M3 Pro 11-Core vs Core i5-12400F

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M3 Pro 11-Core

#4

M3 Pro 11-Core

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#10

Ryzen 7 260

MSRP: $199|Avg: $70

79%

#13

Ryzen 3 210

MSRP: $99|Avg: $99

74%

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

73%

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

69%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

67%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400F

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

121%

#16

Core Ultra 5 225F

MSRP: $231|Avg: $150

118%

#17

Core Ultra 7 265K

MSRP: $309|Avg: $285

116%

#18

Ryzen 9 3900

MSRP: $499|Avg: $150

115%

#19

Ryzen 5 3600X

MSRP: $249|Avg: $90

113%

#20

Core i7-14700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $260

113%

#21

Core i7-14700K

MSRP: $409|Avg: $270

109%

#22

Ryzen 5 4500

MSRP: $129|Avg: $85

106%

#23

Ryzen 5 5600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $115

106%

#24

Celeron G5925

MSRP: $62|Avg: $15

105%

#25

Ryzen 5 7500F

MSRP: $179|Avg: $145

104%

#26

Core Ultra 5 245

MSRP: $319|Avg: $220

103%

#27

Ryzen 7 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $86

102%

#28

Core Ultra 7 265KF

MSRP: $379|Avg: $323

102%

#29

Core Ultra 7 265F

MSRP: $369|Avg: $276

100%

#30

Core i5-12400F

MSRP: $174|Avg: $110

100%

#31

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

99%

#32

Ryzen 7 2700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $100

98%

#33

Core i3-10100F

MSRP: $88|Avg: $50

98%

#34

Ryzen 5 7400F

MSRP: $150|Avg: $147

98%

#35

Ryzen 5 9600X

MSRP: $279|Avg: $178

95%

#36

Ryzen 7 3800X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $140

93%

#37

Ryzen 3 5300G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

92%

#38

Ryzen 9 7900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $316

91%

#39

Ryzen 5 5600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $135

91%

#40

Core i5-14600KF

MSRP: $304|Avg: $239

91%

#41

Ryzen 7 5800

MSRP: $349|Avg: $160

91%

#42

Core i3-14100F

MSRP: $109|Avg: $96

90%

#43

Ryzen 7 3700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $140

90%

#44

Ryzen 5 7600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $178

90%

#45

Ryzen 3 3100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-12400F leads in gaming performance. However, the M3 Pro 11-Core is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 24% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i5-12400F
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 3 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i5-12400F
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)

Performance Check

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.

M3 Pro 11-Core Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M3 Pro 11-Core and Core i5-12400F

M3 Pro 11-Core

The M3 Pro 11-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 11 cores and 11 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,861 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

⚡

Processing Power

The M3 Pro 11-Core packs 11 cores / 11 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M3 Pro 11-Core has 5 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 11-Core versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — a 8% clock advantage for the Core i5-12400F (base: 2.748 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the M3 Pro 11-Core scores 24,861 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 24% lead for the M3 Pro 11-Core.

Feature	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	11 / 11+83%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.06 GHz	4.4 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.748 GHz+10%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	—	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-57%	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	—	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	24,861+27%	19,532
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

The M3 Pro 11-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	M3 Pro 11-Core	Core i5-12400F
Socket	none	LGA1700
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	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M3 Pro 11-Core) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400F). Primary use case: Core i5-12400F targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400F rivals Ryzen 5 5600.