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The Intel Core i5-12400 and Ryzen 5 5600X are mid-range CPUs from the last generation. They were launched to target the $200 price range. However, they have been replaced by much more capable alternatives like the newer i5-14400 and Ryzen 5 7600X that offer better performance in video games and multi-core heavy workloads.
The older offerings have been discounted. Both chips can be bought for around $150, making them a great alternative to the newer Ryzen 3 or Core i3 offerings. With extra cores and support for cheaper motherboards, the older six-core options are worth considering.
In this article, we will compare the processors head-to-head and try to answer which is the best for gaming.
Intel Core i5-12400 vs Ryzen 5 5600X: Choosing the best budget gaming CPU can be difficult
Before looking at the performance differences between the Core i5-12400 and the Ryzen 5 5600X, let's check out the specs of the two processors.
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Specs comparison
The Intel Core i5-12400 and Ryzen 5 5600X are based on completely different chips with different architectures powering them. The 12400, for starters, is based on the Alder Lake architecture that utilizes a monolithic design. In contrast, the Ryzen 5 5600X uses a chiplet design based on the Zen 3 architecture.
The chips have striking similarities — they have six cores and twelve threads. Despite being based on the 12th-generation Alder Lake architecture, the 12400 and the 12400F don't utilize a hybrid architecture. Newer alternatives like the 13400 and the 14400 have hybrid architectures with ten cores. This keeps the older processor far behind in terms of multi-core performance.
There are some other differences between the CPUs as well. The exact on-paper specs between them are as follows:
Both processors have been similarly discounted from their $250-300 launch price. You can pick these chips up for around $160. Let's look at the performance differences to decide the winner.
Also, check out the best GPUs to pair with the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X.
Performance comparison
The performance differences between the Intel Core i5-12400 and the Ryzen 5 5600X are quite significant. Thanks to the improved Alder Lake architecture, the Intel chip easily beats the Ryzen by a massive margin in single-core performance. This metric is particularly important for gaming.
In terms of multi-core performance, the 12400 maintains a slight lead. However, the difference isn't as massive as single-core performance.
Below is a list of comparisons of the two chips in some popular CPU benchmark software like Cinebench R23 and Geekbench 6. The data is sourced from the benchmark score aggregator website NanoReview.
If you want a gaming system, we recommend the Core i5-12400 over the Ryzen 5 5600X. The chip delivers a better single-core performance mark than the AMD processor. Moreover, it supports DDR5 memory and doesn't require investment in high-end cooling, unlike the 5600X.
Check out Sportskeeda's other CPU comparisons:
Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7900X || Intel Core i5-14600K vs Ryzen 5 7600X || Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7950X || Intel Core i5-13400 vs Ryzen 5 5600X
