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 i5-12490F

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Ryzen 5 5500X3D.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.5 vs 109.4 PassMark/$ ($250 MSRP vs $185 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5500X3D

2025

Why buy it

✅+380% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $65 less on MSRP ($185 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 109.4 vs 81.5 PassMark/$ ($185 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12490F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,231 vs 20,366).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12490F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12490F.

Core i5-12490F

2022

Ryzen 5 5500X3D

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +18.7% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 105W, a 40W reduction.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Ryzen 5 5500X3D.

Why buy it

✅+380% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 20 MB).
✅Costs $65 less on MSRP ($185 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 109.4 vs 81.5 PassMark/$ ($185 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (20 MB vs 96 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.5 vs 109.4 PassMark/$ ($250 MSRP vs $185 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12490F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (20,231 vs 20,366).
❌61.5% higher power demand at 105W vs 65W.
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Core i5-12490F moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12490F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12490F better than Ryzen 5 5500X3D?

Yes. Core i5-12490F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 18.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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 i5-12490F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 18.7% 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, Core i5-12490F is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-12490F is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500X3D makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-12490F is 35.1% more expensive on MSRP at $250 MSRP versus $185 MSRP, and it gives you a 18.7% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500X3D is also 34.2% better value on MSRP (109.4 vs 81.5 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5500X3D can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Core i5-12490F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of AM4 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 i5-12490F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 5500X3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
1080p
low	172 FPS	159 FPS
medium	148 FPS	129 FPS
high	120 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	144 FPS
medium	123 FPS	116 FPS
high	99 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	68 FPS
medium	72 FPS	58 FPS
high	58 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 5500X3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
1080p
low	475 FPS	377 FPS
medium	404 FPS	328 FPS
high	341 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	197 FPS
1440p
low	414 FPS	314 FPS
medium	360 FPS	274 FPS
high	313 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	267 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	278 FPS	213 FPS
medium	246 FPS	192 FPS
high	226 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	126 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 5500X3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
1080p
low	509 FPS	506 FPS
medium	509 FPS	500 FPS
high	509 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	502 FPS	397 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	506 FPS
medium	498 FPS	415 FPS
high	451 FPS	377 FPS
ultra	393 FPS	325 FPS
4K
low	418 FPS	353 FPS
medium	351 FPS	285 FPS
high	306 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	247 FPS	191 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 5500X3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
1080p
low	509 FPS	506 FPS
medium	509 FPS	506 FPS
high	509 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	509 FPS	506 FPS
1440p
low	509 FPS	506 FPS
medium	509 FPS	506 FPS
high	509 FPS	506 FPS
ultra	509 FPS	446 FPS
4K
low	509 FPS	488 FPS
medium	499 FPS	440 FPS
high	441 FPS	385 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	330 FPS

Open Core i5-12490F Open Ryzen 5 5500X3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-12490F and Ryzen 5 5500X3D

Core i5-12490F

The Core i5-12490F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 20,366 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 5500X3D

The Ryzen 5 5500X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 June 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 20,231 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12490F and Ryzen 5 5500X3D share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12490F versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500X3D — a 14% clock advantage for the Core i5-12490F (base: 3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-12490F uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500X3D uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12490F scores 20,366 against the Ryzen 5 5500X3D's 20,231 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-12490F. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-12490F vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5500X3D.

Feature	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+15%	4 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	3 GHz
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+380%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+150%	512 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm	7 nm-30%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Vermeer (2020−2025)
PassMark	20,366	20,231
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,800	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	8,800	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12490F uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500X3D uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
Socket	LGA1700	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12490F) / not specified (Ryzen 5 5500X3D). Primary use case: Core i5-12490F targets Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-12490F rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-12490F	Ryzen 5 5500X3D
Integrated GPU	No	—
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	Gaming Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-12490F launched at $250 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5500X3D debuted at $185. On MSRP ($250 vs $185), the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is $65 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-12490F delivers 81.5 pts/$ vs 109.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5500X3D — making the Ryzen 5 5500X3D the 29.2% better value option.