Core i5-12400F vs M1 Max

CPU

GPU

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Popular choices:

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M1 Max

10 Cores10 Thrd28 WWMax: 3.22 GHz2021

Popular choices:

i5-12400F•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-12400F

6 / 12

19,532

0.0%

22,146

+13.4%

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

✅Better for gaming: +7.9% higher average FPS across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M1 Max.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,146).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while M1 Max mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while M1 Max can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M1 Max

2021

Why buy it

✅+13.4% higher PassMark.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with M1 Max GPU, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

M1 Max

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.9% higher average FPS across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike M1 Max.

Why buy it

✅+13.4% higher PassMark.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with M1 Max GPU, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,146).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 48 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while M1 Max mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while M1 Max can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 40 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than M1 Max?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 7.9% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M1 Max pulls ahead with 13.4% better PassMark. M1 Max also has the bigger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 MB vs 18 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M1 Max is the better fit. You are getting 13.4% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 10 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (48 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 at an unclear MSRP at $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 7.9% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that M1 Max is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 13.4% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible none + DDR5 setup, M1 Max can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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). 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

M1 Max Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
1080p
low	183 FPS	183 FPS
medium	168 FPS	146 FPS
high	139 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	152 FPS
medium	132 FPS	118 FPS
high	106 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	71 FPS
medium	81 FPS	59 FPS
high	64 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open M1 Max

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
1080p
low	471 FPS	236 FPS
medium	397 FPS	211 FPS
high	341 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	137 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	200 FPS
medium	351 FPS	182 FPS
high	309 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	117 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	122 FPS
medium	248 FPS	113 FPS
high	229 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	81 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open M1 Max

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
1080p
low	488 FPS	554 FPS
medium	488 FPS	554 FPS
high	488 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	510 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	554 FPS
medium	488 FPS	473 FPS
high	485 FPS	415 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	364 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	417 FPS
medium	389 FPS	323 FPS
high	337 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open M1 Max

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
1080p
low	488 FPS	554 FPS
medium	488 FPS	554 FPS
high	488 FPS	554 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	554 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	554 FPS
medium	488 FPS	554 FPS
high	488 FPS	532 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	453 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	509 FPS
medium	450 FPS	451 FPS
high	391 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	341 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open M1 Max

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and M1 Max

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.

M1 Max

The M1 Max is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 10 cores and 10 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 48 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 48 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,146 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the M1 Max offers 10 cores / 10 threads — the M1 Max has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.22 GHz on the M1 Max — a 31% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.06 GHz). The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the M1 Max's 22,146 — a 12.5% lead for the M1 Max. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 48 MB on the M1 Max.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 10+67%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+37%	3.22 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+21%	2.06 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	48 MB+167%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	28 MB+2140%
Process	Intel 7 nm	5 nm-29%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	—
PassMark	19,532	22,146+13%
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 M1 Max uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Core i5-12400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 8 (M1 Max). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 0 (M1 Max) — the Core i5-12400F offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
Socket	LGA1700	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs ARM-V (M1 Max). The M1 Max includes integrated graphics (M1 Max GPU), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, M1 Max targets Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	M1 Max
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	M1 Max GPU
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	ARM-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Mobile Workstation