Intel Core i5-12400F vs Core i5-11400F: Which is the best mid-range CPU in 2024?

Modified Jun 19, 2024 06:37 GMT

Picture of Intel Core processors — Intel Core processor (Image via Thufeil M/Unsplash)

The Intel Core i5-12400F and Core i5-11400F are two popular processors in the budget mid-range category. They are both available for cheap, but their performance can vary wildly. They also require different motherboard sockets. If you are building a mid-range PC, you need to save as much as possible on these CPUs without compromising performance.

This article shows you the real-world benchmarks and gaming performances of the Core i5-12400F and Core i5-11400F to determine the best mid-range CPU in 2024.

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

Intel Core i5-12400F vs Core i5-11400F

The Intel Core i5-11400F is an 11th Gen processor based on the Rocket Lake architecture, which was a great CPU when it first launched. Meanwhile, the Intel Core i5-12400F is a 12th Gen CPU based on the Alder Lake architecture, which is the successor to Rocket Lake. The new 12th-generation chip from Intel has improved core architecture, core counts, and single-core performance than its predecessor.

However, before we start comparing the two CPUs in detail, let's check out their specs.

Specs comparison

Intel Core i5 CPU in a motherboard with RTX GPU (Image via Andrey Matveev/Unsplash)

Here are the specs of the Intel Core i5-12400F and the Core i5-11400F:

Specifications	Intel Core i5-12400F	Intel Core i5-11400F
Architecture	Alder Lake	Rocket Lake
Cores	6	6
Threads	12	12
Max frequency	4.4 GHz	4.4 GHz
L3 cache	18 MB	12 MB
RAM support	DDR4-3200 MT/s DDR5-4800 MT/s	DDR4-3200 MT/s
Thermal design power (TDP)	65W typical \| 117W max	65W max
Manufacturing node	10nm	14nm
Socket	LGA 1700	LGA 1200
Price	$111.99	112.37

The major differences between the two CPUs lie in architectural changes, cache size, RAM support, manufacturing node, and socket. The socket change between the Intel Core i5-12400F and Core i5-11400F means the same motherboard can't be used for the two processors. The newer 12th Gen chip needs a newer motherboard, which can be a bit more expensive.

The Core i5-12400F also has support for DDR5 RAM, while the Core i5-11400F doesn't. However, keep in mind that DDR5 is still a bit expensive, and not all 12th generation-compatible motherboards have support for DDR5.

Synthetic productivity benchmark

Now, it’s time to check out the two processors’ performance differences in popular benchmarks such as Geekbench, Cinebench, and Blender.

Benchmarks	Intel Core i5-12400F	Intel Core i5-11400F
Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)	102	87
Cinebench 2024 (Multi-Core)	701	594
Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)	2197	1978
Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)	8668	7895
Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)	1623	1402
Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)	12454	10155
Blender 3.1 Benchmark	170	135

On average, the Core i5-12400F is 13.1% faster in single-core benchmarks than the Core i5-11400F. In multi-core benchmarks, the former is 17% faster than the latter. Even in Blender rendering-type productivity workloads, the 12th Gen CPU is 25.9% faster.

Gaming performance difference

The Intel Core i5-12400F vs Core i5-11400F in Red Dead Redemption 2 (Image via Testing Games/YouTube)

The i5-12400F secured a pretty significant win against the i5-11400F, but will this streak continue in gaming benchmarks? Let's find out by comparing the two CPUs in popular game benchmarks.

Note: The FPS data below was taken from the Testing Games channel on YouTube. The test was run at 1080p resolution at the highest settings with the RTX 3080 GPU. For the Intel Core i5-12400F, DDR5 RAM was used since it supports that.

Games	Intel Core i5-12400F	Intel Core i5-11400F
Forza Horizon 5	202 FPS	181 FPS
God of War	155 FPS	141 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077	133 FPS	123 FPS
Microsoft Flight Simulator	61 FPS	57 FPS
Red Dead Redemption 2	136 FPS	126 FPS
Minecraft	259 FPS	211 FPS
PUBG	161 FPS	148 FPS
Horizon Zero Dawn	199 FPS	185 FPS
Hitman 3	135 FPS	117 FPS

On average, the Core i5-12400F is 11.7% faster in gaming than the Core i5-11400F. The difference in performance between the two CPUs is much larger in games like Forza Horizon 5 and Hitman 3.

Price

Intel Core i5-12400F in a box (Image via Intel/Amazon)

The prices of the two processors are almost the same. The Core i5-12400F costs $111.99, while the Core i5-11400F is priced at $112.37. The latter actually costs a few cents more even though it offers less performance comparatively.

Which is the best mid-range CPU in 2024?

The Core i5-12400F is the best mid-range CPU out of the two in 2024. It costs almost the same as the Core i5-11400F while delivering better performance in every single scenario. It is also faster in both productivity and gaming.

Check out our other CPU comparisons:

Edited by Rachel Syiemlieh