Core i5-12400F vs EPYC 74F3

CPU

GPU

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 74F3

24 Cores48 Thrd240 WWMax: 4 GHz2021

Popular choices:

i5-12400F•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

60,666

+210.6%

Ryzen 9 5900

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen 9 PRO 7945

Ryzen 9 7940HX

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 $739 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).
✅Delivers 68.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 66.4 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $913 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 74F3.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 74F3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 60,666).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 74F3, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 74F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 50 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 66.4 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($913 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 74F3

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $739 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $913 MSRP).
✅Delivers 68.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 66.4 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $913 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 74F3.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 50 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 74F3 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 60,666).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 74F3, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 66.4 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($913 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 74F3 better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 74F3 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 74F3 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.0% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 18 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 74F3 is the better fit. You are getting 210.6% better PassMark, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1322.2% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 18 MB).

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

EPYC 74F3 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 74F3 is 424.7% more expensive on MSRP at $913 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 68.9% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 66.4 PassMark/$), 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 newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2021) and 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 74F3 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	183 FPS	170 FPS
medium	168 FPS	141 FPS
high	139 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	148 FPS
medium	132 FPS	120 FPS
high	106 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	70 FPS
medium	81 FPS	59 FPS
high	64 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 74F3

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	471 FPS	507 FPS
medium	397 FPS	443 FPS
high	341 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	288 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	417 FPS
medium	351 FPS	373 FPS
high	309 FPS	308 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	243 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	257 FPS
medium	248 FPS	234 FPS
high	229 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 74F3

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	488 FPS	725 FPS
medium	488 FPS	619 FPS
high	488 FPS	572 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	543 FPS
medium	488 FPS	461 FPS
high	485 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	400 FPS
medium	389 FPS	322 FPS
high	337 FPS	284 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	227 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 74F3

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
1080p
low	488 FPS	937 FPS
medium	488 FPS	854 FPS
high	488 FPS	731 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	647 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	744 FPS
medium	488 FPS	651 FPS
high	488 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	479 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	537 FPS
medium	450 FPS	482 FPS
high	391 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	361 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 74F3

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and EPYC 74F3

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 74F3

The EPYC 74F3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 15 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Milan (2021−2023) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm+ process technology. Socket: SP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 240 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 60,666 points. Launch price was $2,900.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 74F3 offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the EPYC 74F3 has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4 GHz on the EPYC 74F3 — a 9.5% 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 74F3 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the EPYC 74F3's 60,666 — a 102.6% lead for the EPYC 74F3. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 74F3.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 48+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+10%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	2.8 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	256 MB (total)+1322%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm+
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Milan (2021−2023)
PassMark	19,532	60,666+211%
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 74F3 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 74F3 — the EPYC 74F3 supports 199.4% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 74F3 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 74F3). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 128 (EPYC 74F3) — the EPYC 74F3 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 74F3).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
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 74F3). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; EPYC 74F3 rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 74F3
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 74F3 debuted at $913. On MSRP ($174 vs $913), the Core i5-12400F is $739 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 66.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 74F3 — making the Core i5-12400F the 51.3% better value option.