Core i5-12400F vs EPYC 7663

CPU

GPU

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 7663

56 Cores112 Thrd240 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2021

Popular choices:

i5-12400F•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

82,120

+320.4%

Ryzen 9 5950X

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

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

✅+24.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $6,192 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $6,366 MSRP).
✅Delivers 770.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 12.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $6,366 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 12,380).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7663, which brings 56 cores / 112 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7663

2021

Why buy it

✅+1784.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+1322.2% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 56 cores / 112 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,370 vs 1,700).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($6,366 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 7663

2021

Why buy it

✅+24.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $6,192 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $6,366 MSRP).
✅Delivers 770.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 12.9 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $6,366 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 240W, a 175W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+1784.3% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅+1322.2% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 56 cores / 112 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (657 vs 12,380).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7663, which brings 56 cores / 112 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,370 vs 1,700).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.9 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($6,366 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 Core i5-12400F better than EPYC 7663?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7663 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 streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7663 is the better fit. You are getting 1784.3% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 56 cores and 112 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?

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $6,192 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $6,366 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that EPYC 7663 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1784.3% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 770.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 12.9 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play 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 7663 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
1080p
low	183 FPS	190 FPS
medium	168 FPS	155 FPS
high	139 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	156 FPS
medium	132 FPS	123 FPS
high	106 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	72 FPS
medium	81 FPS	60 FPS
high	64 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7663

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
1080p
low	471 FPS	238 FPS
medium	397 FPS	211 FPS
high	341 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	195 FPS
medium	351 FPS	177 FPS
high	309 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	116 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	121 FPS
medium	248 FPS	112 FPS
high	229 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	79 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7663

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
1080p
low	488 FPS	836 FPS
medium	488 FPS	696 FPS
high	488 FPS	649 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	573 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	602 FPS
medium	488 FPS	500 FPS
high	485 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	400 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	430 FPS
medium	389 FPS	335 FPS
high	337 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	242 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7663

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
1080p
low	488 FPS	954 FPS
medium	488 FPS	863 FPS
high	488 FPS	739 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	637 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	733 FPS
medium	488 FPS	636 FPS
high	488 FPS	542 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	466 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	522 FPS
medium	450 FPS	464 FPS
high	391 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	353 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 7663

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and EPYC 7663

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 7663

The EPYC 7663 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 56 cores and 112 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 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: 82,120 points. Launch price was $6,366.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 7663 offers 56 cores / 112 threads — the EPYC 7663 has 50 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.5 GHz on the EPYC 7663 — a 22.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 7663 uses Milan (2021−2023) (7 nm+). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the EPYC 7663's 82,120 — a 123.1% lead for the EPYC 7663. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,370, a 21.5% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 12,380 (179.8% advantage for the EPYC 7663). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7663.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	56 / 112+833%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+26%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+25%	2 GHz
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	82,120+320%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+24%	1,370
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	12,380+1784%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7663 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 DDR4-3200 on the EPYC 7663 — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7663 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 8 (EPYC 7663). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 128 (EPYC 7663) — the EPYC 7663 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 7663).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
Socket	LGA1700	SP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	4096 GB+3100%
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 AMD-V (EPYC 7663). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, EPYC 7663 targets Server. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; EPYC 7663 rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 7663
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the EPYC 7663 debuted at $6366. On MSRP ($174 vs $6366), the Core i5-12400F is $6192 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 12.9 pts/$ for the EPYC 7663 — making the Core i5-12400F the 158.8% better value option.