Core i3-12100 vs Core i5-12400

The short answer

On paper, the Core i5-12400 is the stronger processor, ahead of the Core i3-12100 in 4 of the specs we compare (the Core i3-12100 leads in 0).

• Both are 12th gen processors, so they share the same core design; the differences come from core counts, clock speeds, cache and features.
• The Core i5-12400 has 6 cores and 12 threads, against 4 cores and 8 threads on the Core i3-12100. More cores and threads help most with multitasking, video editing, 3D rendering, compiling code and other work that spreads across many cores.
• The Core i5-12400 reaches 4.40 GHz with turbo, 2% higher than the Core i3-12100's 4.30 GHz. Higher clocks help games and everyday apps that lean on a few fast cores.
• The Core i5-12400 has 18 MB of cache versus 12 MB.
• The Core i3-12100 is rated at 60 W base power versus 65 W, so it's easier to cool and suits smaller cases.

This verdict is generated from official specifications only. We haven't benchmarked these processors, so it doesn't measure real-world speed in games or apps; check independent benchmarks for your specific use.