The Intel Core i5-12400F and AMD Ryzen 5 5600X are 6-core, 12-thread CPUs offering strong mid-range performance, with the i5 excelling in newer builds and the 5600X suited for AM4 upgrades.
Here we have compared both CPUs in depth with benchmarks and gaming performance to determine which gives you a better value for money.
Main Differences
- Ryzen 5 5600X has a 4.6 GHz clock speed, while Intel Core i5 12400F has a 4.6 GHz Clock speed.
- Intel Core i5 12400F supports DDR5 RAM @ 4800 MHz, compared to the Ryzen 5 5600X, which supports DDR4 RAM @ 3200 MHz.
- Ryzen 5 5600X is 1 Year and 3 months older than Intel Core i5 12400F
Specs Comparison
Before we take a look at benchmarks, let’s compare some specifications for both CPUs.
| Intel Core i5 12400F | Ryzen 5 5600X | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 6 | 6 |
| Threads | 12 | 12 |
| Base Clock Speed | 2.5 GHz | 3.7 GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 4.4 GHz | 4.6 GHz |
| Architecture | Alder Lake | Zen 3 (Vermeer) |
| Socket | LGA1700 | AM4 |
| L1 Cache | 480 KB | 384 KB |
| L2 Cache | 7.5 MB | 3 MB |
| L3 Cache | 18 MB | 32 MB |
| Multiplier | 25X | 37x |
| Fabrication Process | 10nm | 7nm |
| Transistors | 1.39 billions | 4.15 billions |
| TDP | 65 W | 65 W |
| Max TDP | 117 W | 88 W |
| Max Temperature | 100°C | 95°C |
| Integrated Graphics | – | – |
| GPU Clock Seed | – | – |
| Memory | DDR5-4800 | DDR4-3200 |
| Memory Size | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| Memory Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | No | Yes |
| PCI Express Version | 5.0 | 4.0 |
| Release date | 04 January 2022 | 08 October 2020 |
Benchmarks
Now that we have compared basic specs, let’s compare some popular benchmark standards between these two CPUs to find out which one comes out on top in performance.
Passmark Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 3,478(+3%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 3,363
PassMark Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 19,472
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 21,861(+11%)
Geekbench 6 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 2,222(+5%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 2,113
Geekbench 6 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 9,142(+5%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 8,683
Cinebench 2024 Single Core (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 102(+8%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 94
Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 701(+10%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 639
Gaming benchmark tests
While benchmarks like Passmark and Geekbench give a general idea about the performance, they still don’t show the full picture. Here is the comparison between both CPUs in popular games to show you the real-life usage performance of these CPUs.
| Game | Intel Core i5 12400F(FPS) | Ryzen 5 5600X(FPS) |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege(Ultra 1080p) | 452 | 543 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High 1080p) | 135 | 133 |
| Horizon Zero Dawn (Favor 1080p) | 164 | 199 |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider(Highest 1080p) | 173 | 169 |
| Watch Dogs Legion (Ultra 1080p) | 115 | 114 |
| Hitman 3 (High 1080p) | 162 | 196 |
| Far Cry 6 (High 1080p) | 139 | 126 |
Productivity benchmark tests
Not everyone plans to use their PC for gaming purposes, but some people also use them for 3D design and video editing. So, we are also sharing some productivity benchmarks with you.
Blender (Lower is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 1180(+2%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 1204
Adobe Photoshop (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 1100
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 1108
Adobe Premiere Pro (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 667(+8%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 617
Adobe After Effects (Higher is Better)
- Intel Core i5 12400F – 1891(+7%)
- Ryzen 5 5600X – 1760
Price
At the time of making this comparison, the Ryzen 5 5600X is available at $207, while the Intel Core i5 12400F is priced at $108. So, the Ryzen 5 5600X is around 91% more expensive compared to the Intel Core i5 12400F.
Conclusion – Which one should you buy?
In synthetic benchmarks, the i5-12400F generally leads in single-core performance by around 3% to 8.5%, which can translate to snappier everyday performance and minor advantages in lightly threaded tasks.
For multi-core tasks, the results are split: the 5600X takes the edge in PassMark, while the 12400F holds its own in Geekbench and Cinebench, showing it’s not far behind in overall parallel performance.
When it comes to content creation, things get even more nuanced. The 12400F slightly outperforms the 5600X in Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects by about 7-8%, making it a solid pick for video editing.
However, in Blender and Photoshop, the Ryzen 5 5600X either performs slightly better or matches the Intel chip, suggesting it holds a marginal edge in raw rendering and photo editing.
Gaming, however, tells a different story. The Ryzen 5 5600X consistently delivers higher frame rates across a majority of the tested titles.
It notably outperforms the 12400F in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Horizon Zero Dawn, Hitman 3, and Far Cry 6. Only in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Watch Dogs Legion, and Cyberpunk 2077 is the performance difference negligible or slightly favors the Intel chip.
For high-refresh-rate gaming, especially in CPU-bound or competitive titles, the Ryzen 5 5600X clearly holds the upper hand.
If you’re on a tight budget and want strong all-around performance for solid productivity, light creative tasks, and casual gaming, the Intel Core i5-12400F is the better value. However,
if gaming is your main priority, and especially if you’re pairing with a powerful GPU and aiming for high frame rates, the Ryzen 5 5600X justifies its higher price with consistently better gaming performance. It’s not just marginal gains; it’s noticeable in real-world gameplay.
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