Core i5-12400F vs EPYC 7473X

CPU

GPU

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 7473X

24 Cores48 Thrd240 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2022

Popular choices:

i5-12400F•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

59,280

+203.5%

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

Ryzen 9 5900X

Ryzen 9 5950X

Ryzen 9 9850HX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,726 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Delivers 638.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 7473X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 59,280).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7473X, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7473X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.4% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌269.2% higher power demand at 240W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

EPYC 7473X

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $3,726 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Delivers 638.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $3,900 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 7473X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +16.4% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7473X across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 59,280).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7473X, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($3,900 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌269.2% higher power demand at 240W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on SP3 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7473X better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7473X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-12400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, EPYC 7473X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 16.4% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 768 MB vs 18 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7473X is the better fit. You are getting 203.5% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 4166.7% larger total L3 cache (768 MB vs 18 MB).

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

EPYC 7473X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 7473X is 2141.4% more expensive on MSRP at $3,900 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 16.4% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 638.5% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 15.2 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of SP3. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

EPYC 7473X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	183 FPS	205 FPS
medium	168 FPS	167 FPS
high	139 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	163 FPS
medium	132 FPS	127 FPS
high	106 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	74 FPS
medium	81 FPS	61 FPS
high	64 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7473X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	471 FPS	561 FPS
medium	397 FPS	490 FPS
high	341 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	316 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	461 FPS
medium	351 FPS	413 FPS
high	309 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	266 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	284 FPS
medium	248 FPS	258 FPS
high	229 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	187 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7473X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	488 FPS	865 FPS
medium	488 FPS	717 FPS
high	488 FPS	668 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	590 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	622 FPS
medium	488 FPS	514 FPS
high	485 FPS	472 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	412 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	444 FPS
medium	389 FPS	345 FPS
high	337 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	249 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7473X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
1080p
low	488 FPS	994 FPS
medium	488 FPS	902 FPS
high	488 FPS	777 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	672 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	768 FPS
medium	488 FPS	670 FPS
high	488 FPS	573 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	551 FPS
medium	450 FPS	491 FPS
high	391 FPS	431 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	373 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7473X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and EPYC 7473X

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.

EPYC 7473X

The EPYC 7473X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-01. It is based on the Milan-X (2022) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 768 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 59,280 points. Launch price was $3,900.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 7473X offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 7473X has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.7 GHz on the EPYC 7473X — a 17.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 7473X uses Milan-X (2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the EPYC 7473X's 59,280 — a 100.9% lead for the EPYC 7473X. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 768 MB (total) on the EPYC 7473X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 48+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+19%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	768 MB (total)+4167%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Milan-X (2022)
PassMark	19,532	59,280+204%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7473X uses SP3 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 3200 on the EPYC 7473X — the EPYC 7473X supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7473X supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 8 (EPYC 7473X). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 128 (EPYC 7473X) — the EPYC 7473X offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and SP3 (EPYC 7473X).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
Socket	LGA1700	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	3200+63900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs VT-x, VT-d (EPYC 7473X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; EPYC 7473X rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7473X
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the EPYC 7473X debuted at $3900. On MSRP ($174 vs $3900), the Core i5-12400F is $3726 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 15.2 pts/$ for the EPYC 7473X — making the Core i5-12400F the 152.3% better value option.