Core i5-12500 vs Ryzen 5 8640HS

Core i5-12500 vs Ryzen 5 8640HS Performance Spectrum

Core i5-12500

6 / 12

19,739

0.0%

19,851

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

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.

Core i5-12500 vs Ryzen 5 8640HS FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-12500 vs Ryzen 5 8640HS: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-12500

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 770, while Ryzen 5 8640HS needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 8640HS.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8640HS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,739 vs 19,851).
❌Launch MSRP is still $212 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 8640HS mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.

Ryzen 5 8640HS

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-12500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-12500.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8640HS better than Core i5-12500?

Yes. Ryzen 5 8640HS is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 8640HS is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.4% 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, Ryzen 5 8640HS is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 8640HS is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-12500 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 5 8640HS comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $212 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-12500 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (93.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 8640HS makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2022) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-12500 vs Ryzen 5 8640HS Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-12500

The Core i5-12500 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 19,739 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 5 8640HS

The Ryzen 5 8640HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 19,851 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-12500 and Ryzen 5 8640HS share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-12500 versus 4.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8640HS — a 6.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8640HS (base: 3 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-12500 uses the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8640HS uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-12500 scores 19,739 against the Ryzen 5 8640HS's 19,851 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 5 8640HS. L3 cache: 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12500 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8640HS.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 5 8640HS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz	4.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.5 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	18 MB (total)+13%	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Alder Lake-S (2022)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,739	19,851
Cinebench R23 Multi	12,978	—
Geekbench 6 Single	2,319	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	9,003	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-12500 uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 8640HS uses FP8 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-12500	Ryzen 5 8640HS
Socket	LGA1700	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-12500) / not specified (Ryzen 5 8640HS). The Core i5-12500 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Ryzen 5 8640HS requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-12500 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-12500 rivals Ryzen 5 5500.