How do the scores compare?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 scores 41.6/100 overall; Intel Core i5-12400 scores 47.3/100. AMD Ryzen 5 3600 wins 5 individual spec rows, Intel Core i5-12400 wins 10.

What are the main differences between the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and the Intel Core i5-12400?

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 advantages: Stronger gaming score: 59 vs 47; 78% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 18 MB; 44% higher Base clock: 3.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz; 30% lower process: 7 nm vs 10 nm; 20% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 20. Intel Core i5-12400 advantages: Stronger Single-core score: 56 vs 35; Stronger Multi-core score: 42 vs 36; 150% higher L2 cache: 8 MB vs 3 MB; 45% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 2,100 vs 1,450; 36% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 9,400 vs 6,900.

Which is cheaper: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-12400?

Intel Core i5-12400 launched cheaper at $192, versus $199 for the AMD Ryzen 5 3600.

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 vs Intel Core i5-12400

AMD

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

$199

WINNER

Intel

Intel Core i5-12400

$192

34.8Single-core56.4

36.4Multi-core41.7

59.1Gaming46.5

5 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 5 360010 spec wins — Intel Core i5-12400

InnoReviews verdict

Intel Core i5-12400 wins this desktop processor face-off, 47.3 to 41.6, pulling ahead mainly in Single-core (+22) and Multi-core (+5). AMD Ryzen 5 3600 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.

Which would you pick?

Key differences

Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Stronger gaming score: 59 vs 47
78% higher L3 cache: 32 MB vs 18 MB
44% higher Base clock: 3.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz
30% lower process: 7 nm vs 10 nm
20% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 24 vs 20

Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-12400

Stronger Single-core score: 56 vs 35
Stronger Multi-core score: 42 vs 36
150% higher L2 cache: 8 MB vs 3 MB
45% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 2,100 vs 1,450
36% higher Geekbench 6 (multi): 9,400 vs 6,900

General

General comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12400
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12400
Announced	2019	2022
Socket	AM4	LGA1700
Process	7 nm+30%	10 nm
Base TDP	65 W	65 W
Max turbo power	88 W	117 W+33%
Unlocked multiplier	Yes	No
Cooler included	Yes	Yes

Cores & Clocks

Cores & Clocks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12400
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12400
Cores	6	6
Performance cores	6	6
Efficiency cores	0	0
Threads	12	12
Base clock	3.6 GHz+44%	2.5 GHz
Boost clock	4.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+5%
L2 cache	3 MB	8 MB+150%
L3 cache	32 MB+78%	18 MB

Integrated GPU

Integrated GPU comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12400
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12400
iGPU	—	Intel UHD Graphics 730
iGPU clock	—	1,450 MHz

Memory

Memory comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12400
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12400
Memory support	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800 / DDR4-3200
Max memory	128 GB	128 GB
Memory channels	2	2

Platform

Platform comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12400
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12400
PCIe version	4	5+25%
CPU PCIe lanes	24+20%	20

Benchmarks

Benchmarks comparison: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 versus Intel Core i5-12400
Spec	AMD Ryzen 5 3600	Intel Core i5-12400
Geekbench 6 (single)	1,450Top 70%	2,100+45%Top 32%
Geekbench 6 (multi)	6,900Top 58%	9,400+36%Top 43%
Cinebench R23 (single)	1,250Top 66%	1,690+35%Top 33%
Cinebench R23 (multi)	9,200Top 61%	11,900+29%Top 47%
PassMark	17,800Top 56%	19,700+11%Top 49%

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