Intel Core i5-12400 Review

Take a look at the Core i5-12400! This Desktop processor from Intel's mid-range range is a real game-changer. Launched in 2022, it boasts 6 cores and 12 threads. With a base clock speed of 2.5GHz, a max speed of 4.4GHz, and a power rating of 65W, it's all set to supercharge your gaming setup. The Core i5-12400 is a proud member of the powerful Alder Lake-S 10nm family and the legendary Core i5 series.

And guess what? The Core i5-12400 is the ultimate successor to Intel's previous-gen gaming champion, the Core i5-11400. The Core i5-11400 was based on the legendary Rocket Lake and 14nm process, and it made its grand entrance into the gaming scene back in 2021. But now, it's time for the Core i5-12400 to take the throne and conquer the gaming world!

The best CPUs are the ones that slay frames at a price that won't make you ragequit. The Core i5-12400 totally wins this game.

Want a high-end desktop (HEDT) CPU with 8 cores to compete with the Intel Core i5-12400? Be prepared to spend some serious coin. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X costs $399 and doesn't even guarantee better performance.

The Intel Core i5 12th Generation boasts the Alder Lake-S architecture, which brings 10nm processors to the mainstream for the first time. But there's more to this story than just a smaller size. Get ready for some serious performance upgrades!

We already went deep into the nitty-gritty details of the Alder Lake-S chip design in our reviews of the Intel Core i5-12600K and Core i3-11300. If you want to learn more about the Core i5-12400's architecture (which is identical to the Core i3-11300), head over there!

The wait is finally over! The Intel Core i5 12 Gen is here, and the Intel Core i5-12400 might just be the perfect example of what this new generation brings to the table. It keeps the same core and thread count (6 cores and 12 threads) as its predecessor, the Core i5-11400. But thanks to the new, smaller 10nm manufacturing process, it delivers significantly better performance while using less power.

The Intel Core i5-12400 is pretty much the best CPU for most gamers on a budget. It won't beat the Core i5-12600K, especially for stuff that uses all the cores (multi-threaded workloads), but it's way cheaper and doesn't need a super beefy cooler. Most gamers will be very happy with the Core i5-12400, especially considering there are bound to be some sweet deals on it soon.

Shrinking down to a 10nm process gives the Core i5-12400 a whopping 15% boost in IPC (instructions per clock). Basically, compared to a similar CPU from the last generation (Core i5 11 Gen) clocked at the same speed, you'll get 15% better performance. It might not be a huge difference in everyday tasks, but it's still something.

Even though the Intel Core i5-12400 only has a TDP of 65W, it still packs a punch. This CPU can go toe-to-toe with the much more expensive AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, which guzzles a whopping 105W of power.

The high number of threads (over 7!) in the Intel Core i5-12400 makes it a monster for tasks that use all the cores at once (multi-threaded workloads), especially for the price. If you edit a lot of videos or work with giant spreadsheets, the Core i5-12400 will give you a noticeable performance boost.

For gamers, both the Ryzen 5 5600X and Core i5-12400 are great choices. They're neck and neck, with a slight edge to the AMD CPU if you don't overclock it. The Core i5-12400's base performance can be achieved with cheaper RAM (around $90), whereas the Ryzen 5 5600X needs faster RAM ($110-$120) to hit the frame rates we showed. The price difference is small though, and with anything less than an RTX 2070 or Vega 64 graphics card, your GPU will bottleneck your performance anyway. BottleneckAtPlay

One of the best things about the Intel Core i5-12400 is that it comes with a free CPU cooler! You can grab the Core i5-12400 for $143 without having to spend extra on cooling.

The Intel Core i5-12400 comes with a basic heatsink cooler, nothing fancy. But it gets the job done for this low-power CPU (TDP of 65W). You won't need a fancy aftermarket cooler unless you want to overclock it.

For a 6-core CPU, the Intel Core i5-12400 is a steal at $143! It seems crazy cheap compared to its main competitor, the 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 5600X which costs $299. Basically, you get extra cores for almost nothing.

However, the Intel Core i5-12400 falls a bit behind in clock speeds. The Ryzen 7 5800X can reach 4GHz base clock and boost up to 4.8GHz.

With Core i5, Intel brings new innovation with its new architecture and a 10nm manufacturing process. Similar to Core i5, Core i5 is built for the 1700 platform with support for all the latest features like DDR4 RAM, super-fast NVMe SSDs, and Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Can you game on Intel's Core i5 CPU? Absolutely! We got a solid 92% score in our gaming benchmarks.

The Core i5-12400 is a great choice for both gaming and content creation, thanks to its high performance (1.26%) and at least 12 threads. Live streaming, eSports, and uploading gameplay videos are becoming increasingly popular, and this CPU can handle it all.

Looking for an affordable powerhouse CPU for work and play? Look no further than the Core i5-12400!

The Intel Core i5-12600K with its 10 cores seems like overkill for some tasks. But the Intel Core i5-12400 is a perfect choice for everyone from enthusiasts to artists and casual users who want some extra power. It's affordable, powerful, and has room to grow for the modern gamer and creative professional. örEveryoneFromEnthusiastsToCasualUsers

Building on the success of mainstream Core i5 CPUs, Intel is now attacking the mid-range market with the Core i5-12400 processors, available since Jan 4th, 2022.