The Core i5-12400F rocks 6 cores and 12 threads which means it doesn’t feature any E-Cores (Gracemont architecture) and relies fully on the Golden Cove cores. The CPU carries 18 MB of L3 cache (3 MB per core) and has a clock speed of 4.0 GHz on all cores and 4.4 GHz on a single-core.
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is a desktop processor with 6 cores, launched in November 2020. It is part of the Ryzen 5 lineup, using the Zen 3 (Vermeer) architecture with Socket AM4. Thanks to AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) the core-count is effectively doubled, to 12 threads. Ryzen 5 5600X has 32MB of L3 cache and operates at 3.7 GHz by default, but can boost up to 4.6 GHz, depending on the workload.
SPECS DIFFERENCE: i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 5600X
| 12400F | 5600X | |
| CORES/THREADS | 6C (69+OE)/12T | 6C/12T |
| BASE CLOCK | 2.5GHZ | 3.7GHZ |
| BOOST CLOCK | 4.4GHZ | 4.6GHZ |
| CACHE (L2/L3) | 7.5MB/18MB | 3MB/32MB |
| MEMORY | DDR4-3200/DDR5-4800 | DDR4-3200 |
| RELEASED | JANUARY 2022 | NOVEMBER 2020 |
| COOLER INCLUDED | YES | YES |
Both processors have six cores and twelve threads, however the Ryzen has a higher maximum boost clock and larger cache.
Despite the fact that Intel’s 12th-generation Alder Lake processors introduce the concept of P and E cores, the 12400 only has six P cores with hyperthreading.
When it comes to pricing, there’s a significant difference between them. At the moment, Newegg is selling Intel’s i5-12400 for $200 USD, while AMD’s 5600X is $289 USD.
TEST PC SPECS: i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 5600X
| CPU COOLER | ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280 | BUY HERE |
| RAM | GIGABYTE Z690 AERO G DDR4 | BUY HERE |
| MOTHERBOARD | MSI MAG B560M Mortar | BUY HERE |
| INTEL CPU | i5-12400F | BUY HERE |
| AMD CPU | Ryzen 5 5600X | BUY HERE |
| RAM | G.Skill Trident Z Royal 16GB DDR4 | BUY HERE |
| STORAGE | SAMSUNG (MZ-V7E500BW) 970 EVO SSD 500GB | BUY HERE |
| POWER SUPPLY | Super Flower Leadex Platinum Special Edition 1000W | BUY HERE |
| GPU | MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 24GB | BUY HERE |
GAMING PERFORMANCE: i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 5600X
Now, let’s compare the two processors in 10 different games at 1080p resolution! I’ve included the Average FPS for each game in the results. After that, we’ll tell you which one is better and which one you should buy. Let’s have a look at the gaming results:
To test the game, the game’s benchmark for Forza Horizon 5 was used. At 1080p, the 12400F exhibited an 8 percent higher average frame rate than the 5600X. For AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, this is the only game to win.
Little China was used to test the game Cyberpunk 2077, and there was no difference in FPS. So, between Intel and AMD, it’s a tie.
The benchmark for CS:GO was also used, and the 12400F did better this time. Although the difference isn’t significant, winning is winning!
I also used the built-in benchmark to test MSFS 2020. We’re looking at a draw at 1080p between each of these processors.
Fortnite runs well on both CPUs, with excellent results at 1080p, however if you’re looking for a CPU for eSports, I recommend the i5-12400F.
The built-in benchmark was also used to test Immortal Fenix Rising, and the Intel CPU came out on top. At the maximum settings, the 12400F had a 4 percent higher average FPS.
The built-in benchmark was used to test Witcher 3, and at 1080p, there isn’t much of a difference between the two CPUs; the scores are already extremely close, with 12400F being 6 FPS ahead.
We got pretty great results using the built-in benchmark at 1080p, and there’s basically no difference at all.
Horizon Zero Dawn performs admirably on both CPUs, with particularly impressive results at 1080p, with a 2 FPS boost at high settings on the 12400F.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was tested in the game’s benchmark, and there’s almost no difference at all, a 2 FPS difference, so now let’s jump to the conclusion.
Intel i5-12400F vs AMD Ryzen 5 5600X: Which is Better For Gaming?
Even though the workload can make a big difference in raw CPU performance, the i5 was consistently faster in my tests in 1080p Gaming. In spite of this, I’d still recommend the Intel i5 over Ryzen 5 5600X because of the price difference.
As a side note, we can probably expect Intel motherboards from the current generation to be updated to support 13th generation Intel processors in the future. In the meantime, AMD’s AM4 platform is coming to an end with this release. While upgrading your 5600X to a 16 core 5950X is possible in the future, you won’t have access to Intel’s next generation of processors like you would if you were upgrading from Intel to Ryzen 5. It’s fair to say that the 5600X has been around for a while now, and Zen 4’s new socket will likely change everything.
