Core i5-12400F vs Steam Deck OLED APU

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

✅Better for gaming: +117.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+350% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Steam Deck OLED APU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Steam Deck OLED APU mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Steam Deck OLED APU

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,457 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Core i5-12400F

2022

Steam Deck OLED APU

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +117.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+350% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Steam Deck OLED APU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $174 MSRP, while Steam Deck OLED APU mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,457 vs 19,532).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 18 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12400F better than Steam Deck OLED APU?

Yes. Core i5-12400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 117.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 338.2% 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, Core i5-12400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 117.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12400F is the better fit. You are getting 338.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 350% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core i5-12400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-12400F is at an unclear MSRP at $174 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 117.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (112.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i5-12400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of the older platform, 350% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 4 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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

Steam Deck OLED APU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	183 FPS	111 FPS
medium	168 FPS	111 FPS
high	139 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	111 FPS
medium	132 FPS	109 FPS
high	106 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	66 FPS
medium	81 FPS	55 FPS
high	64 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	471 FPS	111 FPS
medium	397 FPS	111 FPS
high	341 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	301 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	407 FPS	111 FPS
medium	351 FPS	111 FPS
high	309 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	265 FPS	104 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	111 FPS
medium	248 FPS	111 FPS
high	229 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	64 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	488 FPS	111 FPS
medium	488 FPS	111 FPS
high	488 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	111 FPS
medium	488 FPS	111 FPS
high	485 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	442 FPS	111 FPS
medium	389 FPS	111 FPS
high	337 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	274 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	488 FPS	111 FPS
medium	488 FPS	111 FPS
high	488 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	488 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	488 FPS	111 FPS
medium	488 FPS	111 FPS
high	488 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	473 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	488 FPS	111 FPS
medium	450 FPS	111 FPS
high	391 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-12400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12400F and Steam Deck OLED APU

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.

Steam Deck OLED APU

The Steam Deck OLED APU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 9 November 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,457 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-12400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Steam Deck OLED APU offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F versus 3.5 GHz on the Steam Deck OLED APU — a 22.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-12400F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Steam Deck OLED APU uses Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12400F scores 19,532 against the Steam Deck OLED APU's 4,457 — a 125.7% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F vs 4 MB on the Steam Deck OLED APU.

Feature	Core i5-12400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+26%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+4%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+350%	4 MB
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	2 MB+60%
Process	Intel 7 nm	6 nm-14%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Van Gogh (Custom) (2023)
PassMark	19,532+338%	4,457
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,380	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,700	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	657	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F) / not specified (Steam Deck OLED APU). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.