The Comparator

Intel Core i5-12400

The current Intel Core i5-12400 price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.

Intel · CPU · Intel 12th

Image from the Newegg listing
Intel Core i5-12400 — Intel Core i5-12400

Retailer photo of Intel Core i5-12400. View this offer in Where to buy

Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically

Cheapest tracked offer (new)
Check on Amazon
Go to offer
at Amazon

2 tracked offers · 2 retailers · checked 2026-11-09

Show all offers
33
Relative value · Balanced Top 31% in this scenario
#74 of 234 in stock ranked in this scenario
B
Gamingbest grade of 3 scenarios
Cores / threads
6C / 12T
Boost clock
4400 MHz
Socket
LGA 1700
TDP
117 W
Memory support
DDR5, DDR4
What are you planning to use it for? This scenario sets the value, rank and grades shown across the page.
Value 33

What does it cost today, and is that a good price?

Market confidence: Low
Representative priceCheck on Amazon
Lowest verifiedCheck on Amazon
Offers / retailers2 / 2

Consider: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 offers stronger value around CAD 125.Compare

Prices & availability

Intel Core i5-12400: current price and offers

Compare the offers we track for this model, across variants and retailers.

2 tracked offers · 2 retailers

VariantStoreConditionPrice (snapshot)Value · BalancedCheckedOffer link
Intel Core i5-12400AmazonNewCheck on Amazon332026-11-09View offer →
Intel Core i5-12400NeweggNewCAD 417242026-11-09View offer →
Intel Core i5-12400Multiple variants availableAmazon AffiliateVariesFind on AmazonNot trackedNo price snapshotFind on Amazon →

Prices are dated snapshots, not live quotes — confirm the final price at the store. New, refurbished and used offers are listed separately; used offers carry warranty and seller risk.

Performance and where it ranks

Two different questions, side by side. Performance compares what the hardware can do; Value compares what that capability costs at today’s price. A product can rank high on one and low on the other — that gap is the point.

Performance Balanced

How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.

#138 of 234 graded processors

  1. #135 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 5500 11
  2. #136 IntelIntel Core i9-10900 11
  3. #137 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 5500GT 11
  4. #138 IntelIntel Core i5-12400 11
  5. #139 IntelIntel Core i7-10700K 11
  6. #140 IntelIntel Core i7-10700KF 11
  7. #141 IntelIntel Core i7-9800X 11

Value Balanced

How much of that you get for today’s price.

#74 of 234 currently priced processors

  1. #71 IntelIntel Core i5-13600K 34
  2. #72 IntelIntel Core i7-14700 34
  3. #73 IntelIntel Core Ultra 7 265K 34
  4. #74 IntelIntel Core i5-12400 33
  5. #75 IntelIntel Core Ultra 7 265 33
  6. #76 IntelIntel Core i7-9700K 33
  7. #77 AMDAMD Ryzen 7 5700G 33

What it is good for

Scenariothis productCapability grade · Value at current priceHigher capabilityHigher Value with current priorities
⚖Balanced (all-round)Weighted all-round viewGradeNo grade Value33Higher capability Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus 57 +179% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 5500 77 +2% capability
◉GamingScenario capabilityGradeB Value59Higher capability AMD Ryzen 7 9700X A 82 +21% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities Intel Core i3-14100F C 100 +2% capability
◉ProductivityScenario capabilityGradeD Value38Higher capability Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus A 100 +179% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus A 100 +157% capability
◉Performance per WattScenario capabilityGradeD Value32Higher capability AMD Ryzen 7 9700X S 49 +162% capabilityHigher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 5500 C 87 +38% capability

Balanced has no letter: it is a weighting preset, not a capability rubric. A grade answers “how well does this handle that job?” — price is never part of it. Relative Value puts the current market price back in.

