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Core i5-12400F vs Ryzen 5 5600 for Gaming

Head-to-head on gaming performance, cores, platform and value.

Quick Summary · TL;DR

On our gaming index the Core i5-12400F leads the Ryzen 5 5600 by about 14% — a clear gap for gaming.

Core i5-12400FRyzen 5 5600
Gaming index64/10056/100
Cores / threads6/126/12
PlatformLGA1700AM4
L3 cache18MB L332MB L3
Peak power117W76W
Core i5-12400F64
Ryzen 5 560056

Relative gaming index — an estimate of typical gaming performance. Productivity rankings differ for high-core chips.

Which should you buy?

For pure gaming, buy the Core i5-12400F. Pair whichever you choose with a GPU in its balance range — check it in the Bottleneck Estimator or see the ideal match on its CPU gaming page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-12400F better than the Ryzen 5 5600 for gaming?

On our gaming index the Core i5-12400F leads by about 14%. For pure gaming, cache and single-thread speed matter most.

Which has better value, the Core i5-12400F or the Ryzen 5 5600?

Value depends on current pricing and platform cost. The cheaper chip is usually the smart pick unless you specifically need the faster one's gaming lead or extra cores.

Do the Core i5-12400F and Ryzen 5 5600 use the same motherboard?

No — the Core i5-12400F is LGA1700 and the Ryzen 5 5600 is AM4, so they need different motherboards.

Compare more chips in the CPU comparison hub.