Intel Core i5-12400: Entry-level Alder Lake processor stands toe to toe with a flagship Rocket Lake CPU

Based on what we've seen so far, the lower end of Intel's 12th-generation Alder Lake processors is shaping up to be quite promising. The budget-oriented Core i3-12100 handily outperforms similarly-priced AMD counterparts. Its elder sibling, the Core i5-12400F, managed to trade blows with the proverbial king of the Rocket Lake hill, the Core i9-11900K. We now get to see it trade blows with the Core i9-11900KF (no iGPU variant), thanks to Twitter user @g01d3nm4ng0.

We also see how the Intel Core i5-12400 deals with some modern-day AAA titles this time around. The Alder Lake processor is paired with 32GB (2x16) of 4,800MT/s of DDR5 RAM and a B660 motherboard, while the Intel Core i9-11900KF uses 32GB (4x8) of 2,666MT/s DDR4 memory. Both components have been tested with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070, an MSI Mag Coreloquid C240 AIO, and Windows 11.

The Intel Core i5-12400 manages to overtake the Core i9-11900KF in a handful of AAA games such as Watch Dogs Legion, Dirt 5, Far Cry 6, F1 2020 and Metro Exodus. However, the Alder Lake processor is only ahead by a few frames per second, and its lead over the Core i9-11900KF isn't exactly commanding. Nonetheless, it is pretty impressive for an i5 chip and a testament to the Golden Cove cores powering the CPU.

Moving on to Cinebench R20, the Intel Core i5-12400 scores 1,694 in the single-core test- a smidgen higher than the Core i9-12900K's score of 1,604. The situation is reversed on the multi-core side, with the Rocket Lake part scoring 15,280 compared to the i5-12400's score of 12,145. The disparity isn't shocking, given that the Core i9-11900KF packs more cores (8C, 16T) than the Core i5-12400 (6C 12T). We learned earlier that the latter would have a TDP of 65W, and these tests show that the figure can go as high as 117W under sustained load.

While it is refreshing to see a Core i5 chip demolish high-end parts from the previous generation, we must remember that the Intel Core i5-12400 benefits from DDR5 RAM and that it is manufactured on Intel's 10nm node. The tests methodology seems a bit nitpicky, considering that the Core i9-11900KF was running low-speed memory. Furthermore, we only get to see a handful of tests that might not represent the bigger picture.

However, we also have to assume that the Core i5-12400 in question was likely an engineering/qualifying sample and that one could squeeze more performance out of the chip's retail version. All in all, low-budget gaming will get a shot in the arm with the Core i5-12400, especially when paired with other entry-level offerings such as the desktop Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT.

Buy the Intel Core i5-12600K on Amazon