Athlon II N370 vs Core i5-10400F
Athlon II N370
Core i5-10400F
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Athlon II N370 is positioned at rank #923 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II N370
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-10400F
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II N370 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($102) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II N370 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+18%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($102) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II N370 and Core i5-10400F
Athlon II N370
The Athlon II N370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,085 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i5-10400F
The Core i5-10400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,029 points. Launch price was $155.
Processing Power
The Athlon II N370 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Core i5-10400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II N370 versus 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F — a 52.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F. The Athlon II N370 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-10400F uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N370 scores 1,085 against the Core i5-10400F's 13,029 — a 169.3% lead for the Core i5-10400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 220 vs 1,454, a 147.4% lead for the Core i5-10400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 420 vs 5,783 (172.9% advantage for the Core i5-10400F).
| Feature | Athlon II N370 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 6 / 12+200% |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | 4.3 GHz+72% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 12 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Comet Lake (2020−2025) |
| PassMark | 1,085 | 13,029+1101% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 8,191 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 220 | 1,454+561% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 420 | 5,783+1277% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II N370 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-10400F uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II N370 versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F — the Core i5-10400F supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II N370) vs 16 (Core i5-10400F) — the Core i5-10400F offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N370) and H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F).
| Feature | Athlon II N370 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1 | LGA1200 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR4-2666+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 128 GB+1500% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II N370) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F). Primary use case: Athlon II N370 targets Legacy Laptop, Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Athlon II N370 rivals Pentium P6100; Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Athlon II N370 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Legacy Laptop | Gaming |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II N370 launched at $60 MSRP, while the Core i5-10400F debuted at $160. At current prices ($10 vs $102), the Athlon II N370 is $92 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II N370 delivers 108.5 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-10400F — making the Core i5-10400F the 16.3% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II N370 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-63% | $160 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-90% | $102 |
| Performance per Dollar | 108.5 | 127.7+18% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2020 |
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