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 $325 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 83.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 61.3 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 17,700).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 3900

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.3 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen 9 3900

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $325 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 83.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 61.3 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅20% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 3900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 17,700).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.3 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($499 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 3900 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 3900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 43% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 56.6% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 3900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.6% 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 9 3900 is the better fit. You are getting 43% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 3900 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 3900 is 186.8% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 83.1% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 61.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-12400F 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 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 9 3900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
1080p
low	183 FPS	159 FPS
medium	168 FPS	130 FPS
high	139 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	144 FPS
medium	132 FPS	115 FPS
high	106 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	78 FPS
medium	81 FPS	67 FPS
high	64 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 3900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
1080p
low	471 FPS	534 FPS
medium	397 FPS	470 FPS
high	341 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	342 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	460 FPS
medium	351 FPS	411 FPS
high	309 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	289 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	288 FPS
medium	248 FPS	261 FPS
high	229 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	213 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 3900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
1080p
low	488 FPS	709 FPS
medium	488 FPS	589 FPS
high	488 FPS	536 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	541 FPS
medium	488 FPS	448 FPS
high	485 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	347 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	394 FPS
medium	389 FPS	315 FPS
high	337 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	224 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 3900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
1080p
low	488 FPS	765 FPS
medium	488 FPS	765 FPS
high	488 FPS	711 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	638 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	725 FPS
medium	488 FPS	644 FPS
high	488 FPS	553 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	486 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	516 FPS
medium	450 FPS	469 FPS
high	391 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	360 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 3900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 9 3900

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 9 3900

The Ryzen 9 3900 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 24 September 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 30,588 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 3900 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 3900 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 9 3900 — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 9 3900 uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 9 3900's 30,588 — a 44.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 3900. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 17,700 (35.4% advantage for the Ryzen 9 3900). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,713, a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 9 3900 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 10,983 (177.4% advantage for the Ryzen 9 3900). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 3900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+2%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.1 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	64 MB+256%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	19,532	30,588+57%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	17,700+43%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	1,713
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	10,983+1572%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 3900 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 9 3900 — 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 9 3900) — the Ryzen 9 3900 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and X570,B550,X470,B450 (Ryzen 9 3900).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
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 9 3900). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 9 3900 targets Workstation Desktop (low power). Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 9 3900 rivals Core i9-9900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 3900
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Workstation Desktop (low power)

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 3900 debuted at $499. On MSRP ($174 vs $499), the Core i5-12400F is $325 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 61.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 3900 — making the Core i5-12400F the 58.7% better value option.