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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 13,450).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 780M, while Core i5-12400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 13,450).
❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 20.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 8.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 22.5% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the better fit. You are getting 8.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. 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 8840U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U
1080p
low	183 FPS	256 FPS
medium	168 FPS	236 FPS
high	139 FPS	202 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	225 FPS
medium	132 FPS	188 FPS
high	106 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	135 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	154 FPS
medium	81 FPS	129 FPS
high	64 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	87 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U
1080p
low	471 FPS	472 FPS
medium	397 FPS	396 FPS
high	341 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	308 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	413 FPS
medium	351 FPS	365 FPS
high	309 FPS	318 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	272 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	274 FPS
medium	248 FPS	253 FPS
high	229 FPS	241 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	208 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U
1080p
low	488 FPS	598 FPS
medium	488 FPS	598 FPS
high	488 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	598 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	598 FPS
medium	488 FPS	598 FPS
high	485 FPS	533 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	452 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	518 FPS
medium	389 FPS	448 FPS
high	337 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	336 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U
1080p
low	488 FPS	598 FPS
medium	488 FPS	598 FPS
high	488 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	598 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	598 FPS
medium	488 FPS	598 FPS
high	488 FPS	598 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	597 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	595 FPS
medium	450 FPS	535 FPS
high	391 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	418 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U

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 8840U

The Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.1 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 23,934 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.1 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U — a 14.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U uses Hawk Point (2024−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U's 23,934 — a 20.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 13,450 (8.3% advantage for the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 2,400, a 34.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 9,500 (174.1% advantage for the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.1 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.3 GHz+32%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Hawk Point (2024−2025)
PassMark	19,532	23,934+23%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	13,450+9%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	2,400+41%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	9,500+1346%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 20 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and FP7,FP8 (Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U
Socket	LGA1700	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-5600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U). The Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Core i5-12400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 7 PRO 8840U rivals Core Ultra 7 164U.