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: +3.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $125 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 67.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 20,180).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 4700G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 4700G

2020

Why buy it

✅+3.3% higher PassMark.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 67.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 7 4700G

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).
✅Costs $125 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 67.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅+3.3% higher PassMark.
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (8CU), while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 20,180).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 4700G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 67.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 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 Ryzen 7 4700G?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4700G pulls ahead with 3.3% better PassMark. Core i5-12400F also has the bigger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 4700G is the better fit. You are getting 3.3% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is $125 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 4700G is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 3.3% better PassMark. It is also 66.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 67.5 PassMark/$), 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 AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 7 4700G can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and 125% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 8 MB). 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

Ryzen 7 4700G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
1080p
low	183 FPS	215 FPS
medium	168 FPS	173 FPS
high	139 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	185 FPS
medium	132 FPS	147 FPS
high	106 FPS	117 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	87 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	89 FPS
medium	81 FPS	77 FPS
high	64 FPS	60 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 4700G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
1080p
low	471 FPS	381 FPS
medium	397 FPS	317 FPS
high	341 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	243 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	330 FPS
medium	351 FPS	285 FPS
high	309 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	216 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	265 FPS
medium	248 FPS	238 FPS
high	229 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	186 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 4700G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
1080p
low	488 FPS	504 FPS
medium	488 FPS	504 FPS
high	488 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	504 FPS
medium	488 FPS	504 FPS
high	485 FPS	468 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	439 FPS
medium	389 FPS	374 FPS
high	337 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	266 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 4700G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
1080p
low	488 FPS	504 FPS
medium	488 FPS	504 FPS
high	488 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	504 FPS
medium	488 FPS	504 FPS
high	488 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	504 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	504 FPS
medium	450 FPS	493 FPS
high	391 FPS	429 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	368 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 4700G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 7 4700G

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.

Ryzen 7 4700G

The Ryzen 7 4700G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 July 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 20,180 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4700G offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 4700G has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4700G — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4700G uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 7 4700G's 20,180 — a 3.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 4700G. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 8 MB on the Ryzen 7 4700G.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+125%	8 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	19,532	20,180+3%
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 Ryzen 7 4700G uses AM4 (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 Ryzen 7 4700G — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 4700G) — the Ryzen 7 4700G offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 4700G). The Ryzen 7 4700G includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (8CU)), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 7 4700G targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 4700G
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Graphics (8CU)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 4700G debuted at $299. On MSRP ($174 vs $299), the Core i5-12400F is $125 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 67.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 4700G — making the Core i5-12400F the 49.8% better value option.