Core i5-12400 vs Ryzen 9 4900HS

Core i5-12400 vs Ryzen 9 4900HS Performance Spectrum

Core i5-12400

6 / 12

18,794

0.0%

18,793

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

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 i5-12400 vs Ryzen 9 4900HS 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 i5-12400 vs Ryzen 9 4900HS: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-12400

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of FP6 and DDR4.
✅150% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 4900HS.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $209 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 4900HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Ryzen 9 4900HS

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (18,793 vs 18,794).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Older platform position on FP6 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400 better than Ryzen 9 4900HS?

Yes. Core i5-12400 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0% 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 i5-12400 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.7% 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 i5-12400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i5-12400 is the better buy right now. Core i5-12400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $209 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (89.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12400 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, 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-12400 vs Ryzen 9 4900HS Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-12400

The Core i5-12400 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: 18,794 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 9 4900HS

The Ryzen 9 4900HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 March 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (Zen 2) (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-4266. Passmark benchmark score: 18,793 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 4900HS offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 4900HS has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400 versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 9 4900HS — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-12400 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 4900HS uses Renoir (Zen 2) (2020) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400 scores 18,794 against the Ryzen 9 4900HS's 18,793 — a 0% lead for the Core i5-12400. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 4900HS.

Feature	Core i5-12400	Ryzen 9 4900HS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+2%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+125%	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 (Zen 2) (2020)
PassMark	18,794	18,793
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,400	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,381	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	10,632	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 9 4900HS uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400 versus LPDDR4-4266 on the Ryzen 9 4900HS — the Core i5-12400 supports 12.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-12400 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400) vs 8 (Ryzen 9 4900HS) — the Core i5-12400 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-12400	Ryzen 9 4900HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+13%	LPDDR4-4266
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+150%	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 4900HS). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 730 (Core i5-12400) and Vega 8 (Ryzen 9 4900HS) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400 targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 9 4900HS targets Mobile High-End. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400 rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400	Ryzen 9 4900HS
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 730	Vega 8
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Mobile High-End