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 $475 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 189.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3r2 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2920X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 25,148).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2920X, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads.

Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($649 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on SP3r2 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $475 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Delivers 189.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 38.7 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 180W, a 115W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of SP3r2 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+77.8% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2920X across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,532 vs 25,148).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2920X, which brings 12 cores / 24 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.7 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($649 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌176.9% higher power demand at 180W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on SP3r2 with DDR4, while Core i5-12400F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 2920X better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2920X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-12400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper 2920X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.8% 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 Threadripper 2920X is the better fit. You are getting 28.8% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 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?

Ryzen Threadripper 2920X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper 2920X is 273.0% more expensive on MSRP at $649 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 189.7% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 38.7 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2018) and a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of SP3r2. 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 Threadripper 2920X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
1080p
low	183 FPS	192 FPS
medium	168 FPS	168 FPS
high	139 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	112 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	155 FPS
medium	132 FPS	129 FPS
high	106 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	78 FPS
medium	81 FPS	70 FPS
high	64 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	43 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
1080p
low	471 FPS	485 FPS
medium	397 FPS	433 FPS
high	341 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	328 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	429 FPS
medium	351 FPS	388 FPS
high	309 FPS	332 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	286 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	276 FPS
medium	248 FPS	248 FPS
high	229 FPS	228 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	198 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
1080p
low	488 FPS	629 FPS
medium	488 FPS	626 FPS
high	488 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	495 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	629 FPS
medium	488 FPS	522 FPS
high	485 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	399 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	460 FPS
medium	389 FPS	369 FPS
high	337 FPS	330 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	274 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
1080p
low	488 FPS	629 FPS
medium	488 FPS	629 FPS
high	488 FPS	629 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	626 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	629 FPS
medium	488 FPS	629 FPS
high	488 FPS	563 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	492 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	503 FPS
medium	450 FPS	463 FPS
high	391 FPS	411 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	361 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

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 Threadripper 2920X

The Ryzen Threadripper 2920X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the ZEN+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: SP3r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 180 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 25,148 points. Launch price was $649.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X uses ZEN+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X's 25,148 — a 25.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 32 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 24+100%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+2%	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.5 GHz+40%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	32 MB+78%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm-42%	12 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	ZEN+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	19,532	25,148+29%
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 Threadripper 2920X uses SP3r2 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
Socket	LGA1700	SP3r2
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 Threadripper 2920X). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
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 Threadripper 2920X debuted at $649. On MSRP ($174 vs $649), the Core i5-12400F is $475 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 38.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2920X — making the Core i5-12400F the 97.4% better value option.