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 $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 62.6 PassMark/$ ($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 PRO 3900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 17,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).

Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% 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 62.6 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 PRO 3900

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $325 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 62.6 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.6% 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 PRO 3900 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 17,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 62.6 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 PRO 3900 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 22.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 41.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 60.0% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 22.6% 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 PRO 3900 is the better fit. You are getting 41.4% 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 PRO 3900 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 is 186.8% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 79.2% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 62.6 PassMark/$), 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 PRO 3900 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 3900
1080p
low	183 FPS	188 FPS
medium	168 FPS	150 FPS
high	139 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	156 FPS
medium	132 FPS	121 FPS
high	106 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	83 FPS
medium	81 FPS	69 FPS
high	64 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 3900
1080p
low	471 FPS	589 FPS
medium	397 FPS	510 FPS
high	341 FPS	414 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	368 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	506 FPS
medium	351 FPS	446 FPS
high	309 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	312 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	317 FPS
medium	248 FPS	283 FPS
high	229 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	229 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 3900
1080p
low	488 FPS	781 FPS
medium	488 FPS	690 FPS
high	488 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	539 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	664 FPS
medium	488 FPS	540 FPS
high	485 FPS	481 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	419 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	471 FPS
medium	389 FPS	370 FPS
high	337 FPS	327 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	264 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 3900
1080p
low	488 FPS	781 FPS
medium	488 FPS	781 FPS
high	488 FPS	781 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	706 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	781 FPS
medium	488 FPS	710 FPS
high	488 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	538 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	574 FPS
medium	450 FPS	516 FPS
high	391 FPS	452 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	398 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

The Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 September 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) 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: 6 MB. Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 31,251 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 9 PRO 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 PRO 3900 uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900's 31,251 — a 46.2% lead for the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 17,500 (34.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,688, a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 10,000 (175.3% advantage for the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 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)	6 MB+380%
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm, 12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark	19,532	31,251+60%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	17,500+41%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	1,688
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	10,000+1422%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 PRO 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 PRO 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 PRO 3900) — the Ryzen 9 PRO 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 PRO 3900).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 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	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	24+20%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 PRO 3900). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 targets Professional Content Creation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 rivals Core i9-10900.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 9 PRO 3900
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Professional Content Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 PRO 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 62.6 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 — making the Core i5-12400F the 56.8% better value option.