Core i5-10400 vs Ryzen 3 8440U

Core i5-10400 vs Ryzen 3 8440U Performance Spectrum

Core i5-10400

6 / 12

11,988

+0.3%

11,957

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

Core i5-10400 vs Ryzen 3 8440U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-10400 vs Ryzen 3 8440U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-10400

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 3 8440U needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Ryzen 3 8440U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $182 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 8440U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 3 8440U moves to FP7 and DDR5.

Ryzen 3 8440U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (11,957 vs 11,988).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-10400 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 8440U better than Core i5-10400?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Ryzen 3 8440U is ahead with a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10400 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Core i5-10400 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 3 8440U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400 is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 3 8440U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $182 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i5-10400 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.3% better PassMark. Core i5-10400 is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (65.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 3 8440U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FP7 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-10400 vs Ryzen 3 8440U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-10400

The Core i5-10400 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: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 11,988 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 3 8440U

The Ryzen 3 8440U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 11,957 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 8440U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-10400 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400 versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 8440U — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 8440U (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-10400 uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 8440U uses Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400 scores 11,988 against the Ryzen 3 8440U's 11,957 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-10400. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 8440U.

Feature	Core i5-10400	Ryzen 3 8440U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+25500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Hawk Point-U (Zen 4 + Zen 4c) (2023−2025)
PassMark	11,988	11,957
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,313	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,600	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 8440U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400	Ryzen 3 8440U
Socket	LGA1200	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-10400) / not specified (Ryzen 3 8440U). The Core i5-10400 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 3 8440U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400 rivals Ryzen 5 3600.