Core i5-12400

The Core i5-12400 is a 6-core / 12-thread processor based on the Alder Lake-S (2022) architecture, manufactured on a Intel 7 nm process node. It reaches a maximum boost clock of 4.4 GHz from a base frequency of 2.5 GHz— higher boost clocks directly translate to better single-threaded performance and responsiveness in gaming. It carries 18 MB (total) of L3 cache, plus 1.25 MB (per core) of L2 cache and 80K (per core) of L1 cache per core. In the PassMark benchmark (a comprehensive multi-threaded test), it scores 18,794, placing it in the Mid-Range performance tier as a Aging generation product. Geekbench 6 single-core (the most relevant metric for gaming FPS) records 2,381, while multi-core reaches 10,632. Cinebench R23 multi-core (measuring sustained rendering workload performance) scores 12,400.

The Core i5-12400 fits into the LGA1700 socket and supports PCIe 5.0 with 20 total PCIe lanes for expansion cards and storage. It supports DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 memory at speeds up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200 (faster RAM improves bandwidth-sensitive workloads), with a maximum capacity of 128 GB across 2 channels (dual-channel doubles bandwidth). Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 730 — allows display output without a dedicated GPU, useful for troubleshooting and light tasks.

The Core i5-12400 is primarily designed for Gaming Performance/Value. Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT — enables running virtual machines efficiently (important for development and server workloads). Its primary market competitor is the Ryzen 5 5600.

The Core i5-12400 has a rated TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 65 Watt — this indicates the amount of heat generated under sustained load and determines what cooling solution is needed. It ships with the Yes stock cooler. Recommended cooling: Stock (Laminar RM1).

At an average price of $195 (MSRP: $209), the Core i5-12400 delivers 96 PassMark points per dollar. Performance ranking position: #831 out of all indexed processors.