Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: Which Is Better for Gaming?

Short answer: With the fastest graphics card at 1080p, where the processor sets the limit, the Ryzen 5 7600 is about 25% faster in our nine-game model (119 vs 159 FPS). With a mid-range RTX 5070 at 1440p the gap shrinks to about 5%, because the graphics card becomes the limit.

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Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: at a glance

	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 7600
1080p gaming score, Tom’s Hardware (RTX 5090)	Not in chart	Not in chart
Multi-thread score, Tom’s Hardware	24%	Not in chart
Single-thread score, Tom’s Hardware	69.5%	Not in chart
Avg FPS, RTX 5090 at 1080p (our model)	119	159
Avg FPS, RTX 5070 at 1440p (our model)	102	107
Launch price	$167	$229

Tom’s Hardware scores are percentages of the fastest chip in each chart (1080p gaming: Ryzen 7 9850X3D = 100%, 17-game geomean, RTX 5090, updated 5 October 2026). “Not in chart” means Tom’s current chart does not include that chip. Our model averages nine demanding games on High.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: what independent benchmarks show

Neither chip is in Tom’s Hardware’s current gaming chart, so the gaming numbers on this page come from our calibrated model; see the methodology below.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600 FPS in popular games

Game	Core i5-12400F RTX 5090, 1080p	Ryzen 5 7600 RTX 5090, 1080p	Core i5-12400F RTX 5070, 1440p	Ryzen 5 7600 RTX 5070, 1440p
Counter-Strike 2	327 (216 low)	436 (288 low)	327	354
Valorant	399 (263 low)	533 (352 low)	399	482
Fortnite	189 (125 low)	252 (166 low)	150	150
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7	152 (101 low)	203 (134 low)	105	105
Battlefield 6	116 (77 low)	155 (102 low)	116	118
ARC Raiders	131 (86 low)	174 (115 low)	129	129
Marvel Rivals	123 (81 low)	165 (109 low)	91	91
Cyberpunk 2077	109 (72 low)	145 (96 low)	102	102
Black Myth: Wukong	94 (62 low)	126 (83 low)	70	70
Hogwarts Legacy	80 (53 low)	107 (70 low)	80	96
Baldur's Gate 3	80 (53 low)	107 (70 low)	80	107
Elden Ring	60 (40 low)	60 (40 low)	60	60

Average FPS and 1% lows on High from our FPS model, which is calibrated against published reviews; expect real results within about ±12%. Elden Ring is capped at 60 FPS.

The RTX 5090 columns show the most each processor can do, because the graphics card is fast enough never to be the limit. The RTX 5070 columns show a typical mid-range build, where the two chips land much closer together.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: does the difference matter at 1440p and 4K?

Setup	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 7600	Difference
RTX 5090, 1080p	119	159	25%
RTX 5090, 4K	116	133	12%
RTX 5070, 1080p	119	141	16%
RTX 5070, 1440p	102	107	5%

Nine-game average FPS on High from our model.

The faster CPU only pays off when the graphics card is not the limit: at 1080p with a high-end card, with a high refresh rate monitor, or in CPU-heavy games such as Counter-Strike 2, strategy and simulation titles. At 4K with any card, and at 1440p with a mid-range card, the two chips perform close to the same.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: specifications

Spec	Core i5-12400F	Ryzen 5 7600
Cores / threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Architecture	Alder Lake	Zen 4
L3 cache	18 MB	32 MB
Max boost clock	4.4 GHz	5.1 GHz
Socket	LGA1700	AM5
Memory	DDR4 / DDR5	DDR5
Rated / max power	65 W / ~117 W	65 W / ~88 W
Released	2022	2023
Launch price	$167	$229

Manufacturer specifications. Maximum power is AMD’s package power limit (PPT) or Intel’s maximum turbo power. Launch price is the manufacturer’s suggested price at release; street prices are usually lower.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: value: price per frame

At launch prices, the Core i5-12400F gives 71.5 FPS per $100 and the Ryzen 5 7600 gives 69.6 FPS per $100 (RTX 5090, 1080p average). Value is about the same. Street prices change week to week, so redo the math with today’s prices: divide the price by the FPS, and remember to include the motherboard and memory if the sockets differ.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: platform, cooling and power

