high	64 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	471 FPS	173 FPS
medium	397 FPS	151 FPS
high	341 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	109 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	149 FPS
medium	351 FPS	134 FPS
high	309 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	98 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	108 FPS
medium	248 FPS	100 FPS
high	229 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	74 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	488 FPS	346 FPS
medium	488 FPS	346 FPS
high	488 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	346 FPS
medium	488 FPS	346 FPS
high	485 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	346 FPS
medium	389 FPS	317 FPS
high	337 FPS	280 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	225 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
1080p
low	488 FPS	346 FPS
medium	488 FPS	346 FPS
high	488 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	346 FPS
medium	488 FPS	346 FPS
high	488 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	346 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	346 FPS
medium	450 FPS	346 FPS
high	391 FPS	346 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	326 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen Embedded V3C18I

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 Embedded V3C18I

The Ryzen Embedded V3C18I is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 September 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,856 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — a 14.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I uses Rembrandt (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I's 13,856 — a 34% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+16%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+32%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Rembrandt (2022)
PassMark	19,532+41%	13,856
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 Embedded V3C18I uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Socket	LGA1700	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Ryzen Embedded V3C18I). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Embedded V3C18I
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I debuted at $500. On MSRP ($174 vs $500), the Core i5-12400F is $326 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 27.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen Embedded V3C18I — making the Core i5-12400F the 120.8% better value option.