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 $2,225 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 304.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 27.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 45,000).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +38.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($2,399 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 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 PRO 5965WX

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,225 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Delivers 304.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 112.3 vs 27.8 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $2,399 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 280W, a 215W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of sWRX8 and DDR4.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +38.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 24 cores / 48 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 45,000).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX, which brings 24 cores / 48 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.8 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($2,399 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
❌330.8% higher power demand at 280W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on sWRX8 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 PRO 5965WX better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX 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 PRO 5965WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 38.9% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 18 MB.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the better fit. You are getting 263.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 24 cores and 48 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 611.1% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 18 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is 1278.7% more expensive on MSRP at $2,399 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 38.9% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12400F is also 304.3% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 27.8 PassMark/$), 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 Threadripper PRO 5965WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 18 MB and more multi-core headroom with 24 cores / 48 threads instead of 6/12. That extra cache should hold up really well in CPU-limited games and high-refresh builds.

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 PRO 5965WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	183 FPS	224 FPS
medium	168 FPS	184 FPS
high	139 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	194 FPS
medium	132 FPS	156 FPS
high	106 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	94 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	94 FPS
medium	81 FPS	81 FPS
high	64 FPS	63 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	51 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	471 FPS	806 FPS
medium	397 FPS	684 FPS
high	341 FPS	535 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	464 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	655 FPS
medium	351 FPS	569 FPS
high	309 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	383 FPS
medium	248 FPS	335 FPS
high	229 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	265 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	488 FPS	812 FPS
medium	488 FPS	680 FPS
high	488 FPS	620 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	540 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	622 FPS
medium	488 FPS	521 FPS
high	485 FPS	470 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	405 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	451 FPS
medium	389 FPS	360 FPS
high	337 FPS	326 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	259 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
1080p
low	488 FPS	1215 FPS
medium	488 FPS	1015 FPS
high	488 FPS	926 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	820 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	951 FPS
medium	488 FPS	828 FPS
high	488 FPS	715 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	611 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	674 FPS
medium	450 FPS	605 FPS
high	391 FPS	529 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

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 PRO 5965WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2022-03-08. It is based on the Chagall PRO (2022) architecture. It features 24 cores and 48 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: sWRX8. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 66,614 points. Launch price was $2,399.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX offers 24 cores / 48 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX has 18 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX uses Chagall PRO (2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX's 66,614 — a 109.3% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 45,000 (113.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 1,550, a 9.2% lead for the Core i5-12400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 15,500 (183.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 128 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	24 / 48+300%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.5 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.8 GHz+52%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	128 MB+611%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512K (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	7 nm
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Chagall PRO (2022)
PassMark	19,532	66,614+241%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	45,000+263%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700+10%	1,550
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	15,500+2259%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX uses sWRX8 (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 Threadripper PRO 5965WX — the Core i5-12400F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-12400F) vs 8 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and WRX80 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
Socket	LGA1700	sWRX8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	8+300%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	20	128+540%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value, Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX targets Professional Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX rivals Xeon Gold 6430.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	Professional Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX debuted at $2399. On MSRP ($174 vs $2399), the Core i5-12400F is $2225 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 27.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX — making the Core i5-12400F the 120.7% better value option.