Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen Z1

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: +4.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Z1.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen Z1 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen Z1

2023

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 (18,406 vs 19,532).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen Z1

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Z1.

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen Z1 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌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 (18,406 vs 19,532).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Ryzen Z1?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 6.1% 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 4.4% 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 6.1% 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 at an unclear MSRP at $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 4.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Z1 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 Z1 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	183 FPS	262 FPS
medium	168 FPS	234 FPS
high	139 FPS	195 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	167 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	231 FPS
medium	132 FPS	187 FPS
high	106 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	162 FPS
medium	81 FPS	133 FPS
high	64 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	89 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Z1

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	471 FPS	429 FPS
medium	397 FPS	339 FPS
high	341 FPS	291 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	250 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	356 FPS
medium	351 FPS	295 FPS
high	309 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	219 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	268 FPS
medium	248 FPS	227 FPS
high	229 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Z1

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	488 FPS	460 FPS
medium	488 FPS	460 FPS
high	488 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	460 FPS
medium	488 FPS	460 FPS
high	485 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	441 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	460 FPS
medium	389 FPS	437 FPS
high	337 FPS	372 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	306 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Z1

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Z1
1080p
low	488 FPS	460 FPS
medium	488 FPS	460 FPS
high	488 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	460 FPS
medium	488 FPS	460 FPS
high	488 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	460 FPS
medium	450 FPS	460 FPS
high	391 FPS	434 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	370 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Z1

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen Z1

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 Z1

The Ryzen Z1 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Maio 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 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: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 18,406 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen Z1 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen Z1 — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen Z1 (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 Z1 uses Phoenix (Zen4) (2023) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen Z1's 18,406 — a 5.9% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen Z1.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Z1
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
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-S (2022)	Phoenix (Zen4) (2023)
PassMark	19,532+6%	18,406
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Z1 uses FP8 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Z1
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Ryzen Z1). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.