Core i5-12400F (LGA1700): LGA1700 is end-of-line: 14th Gen Core was its last generation. Boards are affordable and support DDR4 or DDR5, but there is no upgrade path beyond the Core i9-14900K.
Ryzen 5 7600 (AM5): AM5 is AMD’s current platform. AMD has committed to supporting it with new processors beyond 2027, so you can drop in a faster chip later without a new motherboard.
Cooling for the Core i5-12400F: A single-tower air cooler (120 mm fan) is enough for gaming.
Cooling for the Ryzen 5 7600: The stock cooler (if one is included) or any $25 tower cooler is enough.
Power supply: with an RTX 5070, about 600 W for the Core i5-12400F and 550 W for the Ryzen 5 7600. See the PSU calculator.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: bottleneck with popular graphics cards

Graphics card	Core i5-12400F (1080p / 1440p)	Ryzen 5 7600 (1080p / 1440p)
RTX 5060	22% CPU / 5% CPU	11% CPU / 10% GPU
RX 9060 XT 16GB	24% CPU / 8% CPU	13% CPU / 7% GPU
RTX 5070	32% CPU / 20% CPU	24% CPU / 7% CPU
RTX 5070 Ti	35% CPU / 24% CPU	27% CPU / 12% CPU
RX 9070 XT	36% CPU / 25% CPU	28% CPU / 14% CPU
RTX 5080	37% CPU / 27% CPU	30% CPU / 17% CPU
RTX 5090	39% CPU / 30% CPU	33% CPU / 21% CPU

From our bottleneck calculator, default settings. Up to 10% is balanced; a GPU limit is normal.

Full lists: best GPU for the Core i5-12400F and best GPU for the Ryzen 5 7600.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: which one should you buy?

Buy the Core i5-12400F if you want to spend less.
Buy the Ryzen 5 7600 if you want the highest frame rates with a fast graphics card, you want lower power draw and easier cooling or you want a platform with an upgrade path (AM5).

Should you upgrade from the Core i5-12400F to the Ryzen 5 7600?

Only if you play at 1080p with a fast graphics card or a high refresh rate monitor. The Ryzen 5 7600 is about 25% faster there, but it needs a new motherboard and memory, so count the full platform cost.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-12400F better than the Ryzen 5 7600 for gaming?

With a high-end graphics card at 1080p, the Ryzen 5 7600 is about 25% faster in our model. At 1440p with a mid-range card the difference is about 5%.

How much faster is the Ryzen 5 7600?

About 25% at 1080p with a top graphics card, 5% at 1440p with an RTX 5070, and 12% at 4K.

Which one is better for streaming and video editing?

The one with more cores and threads usually wins: the Core i5-12400F here.

Can I use the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 7600 on the same motherboard?

No. The Core i5-12400F uses LGA1700 and the Ryzen 5 7600 uses AM5, so they need different motherboards.

Which one uses less power?

The Ryzen 5 7600 (about 88 W maximum vs 117 W). In games, both draw well below their maximum.

What cooler do I need?

For the Core i5-12400F: a single-tower air cooler (120 mm fan) is enough for gaming. For the Ryzen 5 7600: the stock cooler (if one is included) or any $25 tower cooler is enough.

Is there a difference at 4K?

Very little. At 4K the graphics card is the limit, so the two land within 12% of each other even with an RTX 5090 in our model.

Which graphics card should I pair with them?

See our best GPU for the Core i5-12400F and best GPU for the Ryzen 5 7600 guides, or check any pair in the bottleneck calculator.

Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 7600: how we compared

Measured results: gaming, multi-thread and single-thread scores are from Tom’s Hardware’s CPU hierarchy (RTX 5090, 1080p, 17 games; DDR5-6000 on AM5, DDR5-7200 on Intel), plus TechSpot reviews where noted.
Per-game FPS: from our FPS model, calibrated against published reviews; when both chips are in Tom’s Hardware’s chart, the per-game numbers are scaled to match its measured gap. Use it for the size of the gap between the chips, not as an exact frame rate.
Specs and prices: AMD and Intel specifications; launch prices at release.

More comparisons

Sources: Tom’s Hardware – CPU Benchmarks Hierarchy (updated 5 October 2026); AMD and Intel product specifications.