Ryzen 5 5600X vs Core i5-12400

Ryzen 5 5600X

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2020

Core i5-12400

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Ryzen 5 5600X

6 / 12

21,845

+16.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5975WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Core i5-12400

6 / 12

18,794

0.0%

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. 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 Ryzen 5 5600X

#24

Celeron G5925

MSRP: $62|Avg: $15

116%

#25

Ryzen 5 7500F

MSRP: $179|Avg: $145

114%

#26

Core Ultra 5 245

MSRP: $319|Avg: $220

113%

#27

Ryzen 7 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $86

112%

#28

Core Ultra 7 265KF

MSRP: $379|Avg: $323

112%

#29

Core Ultra 7 265F

MSRP: $369|Avg: $276

110%

#30

Core i5-12400F

MSRP: $174|Avg: $110

110%

#31

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

108%

#32

Ryzen 7 2700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $100

108%

#33

Core i3-10100F

MSRP: $88|Avg: $50

108%

#34

Ryzen 5 7400F

MSRP: $150|Avg: $147

107%

#35

Ryzen 5 9600X

MSRP: $279|Avg: $178

104%

#36

Ryzen 7 3800X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $140

102%

#37

Ryzen 3 5300G

MSRP: $130|Avg: $80

101%

#38

Ryzen 9 7900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $316

100%

#39

Ryzen 5 5600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $135

100%

#40

Core i5-14600KF

MSRP: $304|Avg: $239

100%

#41

Ryzen 7 5800

MSRP: $349|Avg: $160

99%

#42

Core i3-14100F

MSRP: $109|Avg: $96

99%

#43

Ryzen 7 3700X

MSRP: $329|Avg: $140

99%

#44

Ryzen 5 7600X

MSRP: $299|Avg: $178

98%

#45

Ryzen 3 3100

MSRP: $99|Avg: $75

98%

#46

Core i5-13490F

MSRP: $235|Avg: $170

97%

#47

Ryzen 5 5600F

MSRP: $99|Avg: $129

97%

#48

Ryzen 9 PRO 3900

MSRP: $499|Avg: $200

97%

#49

Ryzen 3 4300GE

MSRP: $94|Avg: $72

96%

#50

Ryzen 5 PRO 2400GE

MSRP: $169|Avg: $50

96%

#51

Core Ultra 5 225

MSRP: $240|Avg: $200

96%

#52

Core i5-11500

MSRP: $192|Avg: $110

96%

#53

Core i3-12100F

MSRP: $97|Avg: $90

96%

#54

Core Ultra 7 265

MSRP: $384|Avg: $320

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-12400

#179

Core i5-12500E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $200

106%

#180

Core i9-11900

MSRP: $439|Avg: $220

106%

#181

Core i7-12700E

MSRP: $314|Avg: $278

106%

#182

Core i3-14100T

MSRP: $134|Avg: $135

106%

#183

Core i5-13400T

MSRP: $221|Avg: $200

105%

#184

Core i3-12300

MSRP: $143|Avg: $143

104%

#185

Core i5-10505

MSRP: $192|Avg: $120

104%

#186

Ryzen 3 4300G

MSRP: $149|Avg: $100

103%

#187

Ryzen 9 3950X

MSRP: $749|Avg: $389

103%

#188

Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G

MSRP: $165|Avg: $165

102%

#189

Ryzen 7 4700GE

MSRP: $299|Avg: $200

102%

#190

Core i5-10400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $100

102%

#191

Core i5-10600KF

MSRP: $250|Avg: $145

101%

#192

Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GE

MSRP: $99|Avg: $70

101%

#193

Core i9-12900F

MSRP: $494|Avg: $370

101%

#194

Core i5-12400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $195

100%

#195

Ryzen 5 7400

MSRP: $229|Avg: $229

100%

#196

Ryzen 9 9900X3D

MSRP: $599|Avg: $589

99%

#197

Ryzen 5 5600X3D

MSRP: $229|Avg: $229

99%

#198

Core i3-9350KF

MSRP: $173|Avg: $80

99%

#199

Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE

MSRP: $220|Avg: $220

98%

#200

Core i3-9300

MSRP: $143|Avg: $75

98%

#201

Ryzen 7 3800XT

MSRP: $399|Avg: $249

98%

#202

Core i5-11400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $140

97%

#203

Core i3-10305

MSRP: $149|Avg: $100

96%

#204

Core i3-9320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $80

95%

#205

Core i3-10105

MSRP: $122|Avg: $90

95%

#206

Core i3-13100E

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

95%

#207

Core i9-13900F

MSRP: $524|Avg: $536

95%

#208

Processor 300

MSRP: $82|Avg: $80

94%

#209

Ryzen 5 2600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $145

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Ryzen 5 5600X delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-12400 in both compute-intensive tasks (15% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Ryzen 5 5600X	Core i5-12400
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($135)	⚠️ Higher cost ($195)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) / 7 nm, 12 nm)	✨ Modern (Alder Lake-S (2022) / Intel 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: The Ryzen 5 5600X leads not only in performance but also in value. It is effectively 31% cheaper ($135 vs $195) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Ryzen 5 5600X	Core i5-12400
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+68%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($135)	⚠️ Higher cost ($195)

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.

Ryzen 5 5600X Benchmark Check

Core i5-12400 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5600X and Core i5-12400

Ryzen 5 5600X

The Ryzen 5 5600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 21,845 points. Launch price was $299.

Core i5-12400

The Core i5-12400 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: 18,794 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5600X and Core i5-12400 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-12400 — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600X (base: 3.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Core i5-12400 uses Alder Lake-S (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5600X scores 21,845 against the Core i5-12400's 18,794 — a 15% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600X. L3 cache: 32 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600X vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12400.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Core i5-12400
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+5%	4.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.7 GHz+48%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	32 MB+78%	18 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+150%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm	Intel 7 nm
Architecture	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)	Alder Lake-S (2022)
PassMark	21,845+16%	18,794
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	12,400
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,381
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	10,632

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5600X uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-12400 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 5 5600X versus DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 on the Core i5-12400 — the Core i5-12400 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 24 (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs 20 (Core i5-12400) — the Ryzen 5 5600X offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 5600X) and H610,B660,H670,Z690,B760,H770,Z790 (Core i5-12400).

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Core i5-12400
Socket	AM4	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 5.0+25%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	✅	❌
PCIe Lanes	24+20%	20

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12400). The Core i5-12400 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 730), while the Ryzen 5 5600X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600X targets Desktop, Core i5-12400 targets Gaming Performance/Value. Direct competitor: Core i5-12400 rivals Ryzen 5 5600.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5600X	Core i5-12400
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 730
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Desktop	Gaming Performance/Value

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5600X launched at $299 MSRP, while the Core i5-12400 debuted at $209. At current prices ($135 vs $195), the Ryzen 5 5600X is $60 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5600X delivers 161.8 pts/$ vs 96.4 pts/$ for the Core i5-12400 — making the Ryzen 5 5600X the 50.7% better value option.