I'm looking to buy a used PC and I have the option to choose between an i5-12400F and an R5 5600X for the same price. The PC comes with an RTX 3070 and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. I primarily play games like heavily modded Terraria, Satisfactory, and GTA 5 Online, and I want to game at 1440p since my monitor supports it. I need help deciding which CPU to go for, but please don't suggest better upgrades since this is my max budget.
5 Answers
How much are you planning to pay for each of these CPUs? That could make a difference in your decision.
Honestly, go for whichever CPU is cheaper along with a compatible motherboard. Both options are solid!
I'd lean towards the R5 5600X. It's widely available on the used market and you might find cheap upgrades down the line. The AM4 socket tends to be more flexible for future upgrades, too!
Both CPUs are pretty good, and with your RTX 3070, you should have no trouble gaming at 1440p with either one!
For gaming, the 5600X has a slight edge overall, especially in many games. The 12400F is faster in about 20-30% of games, but for most titles and even while editing, the 5600X performs better in general. Overall, I’d recommend the 5600X.
But where did you get that info? They perform similarly depending on the workload—they're pretty much on par! In many games, the 12400F is slightly faster, but it really comes down to personal preference for the games you'll be playing.