Compare these grades with the full tier list

Browse shortlists for different uses

Trade-offs

Works well if

  • Gaming is your main prioritygraded B for Gaming on the same rubric as the tier list

Consider other options if

  • You want strong value with Balanced priorities specificallyCAD 126 is where Relative Value reaches 80 with Balanced priorities, in the 2026-11-07–2026-11-09 offer frame
  • Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelAMD Ryzen 5 5500 holds Relative Value 77 against its 33 with Balanced priorities. Check on Amazon.
  • Not the pick if Productivity is your main useit grades only D there

Better ways to spend this money

Every line states the fact it was derived from, for the scenario selected above. Thresholds are calculated points on our value curve — information about where the maths turns, not instructions about what to pay.

Similar options to the Intel Core i5-12400

Chosen for Balanced

Similar option · higher capability IntelIntel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus
PriceCAD 320
Relative Value57
Capability+179%
Similar option · higher capability
⚠ Platform change required
Higher Value with current priorities AMDAMD Ryzen 5 5500
PriceCheck on Amazon
Relative Value77
Capability+2%
Clears the same bar for less money
⚠ Platform change required
Higher capability · higher price AMDAMD Ryzen 9 7900X
PriceCheck on Amazon
Relative Value37
Capability+173%
Costs more, but buys a genuinely higher tier
⚠ Platform change required

Alternatives stay near this product’s price range. Step-up options may exceed the standard budget envelope when the capability gain is meaningful.

More head-to-head comparisons in this category

Upgrade planner

Judge the change in the active scenario, then make the cash gap explicit.

Using page scenario
Current productIntel Core i5-12400

We rank upgrades by out-of-pocket cost — the new price minus what yours is worth — not by sticker price.

Only candidates that clear the configured meaningful-upgrade gate will be shown; roles are omitted rather than filled.

Capability differences are expressed as tiers and index points, not as benchmark percentages we did not measure.

Specifications and compatibility

What this product is, and what to check before it goes into your build.

Core / Performance

Cores
6
Threads
12
Performance cores
6
Efficiency cores
0
Base clock
2500 MHz
Boost clock
4400 MHz

Power / Interface

TDP
117 W
Maximum turbo power
117 W
Socket
LGA 1700
Memory support
DDR5, DDR4
Maximum memory
128 GB
Integrated graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 730
Process node
10 nm
Show all specifications

Core / Performance

L2 cache
7 MB
L3 cache
18 MB
Unlocked multiplier
No

Warranty & release

Warranty
3 years
Release year
2022

Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure The Comparator calculated.

Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-11-07–2026-11-09

What to check in your build

Motherboard socket Required

LGA 1700 required

Your motherboard must use socket LGA 1700. A different socket does not fit — this is a physical constraint, not a preference.

Find compatible motherboards

BIOS support Required

Board BIOS must list this model

A matching socket is necessary but not sufficient — check the vendor CPU support list.

Memory Required

DDR5, DDR4 memory

This processor takes DDR5, DDR4. Memory of another generation does not fit the slots, even on a board with the right socket.

Find compatible RAM memory kits

Cooling Required

Cooler rated for 117 W or more

No cooler is included. Your cooler must be rated for at least 117 W on socket LGA 1700.

Found an error? Report this specification Email the field, corrected value and an optional source.

Compatibility guidance is practical help, not a score. Missing data is shown as unknown, never invented.

Summary

Computed conclusion

Intel Core i5-12400 offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #138 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 529. AMD Ryzen 5 5500 currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.

FAQ

Why does Relative Value change when I choose another scenario?

Each scenario changes the weights applied to capability, price and the other published factors. The hardware facts stay fixed, but the value question changes, so its score and rank can change too.

Why can Amazon appear without a tracked price?

Amazon listing snapshots can participate in Value while fresh. We show Check on Amazon instead of its price; confirm the current price and availability at the store. When no current listing snapshot exists, Amazon is a search link only.

Useful links & sources

offer frame 2026-11-07–2026-11-09 · formula cpu-value-v6.1 · facts facts-2026-11-09 · Relative Value is an estimate from our current dataset, the selected weights and dated market prices — not an official product rating and not a price forecast. Target prices are calculation thresholds, not predictions. Methodology We are not a shop. Affiliate links may earn us a commission; they never change the calculations or the ranking.