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 $226 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 82.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 61.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max PRO 380.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 24,613).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $226 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 82.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 61.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen AI Max PRO 380.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +13.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 24,613).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 61.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 better than Core i5-12400F?

Yes. Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 13.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 26% better 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 AI Max PRO 380 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 13.7% 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 AI Max PRO 380 is the better fit. You are getting 26% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is 129.9% more expensive on MSRP at $400 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 13.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 82.4% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 61.5 PassMark/$), 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 AI Max PRO 380 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 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 AI Max PRO 380 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	183 FPS	272 FPS
medium	168 FPS	239 FPS
high	139 FPS	204 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	233 FPS
medium	132 FPS	184 FPS
high	106 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	161 FPS
medium	81 FPS	129 FPS
high	64 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	471 FPS	402 FPS
medium	397 FPS	327 FPS
high	341 FPS	282 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	244 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	341 FPS
medium	351 FPS	287 FPS
high	309 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	216 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	257 FPS
medium	248 FPS	221 FPS
high	229 FPS	201 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	170 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	488 FPS	615 FPS
medium	488 FPS	615 FPS
high	488 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	554 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	615 FPS
medium	488 FPS	588 FPS
high	485 FPS	507 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	429 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	509 FPS
medium	389 FPS	416 FPS
high	337 FPS	356 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	289 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
1080p
low	488 FPS	615 FPS
medium	488 FPS	615 FPS
high	488 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	615 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	615 FPS
medium	488 FPS	615 FPS
high	488 FPS	615 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	589 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	602 FPS
medium	450 FPS	536 FPS
high	391 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	421 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen AI Max PRO 380

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 AI Max PRO 380

The Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,613 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 (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 AI Max PRO 380 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380's 24,613 — a 23% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.9 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+44%
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)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	19,532	24,613+26%
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 AI Max PRO 380 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
Socket	LGA1700	FP11
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 AI Max PRO 380). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen AI Max PRO 380
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 AI Max PRO 380 debuted at $400. On MSRP ($174 vs $400), the Core i5-12400F is $226 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 61.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 — making the Core i5-12400F the 58.4% better value option.