Core i5-10400F vs EPYC 7702P

Intel

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 7702P

64 Cores128 Thrd200 WWMax: 3.35 GHz2019

Popular choices:

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $4,265 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $4,425 MSRP).
  • Delivers 465.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 14.4 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $4,425 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 7702P.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 7702P across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 63,692).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 7702P, which brings 64 cores / 128 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.

EPYC 7702P

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +23.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 64 cores / 128 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
  • 700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.4 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($4,425 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
  • 207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 7702P better than Core i5-10400F?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 7702P makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-10400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, EPYC 7702P is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 23.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 256 MB vs 12 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 7702P is the better fit. You are getting 388.8% better PassMark, backed by 64 cores and 128 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 2033.3% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 12 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 7702P is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 7702P is 2665.6% more expensive on MSRP at $4,425 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 465.7% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 14.4 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i5-10400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
1080p
low192 FPS192 FPS
medium152 FPS172 FPS
high123 FPS138 FPS
ultra100 FPS110 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS157 FPS
medium119 FPS132 FPS
high97 FPS101 FPS
ultra79 FPS82 FPS
4K
low82 FPS72 FPS
medium70 FPS65 FPS
high55 FPS50 FPS
ultra43 FPS40 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
1080p
low326 FPS247 FPS
medium318 FPS221 FPS
high290 FPS183 FPS
ultra253 FPS148 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS202 FPS
medium292 FPS186 FPS
high267 FPS158 FPS
ultra234 FPS124 FPS
4K
low309 FPS126 FPS
medium258 FPS118 FPS
high235 FPS103 FPS
ultra199 FPS84 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
1080p
low326 FPS629 FPS
medium326 FPS536 FPS
high326 FPS486 FPS
ultra326 FPS415 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS524 FPS
medium326 FPS446 FPS
high326 FPS394 FPS
ultra326 FPS338 FPS
4K
low326 FPS389 FPS
medium326 FPS312 FPS
high289 FPS274 FPS
ultra229 FPS224 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
1080p
low326 FPS904 FPS
medium326 FPS823 FPS
high326 FPS706 FPS
ultra326 FPS610 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS711 FPS
medium326 FPS620 FPS
high326 FPS530 FPS
ultra326 FPS450 FPS
4K
low326 FPS503 FPS
medium326 FPS452 FPS
high326 FPS398 FPS
ultra326 FPS343 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and EPYC 7702P

Intel

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.

AMD

EPYC 7702P

The EPYC 7702P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen 2 (2017−2020) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.35 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 14 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 200 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Eight-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 63,692 points. Launch price was $4,425.

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 7702P offers 64 cores / 128 threads — the EPYC 7702P has 58 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.35 GHz on the EPYC 7702P — a 24.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 7702P uses Zen 2 (2017−2020) (7 nm, 14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the EPYC 7702P's 63,692 — a 132.1% lead for the EPYC 7702P. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 7702P.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
64 / 128+967%
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz+28%
3.35 GHz
Base Clock
2.9 GHz+45%
2 GHz
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
256 MB (total)+2033%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
512K (per core)+100%
Process
14 nm
7 nm, 14 nm-50%
Architecture
Comet Lake (2020−2025)
Zen 2 (2017−2020)
PassMark
13,029
63,692+389%
Cinebench R23 Multi
8,191
Geekbench 6 Single
1,454
Geekbench 6 Multi
5,783
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the EPYC 7702P uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus 3200 on the EPYC 7702P — the EPYC 7702P supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The EPYC 7702P supports up to 4096 of RAM compared to 128 GB 187.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 8 (EPYC 7702P). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 128 (EPYC 7702P) — the EPYC 7702P offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and SP3 (EPYC 7702P).

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
Socket
LGA1200
TR4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
3200+79900%
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB+3276700%
4096
RAM Channels
2
8+300%
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
128+700%
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; EPYC 7702P rivals Xeon Platinum 8380.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Gaming
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the EPYC 7702P debuted at $4425. On MSRP ($160 vs $4425), the Core i5-10400F is $4265 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 14.4 pts/$ for the EPYC 7702P — making the Core i5-10400F the 139.9% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 7702P
MSRP
$160-96%
$4425
Performance per Dollar
81.4+465%
14.4
Release Date
2020
2019