Athlon 5350 vs Core i5-12400F

CPU

GPU

Athlon 5350

4 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 2.05 GHz2014

Similar parts

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Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Core family

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Athlon 5350 vs Core i5-12400F Performance Spectrum

Athlon 5350

4 / 4

1,796

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

+987.5%

About PassMark

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.

Athlon 5350 vs Core i5-12400F FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 5350 vs Core i5-12400F: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 5350

2014

Why buy it

✅+7.8% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $119 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 65W, a 40W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R3 Graphics, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($55 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM1, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +370.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 243.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM1 and older memory support.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 708).
❌
216.4% HIGHER MSRP
$174 MSRPvs$55 MSRP
❌160% higher power demand at 65W vs 25W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon 5350 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Athlon 5350?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 370.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 5350 pulls ahead with 7.8% better Geekbench multi-core.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 5350 is the stronger fit. You are getting 7.8% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-12400F is the better buy right now. Core i5-12400F comes in 216.4% more expensive on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $55 MSRP, and it still gives you a 370.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Athlon 5350 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 7.8% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 243.8% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 32.7 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-12400F makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2014) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM1. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Athlon 5350 vs Core i5-12400F Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 5350

The Athlon 5350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.05 GHz, with boost up to 2.05 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,796 points. Launch price was $149.

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.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 5350 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.05 GHz on the Athlon 5350 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 72.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.05 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon 5350 uses the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 5350 scores 1,796 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 166.3% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 223 vs 1,700, a 153.6% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 708 vs 657 (7.5% advantage for the Athlon 5350).

Feature	Athlon 5350	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	2.05 GHz	4.4 GHz+115%
Base Clock	2.05 GHz	2.5 GHz+22%
L3 Cache	—	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+60%	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	28 nm	Intel 7 nm-75%
Architecture	Kabini (2013−2014)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	1,796	19,532+988%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	223	1,700+662%
Geekbench 6 Multi	708+8%	657

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 5350 uses the AM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the Athlon 5350 versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F — the Core i5-12400F supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 700% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Athlon 5350) vs 2 (Core i5-12400F). PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon 5350) vs 20 (Core i5-12400F) — the Core i5-12400F offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM1 (Athlon 5350) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Athlon 5350	Core i5-12400F
Socket	AM1	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1600	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+200%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	128 GB+700%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	20+150%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: true (Athlon 5350) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). The Athlon 5350 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3 Graphics), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Athlon 5350 rivals Pentium J2900; Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Athlon 5350	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon R3 Graphics	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Gaming Performance/Value

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 5350 was priced at $55, while the Core i5-12400F came in at $174. On launch pricing ($55 vs $174), Athlon 5350 was $119 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 5350 delivers 32.7 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 109.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 5350	Core i5-12400F
MSRP	$55-68%	$174
Performance per Dollar	32.7	112.3+243%
Release Date	2014	2022

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