BenchPair

Core i5-12400F bottleneck & gaming FPS

Ranked 125 of 201 desktop processors for gaming in our database (38th percentile). It can sustain roughly 111 fps in a typical AAA title regardless of resolution — that ceiling is what decides whether a graphics card is worth pairing with it.

SpecificationsAlder Lake · 2021
ArchitectureAlder Lake
Cores6
Threads12
Boost clock4,400 MHz
L3 cache18 MB
TDP65 W
Released2021
Core i5-12400F FPS in popular games1080p, high

The frame rate this chip could sustain with an infinitely fast graphics card. It is almost the same at every resolution, because rendering more pixels gives the processor no extra work.

GameCPU ceilingWith Radeon RX 6800 XT
Cyberpunk 2077 106 fps 75 fps
Fortnite 142 fps 140 fps
Counter-Strike 2 168 fps 166 fps
Baldur's Gate 3 97 fps 95 fps
Red Dead Redemption 2 126 fps 84 fps
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 63 fps 63 fps
Best GPU for the Core i5-12400F1080p, high

Ranked by how little performance the pairing wastes. Anything much faster than the top entry will sit partly idle at this resolution — though it may still be worth it if you plan to move to 1440p or 4K.

Graphics cardEst. FPSUnused
Radeon RX 6800 XT 109 0.5%
Radeon RX 7800 XT 109 0.7%
GeForce RTX 3080 108 0.8%
GeForce RTX 4070 GDDR6 108 0.9%
GeForce RTX 4070 108 0.9%
GeForce RTX 3080 12 GB 109 2.1%
Against its closest neighbours1080p, high
PartEst. FPSDifference
Ryzen 9 3900 109 fps 0%
Core i5-12400 109 fps 0%
Core i5-12400F 109 fps this part
Core i9-10910 109 fps 0%
Core i7-10700K 108 fps -1%

Every row measured against the same graphics card, so the difference shown comes from the parts themselves rather than from unrelated systems.

Is the Core i5-12400F good for gaming?

It is adequate rather than strong. It ranks 125 of 201, which is fine with a mid-range card at 1080p, but it will hold back anything substantially faster. Check the pairing before a large graphics upgrade.

What GPU should I pair with a Core i5-12400F?

The closest match at 1080p is the Radeon RX 6800 XT, wasting only 0.5% of the combined potential at around 109 fps. Anything materially faster will sit partly idle at this resolution, though it can still be the right buy if you plan to move to 1440p or 4K.

What a Core i5-12400F is good for

This chip is capable at 1080p with a mid-range card, but it will become the limit if you pair it with something substantially faster. If you are considering a large graphics upgrade, check the pairing first — you may find most of the new card sitting idle.

Moving to a higher resolution is the cheapest way to get more out of it, because it shifts work onto the card and away from the chip.

Where it sits

Ranked 125 of 201 desktop processors for gaming. Nearest faster: Ryzen 9 3900 , Core i5-12400 . Just below: Core i9-10910 , Core i7-10700K . Full method on the methodology page.