Intel Core i5-12400

The Intel Core i5-12400 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor from the Core 12th Gen series. It uses the Alder Lake-S architecture on Intel's 10 nm process, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz, a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, and a 65 W TDP. Its average benchmark score of 19,850 places it at the 77th percentile among all CPUs tracked in the database, and its launch MSRP was $199. The following sections translate the benchmark data into workload guidance, thermal expectations, thread behavior, platform details, and nearest-rival positioning.

Who Should Consider It

A desktop builder looking for a well-rounded 6-core, 12-thread part should weigh the i5-12400's aggregate position: its average benchmark score of 19,850 sits above most CPUs in the database. For gaming systems with a discrete GPU, the relevant data is the 3DMark single-thread score of 910, the 2-thread score of 1,692, and the 4-thread score of 3,012. Those numbers show strong light-thread throughput for game logic, while the 8-thread score of 4,745 and max-thread score of 5,890 provide extra room for background tasks and streaming overhead. The integrated UHD Graphics 730 is present, but the compute scores are the CPU-side indicator; gaming performance will be dictated by the accompanying GPU.

For content creation and rendering workloads, the Cinebench results are the clearest signal. The R23 multi-core score of 15,935, R20 multi-core score of 6,692, and R15 multi-core score of 1,606 indicate a capable multi-threaded rendering part. PassMark multi-thread performance of 18,747 reinforces that picture. A 6-core, 12-thread configuration is enough for mainstream rendering, encoding, and batch processing tasks without requiring a workstation-class platform.

Office and productivity users benefit from a different set of scores. PassMark data compression of 226,908 and random string sorting of 22,366 point to strong archive and text-processing throughput. Integer math of 58,366 and floating-point math of 45,494 cover spreadsheet-style calculations and numeric modeling. Data encryption of 11,418 and extended instructions of 15,399 round out the productivity profile. The 77th percentile average score means the i5-12400 is a sensible default for general-purpose desktop builds, though users who specifically require ECC memory should look elsewhere because ECC support is listed as false.

Power and Thermals

The i5-12400 belongs to the 65 W TDP class. That is a mainstream desktop power envelope, and the implied cooling tier is a capable air cooler rather than a bulky liquid solution. The physical context behind this TDP is a 10 nm process node and a 163 mm² die size. The base clock of 2.50 GHz and boost clock of 4.40 GHz define the CPU's operating range within that power class. The data does not include thermal measurements, so sustained boost behavior under load cannot be quantified here, but the 65 W TDP establishes the starting point for cooler selection. No cooling solution is specified in the data; the recommendation is inferred from the TDP class alone.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The benchmark data reveals a clear split between lightly threaded and heavily threaded workloads. In the 3DMark suite, the single-thread score is 910, rising to 1,692 at 2 threads, 3,012 at 4 threads, and 4,745 at 8 threads. The 16-thread score of 5,873 and max-thread score of 5,890 are very close, which is consistent with a processor that has 12 threads; beyond that point, adding thread slots produces little additional score improvement.

Cinebench shows the same pattern across three generations of the test. In R15, the single-core score is 226 and the multi-core score is 1,606. In R20, the single-core score is 944 and the multi-core score is 6,692. In R23, the single-core score is 2,249 and the multi-core score is 15,935. Each version reinforces the same conclusion: the i5-12400 is far stronger when all 12 threads are active than when a single thread is running.

PassMark single-thread performance is 3,456, while PassMark multi-thread performance is 18,747. The ratio is substantial, though the database does not provide a percentage for it. Among PassMark sub-tests, the find-prime-numbers score of 68 is notably lower than the integer math score of 58,366 and floating-point math score of 45,494. That suggests the processor's throughput is better expressed in broad math workloads than in a narrowly optimized prime-number search. The overall picture is a CPU with solid single-thread responsiveness and much higher output when software scales across the available 12 threads.

Platform and Compatibility

The i5-12400 is an Intel Socket 1700 part from the Alder Lake-S generation. It was released on January 3, 2022, and its production status is active. Memory support includes both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus; memory bandwidth is not specified in the data. ECC memory is not supported.

PCIe support is Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU only. That gives the processor a modern I/O interface, though the data does not break down how those lanes are distributed. The integrated UHD Graphics 730 provides a display output option without a discrete GPU. The multiplier is locked, so overclocking through an unlocked multiplier is not available. The part number is SRL4VSRL5Y, and the market segment is desktop.

How It Compares

Intel Core i7-9700: The i5-12400's average benchmark score of 19,850 is 0.1% above the i7-9700's average of 19,831. These two parts are essentially indistinguishable in aggregate performance.

Intel Core i7-8700: The i7-8700 has an average score of 19,894, and the i5-12400 trails it by 0.2%. The difference is small enough that workload-specific benchmarks would matter more than the aggregate score.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX: The Threadripper PRO 5995WX leads with an average score of 19,928, putting the i5-12400 0.4% lower. Despite the different product family, the database places these two CPUs within the same narrow score band.

Intel Core i5-11600K: The i5-12400 is 0.4% above the i5-11600K's average score of 19,771. This is the largest favorable delta among the nearest rivals, but it remains a narrow margin.

Across all four nearest rivals, the largest delta magnitude is 0.4%. The i5-12400 sits in a closely packed performance cluster rather than dominating or being dominated by any one adjacent part.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the Intel Core i5-12400 have?

A: It has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What socket does the i5-12400 use?

A: It uses Intel Socket 1700.

Q: Does the i5-12400 support DDR5 memory?

A: Yes. Memory support lists both DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel memory bus.

Q: Does the processor include integrated graphics?

A: Yes. It includes UHD Graphics 730.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No. The multiplierUnlocked field is false, meaning the multiplier is locked.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: No. ECC memory support is listed as false.