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: +13.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $155 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 62.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 69.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,777).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

2019

Why buy it

✅+16.6% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 69.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($329 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 PRO 3700

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.4% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $155 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Delivers 62.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 69.2 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅+16.6% higher PassMark.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 22,777).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 69.2 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($329 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 PRO 3700?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-12400F is ahead with a 13.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 pulls ahead with 16.6% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 also has the bigger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 is the better fit. You are getting 16.6% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 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 $155 cheaper on MSRP at $174 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.4% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 16.6% better PassMark. It is also 62.1% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 69.2 PassMark/$), 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 PRO 3700 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 2019) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4. 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 PRO 3700 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
1080p
low	183 FPS	163 FPS
medium	168 FPS	132 FPS
high	139 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	143 FPS
medium	132 FPS	114 FPS
high	106 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	80 FPS
medium	81 FPS	69 FPS
high	64 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
1080p
low	471 FPS	484 FPS
medium	397 FPS	408 FPS
high	341 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	284 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	416 FPS
medium	351 FPS	364 FPS
high	309 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	250 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	268 FPS
medium	248 FPS	236 FPS
high	229 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	179 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
1080p
low	488 FPS	569 FPS
medium	488 FPS	534 FPS
high	488 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	412 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	550 FPS
medium	488 FPS	455 FPS
high	485 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	353 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	396 FPS
medium	389 FPS	320 FPS
high	337 FPS	282 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	222 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
1080p
low	488 FPS	569 FPS
medium	488 FPS	569 FPS
high	488 FPS	569 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	569 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	569 FPS
medium	488 FPS	569 FPS
high	488 FPS	552 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	493 FPS
medium	450 FPS	442 FPS
high	391 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	345 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

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 PRO 3700

The Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 September 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 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: 22,777 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 — 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 PRO 3700 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700's 22,777 — a 15.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
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)	32 MB+78%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	19,532	22,777+17%
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 PRO 3700 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Ryzen 7 PRO 3700). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 3700
Integrated GPU	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 debuted at $329. On MSRP ($174 vs $329), the Core i5-12400F is $155 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 69.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 PRO 3700 — making the Core i5-12400F the 47.4% better value option.