Core i5-12400F vs EPYC 9175F

CPU

GPU

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

•••••••••

EPYC 9175F

16 Cores32 Thrd320 WWMax: 5 GHz2024

Popular choices:

i5-12400F•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

65,894

+237.4%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

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 $4,082 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $4,256 MSRP).
✅Delivers 625.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 15.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $4,256 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 320W, a 255W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 9175F.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9175F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 65,894).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9175F, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 9175F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 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 15.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($4,256 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌392.3% higher power demand at 320W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

EPYC 9175F

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $4,082 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $4,256 MSRP).
✅Delivers 625.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 15.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $4,256 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 320W, a 255W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 9175F.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +37.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 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 9175F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 65,894).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9175F, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($4,256 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌392.3% higher power demand at 320W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9175F better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9175F 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 9175F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 37.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 512 MB vs 18 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9175F is the better fit. You are getting 237.4% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2744.4% larger total L3 cache (512 MB vs 18 MB).

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

EPYC 9175F is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9175F is 2346.0% more expensive on MSRP at $4,256 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 37.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 625.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 15.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

EPYC 9175F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), 3D V-Cache and a much larger 512 MB L3 cache instead of 18 MB, more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 6/12, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 9175F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
1080p
low	183 FPS	300 FPS
medium	168 FPS	273 FPS
high	139 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	191 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	275 FPS
medium	132 FPS	227 FPS
high	106 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	189 FPS
medium	81 FPS	156 FPS
high	64 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	106 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 9175F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
1080p
low	471 FPS	811 FPS
medium	397 FPS	688 FPS
high	341 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	466 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	665 FPS
medium	351 FPS	587 FPS
high	309 FPS	474 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	383 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	372 FPS
medium	248 FPS	333 FPS
high	229 FPS	306 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	267 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 9175F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
1080p
low	488 FPS	922 FPS
medium	488 FPS	746 FPS
high	488 FPS	674 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	573 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	723 FPS
medium	488 FPS	582 FPS
high	485 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	434 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	510 FPS
medium	389 FPS	420 FPS
high	337 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	309 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 9175F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
1080p
low	488 FPS	1140 FPS
medium	488 FPS	1015 FPS
high	488 FPS	901 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	813 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	890 FPS
medium	488 FPS	782 FPS
high	488 FPS	686 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	596 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	650 FPS
medium	450 FPS	578 FPS
high	391 FPS	513 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open EPYC 9175F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and EPYC 9175F

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 9175F

The EPYC 9175F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 512 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 320 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 65,894 points. Launch price was $4,256.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 9175F offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the EPYC 9175F has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5 GHz on the EPYC 9175F — a 12.8% clock advantage for the EPYC 9175F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 4.2 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the EPYC 9175F uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the EPYC 9175F's 65,894 — a 108.5% lead for the EPYC 9175F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 512 MB (total) on the EPYC 9175F.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 32+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	4.2 GHz+68%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	512 MB (total)+2744%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Turin (2024)
PassMark	19,532	65,894+237%
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 9175F uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400F versus 6400 on the EPYC 9175F — the EPYC 9175F supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 9175F supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB — 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 12 (EPYC 9175F). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 128 (EPYC 9175F) — the EPYC 9175F offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and SP5 (EPYC 9175F).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
Socket	LGA1700	SP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	6400+127900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+3276700%	4096
RAM Channels	2	12+500%
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 9175F). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; EPYC 9175F rivals Xeon 6972P.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	EPYC 9175F
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	Yes
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 9175F debuted at $4256. On MSRP ($174 vs $4256), the Core i5-12400F is $4082 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 15.5 pts/$ for the EPYC 9175F — making the Core i5-12400F the 151.5% better value option.