Athlon II X4 645
Core i5-12400F
Athlon II X4 645 vs Core i5-12400F Performance Spectrum
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 X4 645 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Athlon II X4 645 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 X4 645
2010Why buy it
- ✅Costs $48 less on MSRP ($126 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (1,374 vs 12,380).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($126 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
- ❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.
- ❌Older platform position on AM3, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
Core i5-12400F
2022Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +272.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅Delivers 495.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 18.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $126 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
- ✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM3 and older memory support.
- ✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌38.1% HIGHER MSRP$174 MSRPvs$126 MSRP
Quick Answers
So, is Core i5-12400F better than Athlon II X4 645?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon II X4 645 vs Core i5-12400F Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Athlon II X4 645
The Athlon II X4 645 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,375 points. Launch price was $80.
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.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 645 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 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X4 645 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 34.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon II X4 645 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-12400F uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 645 scores 2,375 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 156.6% lead for the Core i5-12400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 1,374 vs 12,380 (160% advantage for the Core i5-12400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 399 vs 1,700, a 124% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,374 vs 657 (70.6% advantage for the Athlon II X4 645). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 645 vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 645 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz | 4.4 GHz+42% |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz+24% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 18 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core)+150% |
| Process | 45 nm | Intel 7 nm-84% |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Alder Lake-S (2022) |
| PassMark | 2,375 | 19,532+722% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,374 | 12,380+801% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 399 | 1,700+326% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,374+109% | 657 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 645 uses the AM3 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 DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X4 645 versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F — the Core i5-12400F supports 260.1% 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. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X4 645) vs 20 (Core i5-12400F) — the Core i5-12400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 700 Series,AMD 800 Series,AMD 900 Series (Athlon II X4 645) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 645 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA1700 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+260% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 128 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 20+25% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: Yes (Athlon II X4 645) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 645 targets Desktop, Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 645 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | Desktop | Gaming Performance/Value |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon II X4 645 was priced at $126, while the Core i5-12400F came in at $174. On launch pricing ($126 vs $174), Athlon II X4 645 was $48 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 645 delivers 18.8 pts/$ vs 112.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400F — making the Core i5-12400F the 142.5% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 645 | Core i5-12400F |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $126-28% | $174 |
| Performance per Dollar | 18.8 | 112.3+497% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2022 |
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