Pentium Gold 8500 vs Core i5-12400F

CPU

GPU

Pentium Gold 8500

5 Cores6 Thrd29 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Core i5-12400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium Gold 8500

5 / 6

5,949

0.0%

19,532

+228.3%

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Pentium Gold 8500 is positioned at rank #527 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. 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 Pentium Gold 8500

#167

Core Ultra 7 258V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

99%

#169

Core i7-1280P

MSRP: $482|Avg: $482

98%

#515

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

691%

#516

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

680%

#517

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

625%

#518

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

622%

#519

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

616%

#521

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

595%

#522

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

570%

#523

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

570%

#524

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

554%

#527

Pentium Gold 8500

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

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 Analysis: Based on specifications, the Core i5-12400F shows stronger theoretical performance metrics.

Insight	Pentium Gold 8500	Core i5-12400F
Gaming	Balanced gaming performance	Balanced gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($110)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Pentium Gold 8500	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.

Pentium Gold 8500 Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400F Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Gold 8500 and Core i5-12400F

Pentium Gold 8500

The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.

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 Pentium Gold 8500 packs 5 cores / 6 threads, while the Core i5-12400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-12400F has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400F — identical boost frequencies. The Core i5-12400F is built on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 8500 scores 5,949 against the Core i5-12400F's 19,532 — a 106.6% lead for the Core i5-12400F. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500 vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400F.

Feature	Pentium Gold 8500	Core i5-12400F
Cores / Threads	5 / 6	6 / 12+20%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB Intel® Smart Cache	18 MB (total)+125%
L2 Cache	—	1.25 MB (per core)
Process	Intel 7 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	—	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	5,949	19,532+228%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,380
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,700
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold 8500 uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Gold 8500	Core i5-12400F
Socket	FCBGA1781	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 (Pentium Gold 8500) / 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.