We examine Intel’s Alder Lake budget gaming CPU, which offers six cores and a clock speed of 4.4GHz at an exceptionally competitive price.
Following the impressive display of Intel’s K-series Alder Lake CPUs, there was considerable anticipation regarding the gaming performance of the Intel Core i5 12400F. Given its affordable price point of only, we were eager to determine if it could still provide satisfactory gaming capabilities.
To begin with the unfavorable information, Intel’s 10nm hybrid core architecture exhibits considerable discrepancies in core counts and types throughout the 12th generation lineup, with the Intel Core i5 12400F being markedly different from the Core i5 12600K. The pertinent question is whether the remarkably low price of the 12400F can still position it as one of the top gaming CPU choices for budget-conscious consumers, notwithstanding the variations in specifications.
A notable aspect of the specifications for the Core i5 12400F is its absence of the four E-Cores found in the Core i5 12600K, which significantly enhances the latter’s capabilities in multi-threaded applications. In contrast, the 12400F is equipped solely with the six performance cores that are also present in its K-series counterpart, resulting in a deficit of four cores and threads. Consequently, this is expected to lead to a substantial decrease in multi-threaded performance.
The boost frequencies of the P-Core are comparable to those found in earlier generations, with the more economical CPU reaching a maximum of 4.4GHz, while the Core i5 12600K achieves 4.9GHz. This is evident in the power specifications, where the 12400F has a base power rating of 65W, in contrast to the 125W of the K-series CPU. Additionally, the maximum turbo power for the Core i5 12400F is 117W, compared to 150W for the Core i5 12600K.
Both CPUs consistently reached their single-core boost frequencies during multi-threaded workloads. The Core i5 12600K reduced its P-Core frequency to 4.5GHz, while the Core i5 12400F decreased even further to 4GHz.
The F-version being evaluated in this instance is more affordable than the standard Core i5-12400 due to its absence of integrated graphics. In contrast, the non-F variant provides the same Intel UHD 770 graphics found in the Core i5-12600K. Additionally, B660 motherboards can be acquired for, allowing consumers to obtain a six-core 12th-generation Intel CPU along with a motherboard that supports PCIe 4 for approximately.
Although it may appear illogical to pair the Core i5 12400F with a high-end motherboard, several motherboard manufacturers are currently developing BIOS updates for their premium models. These updates will facilitate overclocking of the CPU via the base clock, potentially allowing for an increase in the clock speed of this processor in the future.
Currently, AMD faces minimal concern from Intel in the Core i5-12400F market segment. The Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 7 5700G are significantly pricier than the 12400F, and any of AMD’s more affordable processors are based on the older Zen 2 architecture, which is notably outperformed by Intel’s 12th generation CPUs.
Benchmarks for the Core i5 12400F.
The Core i5 12400F achieved a score of 66,394 in our GIMP image editing benchmark, which is more than 10,000 points lower than the Core i5 12600K. This disparity highlights the impact of higher frequencies and core counts, although it comes at an additional. Additionally, the Ryzen 5 5600X outperformed the 12400F in this test, but it is considerably pricier.
In the course of our extensive multi-threaded Handbrake video encoding assessment, we observed a significant disparity between the Core i5 12400F and the Core i5 12600K. However, the difference between the more affordable Intel processor and the Ryzen 5 5600X was considerably smaller, measuring just under 6%.
The overall system score of 220,553 achieved in our RealBench tests closely approached that of the Ryzen 5 5600X, yet it remained significantly behind the Core i5 12600K. Notably, the Core i5 12400F outperformed the 5600X in both of our Cinebench evaluations, delivering a markedly superior single-threaded score. However, the Core i5 12600K consistently demonstrated much greater speed in both assessments.
The comparison between the Core i5 12400F and the Ryzen 5 5600X in gaming revealed a back-and-forth performance, as the 12400F closely matched the AMD processor in titles such as Dirt 5 and Far Cry 6. However, the Core i5 12600K demonstrated superior frame rates in both games.
The performance was observed at 1080p using a fairly robust Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU; however, the disparity diminishes at higher resolutions, where the CPU experiences a reduced workload. Notably, the Core i5 12400F significantly outperforms its predecessor, the Core i5 11400F, in all aspects.
Conclusion on the Core i5 12400F
The disparity between Intel’s least expensive and most costly Core i5 CPUs is unprecedented, primarily due to variations in core and thread counts. Additionally, the price difference is considerable and largely corresponds to the performance variations, particularly in multi-threaded tasks where the Core i5-12600K has demonstrated a remarkable advancement over its predecessor. Consequently, it is not surprising that the Core i5-12400F falls significantly short in most evaluations, considering the price differential.
More significantly, it competes directly with the more expensive Ryzen 5 5600X. With LGA1700 motherboards now, the notion that AMD motherboards are more economical is becoming increasingly tenuous, particularly in light of the remarkably low price of the Core i5-12400F. This CPU offers exceptional performance for its cost, equaling or surpassing the pricier Ryzen 5 5600X in certain benchmarks, all while being available for just.
For those constructing a budget-friendly PC and seeking an excellent all-purpose processor for their CPU socket, the Core i5-12400F is an outstanding choice. Additionally, in contrast to AMD’s Socket AM4, Intel’s LGA1700 socket remains highly relevant and offers considerable longevity.