Athlon II M300 vs Core i5-12400F

CPU

GPU

Athlon II M300

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2 GHz2009

Similar parts

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Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Core family

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Athlon II M300 vs Core i5-12400F Performance Spectrum

Athlon II M300

2 / 2

1,700

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

+1048.9%

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 II M300 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 II M300 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 II M300

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $74 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,700 vs 19,532).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.0 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on S1g3, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +403.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 560.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 17.0 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of S1g3 and older memory support.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Athlon II M300.

Trade-offs

❌
74% HIGHER MSRP
$174 MSRPvs$100 MSRP
❌6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Athlon II M300?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 403.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1048.9% better 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 403.8% 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 1048.9% 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 better buy right now. Core i5-12400F comes in 74.0% more expensive on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 403.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 560.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 17.0 PassMark/$), 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 2009), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of S1g3, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 2/2. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Athlon II M300 vs Core i5-12400F Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II M300

The Athlon II M300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,700 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 II M300 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II M300 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 75% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F. The Athlon II M300 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M300 scores 1,700 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 168% lead for the Core i5-12400F.

Feature	Athlon II M300	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	6 / 12+200%
Boost Clock	2 GHz	4.4 GHz+120%
Base Clock	—	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	—	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	1.25 MB (per core)+25%
Process	45 nm	Intel 7 nm-84%
Architecture	Caspian (2009)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	1,700	19,532+1049%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M300 uses the S1g3 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 800 on the Athlon II M300 versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F — the Core i5-12400F supports 500% 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 8 GB — 1500% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II M300) vs 20 (Core i5-12400F) — the Core i5-12400F offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: S1g3 (Athlon II M300) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).

Feature	Athlon II M300	Core i5-12400F
Socket	S1g3	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	800	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+500%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	128 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: true (Athlon II M300) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Athlon II M300 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400; Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Athlon II M300	Core i5-12400F
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
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 II M300 was priced at $100, while the Core i5-12400F came in at $174. On launch pricing ($100 vs $174), Athlon II M300 was $74 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M300 delivers 17.0 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 147.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II M300	Core i5-12400F
MSRP	$100-43%	$174
Performance per Dollar	17.0	112.3+561%
Release Date	2009	2022

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