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 $255 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 350W, a 285W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 40,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 157.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅Delivers 40.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 157.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅540% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 20) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
146.6% HIGHER MSRP
$429 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌438.5% higher power demand at 350W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $255 less on MSRP ($174 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 350W, a 285W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 16 cores / 32 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 20.
✅Delivers 40.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 157.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$ ($429 MSRP vs $174 MSRP).
✅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 9955WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (12,380 vs 40,000).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (18 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX, which brings 16 cores / 32 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 112.3 vs 157.5 PassMark/$ ($174 MSRP vs $429 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌
146.6% HIGHER MSRP
$429 MSRPvs$174 MSRP
❌438.5% higher power demand at 350W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX better than Core i5-12400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX 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 9955WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.5% 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 PRO 9955WX is the better fit. You are getting 223.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 16 cores and 32 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 Threadripper PRO 9955WX is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX is 146.6% more expensive on MSRP at $429 MSRP versus $174 MSRP, and it gives you a 36.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 40.3% better value on MSRP (157.5 vs 112.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2022), 255.6% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 18 MB), more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 threads instead of 6/12, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 PRO 9955WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
1080p
low	183 FPS	297 FPS
medium	168 FPS	270 FPS
high	139 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	188 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	273 FPS
medium	132 FPS	224 FPS
high	106 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	153 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	187 FPS
medium	81 FPS	154 FPS
high	64 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	104 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
1080p
low	471 FPS	781 FPS
medium	397 FPS	642 FPS
high	341 FPS	476 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	402 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	641 FPS
medium	351 FPS	546 FPS
high	309 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	326 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	360 FPS
medium	248 FPS	310 FPS
high	229 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	228 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
1080p
low	488 FPS	888 FPS
medium	488 FPS	705 FPS
high	488 FPS	622 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	534 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	713 FPS
medium	488 FPS	567 FPS
high	485 FPS	489 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	414 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	507 FPS
medium	389 FPS	418 FPS
high	337 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	315 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
1080p
low	488 FPS	1106 FPS
medium	488 FPS	991 FPS
high	488 FPS	867 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	860 FPS
medium	488 FPS	759 FPS
high	488 FPS	664 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	576 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	632 FPS
medium	450 FPS	562 FPS
high	391 FPS	496 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	429 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

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 9955WX

The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 4.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 67,561 points. Launch price was $1,649.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX — a 20.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX (base: 2.5 GHz vs 4.5 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX's 67,561 — a 110.3% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 12,380 vs 40,000 (105.5% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,700 vs 3,016, a 55.8% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 657 vs 23,596 (189.2% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX). L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 32+167%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	5.4 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	4.5 GHz+80%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)	64 MB (total)+256%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	19,532	67,561+246%
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	40,000+223%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	3,016+77%
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	23,596+3491%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12400F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX 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 9955WX). PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i5-12400F) vs 128 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX offers 108 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400F) and WRX90 (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX).

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
Socket	LGA1700	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	DDR5-6400
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 true (Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600; Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX rivals Xeon w7-3555.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	true
Target Use	Gaming Performance/Value	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12400F launched at $174 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX debuted at $429. On MSRP ($174 vs $429), the Core i5-12400F is $255 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12400F delivers 112.3 pts/$ vs 157.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX — making the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX the 33.5% better value option.