AMD Ryzen 5 5600 vs Intel Core i5-12400F: Which is the best budget CPU?

Comparing AMD Ryzen 5 5600 with the Intel Core i5-12400F is one of the most common quarries for any new gamers looking to build a new PC. The two midrange CPUs have similar turbo boost frequencies and are also good enough for most modern games or heavy professional tasks. The processors are also one of the best-selling budget CPUs in the market today.

If you are planning to buy a new PC or want to upgrade to a new budget processor in 2024, you might want to know which processor out of the two would be a better buy, especially for gaming. So, to solve this conundrum, we will do an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 vs Intel Core i5-12400F comparison and see the key differences between these chipsets, so that you can make an informed choice.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the writer’s opinion.

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AMD Ryzen 5 5600 vs Intel Core i5-12400F: Choosing the best budget processor can be difficult

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and Intel Core i5 12400F CPUs have adequate power for gaming, as both are unlockable chipsets and have a turbo boost frequency of 4.4GHz. However, since the Intel chipset is based on the newer Raptor Lake platform, it is more future-proof, as it supports the latest generation motherboards and DDR5 RAM. Let's take a look at the specifications for both processors.

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Specs comparison

The Intel Core i5-12400F has six cores and twelve threads. (Image via Gearrice)

As we mentioned earlier, both chipsets have similar turbo boost frequencies. But the similarities don't end here as these hexacore processors have similar power demands with a TDP of 65W. However, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 is built on 7nm fabrication and hence can control the temperatures better under heavy load.

	AMD Ryzen 5 5600	Intel Core i5 12400F
Architecture	Zen 3	Raptor Lake
Cache	32MB	18MB
Cores	6	6
Thread count	12	12
TDP	65W	65W
Fabrication process	7 nm	10 nm
Price	$140	$128

The Intel Core i5-12400F does have other advantages over the Ryzen as it supports the latest DDR5 memory, instead of being limited to last-generation DDR4 like on the AMD counterpart. Additionally, it currently costs around $10-12 less than the alternative, giving you an additional budget that can be used on an aftermarket air cooler to cool the chipset under heavy load.

while the Intel Core i5 12400F does not have an integrated GPU, the non-F variant (i5 12400) does feature the Intel UHD 730. While the integrated GPU is nowhere near as powerful as a dedicated GPU, it is decent enough to run older titles at lower settings. Although most gamers will choose to go with a dedicated GPU, it is good to have an alternative.

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Performance comparison

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 does not support DDR5 memory unlike the Core i5 12400F

Regarding performance benchmark scores, the 12400F has a marginal lead over the 5600 in both single-core and multi-core scores. Additionally, its faster memory support of DDR5 also contributes to a faster performance. However, if you already have an old AM4-supported motherboard, the Ryzen 5 5600 is not a bad choice, as the performance difference between the two chips is less than 5-10%.

	Intel Core i5-12400F	AMD Ryzen 5 5600
GeekBench 6 Single core	2300	2091
Geekbench 6 Multi core	9477	9081
Cinnebench R23 Single core	1691	1494
Cinebench R23 Multi core	11929	10566

When it comes to gaming, the Ryzen chip is around 5% slower on average than the Intel counterpart. However, in certain games like the Cyberpunk 2077, the Ryzen processor provides a noticeably better performance. In multiplayer games like Apex Legends, the performance is about 3% better on the i5 12400F.

Games	AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (Average FPS)	Intel Core i5 12400F (Average FPS)
Apex Legends	257	263
Cyberpunk 2077	136	112
Forza Horizon 5	152	155
GTA 5	181	185
Battlefield 5	120	126

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AMD Ryzen 5 5600 vs Intel Core i5 12400F: Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600 and Intel Core i5 12400F have a lot of similarities and the PCs built with these processors generally don't cost upward of $700 or $800. Therefore, choosing the right processor between the two ultimately depends on your choice or needs.

However, the Intel processor has some key advantages with it has faster memory and storage support. Moreover, it's able to generate more performance at a slightly lower price, especially in multiplayer games. However, in single-player games, the Ryzen 5 5600 generates slightly better performance.

But, the i5 12400F has the latest generation motherboard and memory support, which the Ryzne 5 5600 lacks, after the introduction of AMD's AM5 platform. Hence, buying the i5-12400F over the Ryzen 5 5600 would be a better choice, as you would have better longevity and future upgrade options.

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Check out Sportskeeda's other CPU comparisons:

Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7900X || Intel Core i5-12400 vs Ryzne 5 5600X|| Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7950X || Intel Core i5-13400 vs Ryzen 5 5600X