Athlon 5370 vs Core i5-12400F

CPU

GPU

Athlon 5370

4 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2014

Similar parts

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Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Core family

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Athlon 5370 vs Core i5-12400F Performance Spectrum

Athlon 5370

4 / 4

1,906

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

+924.8%

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 5370 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 5370 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 5370

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $119 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 65W, a 40W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R3, 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 Geekbench multi-core (636 vs 657).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 34.7 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: +344.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 223.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 34.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM1 and older memory support.
✅400% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
216.4% HIGHER MSRP
$174 MSRPvs$55 MSRP
❌160% higher power demand at 65W vs 25W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon 5370 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Athlon 5370?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 344.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3.3% better Geekbench multi-core, 924.8% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-12400F is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 344.4% more average FPS across 50 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 stronger fit. You are getting 3.3% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 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 $55 MSRP, and it still gives you a 344.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 223.9% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 34.7 PassMark/$), 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), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM1, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/4. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Athlon 5370 vs Core i5-12400F Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 5370

The Athlon 5370 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 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: 1,906 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 5370 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 2.2 GHz on the Athlon 5370 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon 5370 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 5370 scores 1,906 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 164.4% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 247 vs 1,700, a 149.3% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 636 vs 657 (3.2% advantage for the Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Athlon 5370	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+100%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.5 GHz+14%
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	1,906	19,532+925%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	247	1,700+588%
Geekbench 6 Multi	636	657+3%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 5370 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 DDR3-1600 on the Athlon 5370 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 5370) vs 2 (Core i5-12400F). PCIe lanes: 4 (Athlon 5370) vs 20 (Core i5-12400F) — the Core i5-12400F offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM1,A50M (Athlon 5370) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Athlon 5370	Core i5-12400F
Socket	AM1	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+200%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	128 GB+700%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	20+400%

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Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 5370) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). The Athlon 5370 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 5370 targets Budget, Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Athlon 5370	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Radeon R3	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Budget	Gaming Performance/Value

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 5370 was priced at $55, while the Core i5-12400F came in at $174. On launch pricing ($55 vs $174), Athlon 5370 was $119 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 5370 delivers 34.7 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 105.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 5370	Core i5-12400F
MSRP	$55-68%	$174
Performance per Dollar	34.7	112.3+224%
Release Date	2014	2022

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