Core i3-12300T vs Ryzen 5 4600U

Core i3-12300T vs Ryzen 5 4600U Performance Spectrum

Core i3-12300T

4 / 8

13,162

+0.9%

13,043

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core i3-12300T vs Ryzen 5 4600U 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.

Core i3-12300T vs Ryzen 5 4600U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-12300T

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $209 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 4600U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Ryzen 5 4600U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-12300T across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,043 vs 13,162).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i3-12300T moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-12300T better than Ryzen 5 4600U?

Yes. Core i3-12300T is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 13.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% 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 i3-12300T is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 13.8% 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 i3-12300T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i3-12300T is the better buy right now. Core i3-12300T comes in at an unclear MSRP at $209 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 13.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (63.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i3-12300T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of FP6, 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i3-12300T vs Ryzen 5 4600U Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-12300T

The Core i3-12300T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 13,162 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 4600U

The Ryzen 5 4600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,043 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-12300T packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 4600U offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 4600U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i3-12300T versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4600U — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Core i3-12300T (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-12300T uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 4600U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-12300T scores 13,162 against the Ryzen 5 4600U's 13,043 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i3-12300T. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i3-12300T vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4600U.

Feature	Core i3-12300T	Ryzen 5 4600U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+5%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz+10%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	13,162	13,043

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-12300T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 4600U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.