Core i5-10400F vs EPYC 9474F

Intel

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9474F

48 Cores96 Thrd360 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2022

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 $6,620 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $6,780 MSRP).
  • Delivers 439.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 15.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $6,780 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 360W, a 295W reduction.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 9474F.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9474F across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 102,255).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9474F, which brings 48 cores / 96 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
  • Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while EPYC 9474F moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9474F

2022

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +57.5% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 48 cores / 96 threads, plus 128 PCIe lanes vs 16.
  • Newer platform on SP5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
  • 700% more PCIe lanes (128 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($6,780 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
  • 453.8% higher power demand at 360W vs 65W.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9474F better than Core i5-10400F?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9474F 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 9474F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 57.5% more average FPS across 2 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 9474F is the better fit. You are getting 684.8% better PassMark, backed by 48 cores and 96 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 9474F is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9474F is 4137.5% more expensive on MSRP at $6,780 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 57.5% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 439.9% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 15.1 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
EPYC 9474F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 256 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 48 cores / 96 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 9474F
1080p
low192 FPS218 FPS
medium152 FPS179 FPS
high123 FPS154 FPS
ultra100 FPS108 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS189 FPS
medium119 FPS151 FPS
high97 FPS121 FPS
ultra79 FPS86 FPS
4K
low82 FPS77 FPS
medium70 FPS64 FPS
high55 FPS50 FPS
ultra43 FPS41 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
1080p
low326 FPS615 FPS
medium318 FPS537 FPS
high290 FPS433 FPS
ultra253 FPS378 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS516 FPS
medium292 FPS459 FPS
high267 FPS381 FPS
ultra234 FPS316 FPS
4K
low309 FPS320 FPS
medium258 FPS288 FPS
high235 FPS258 FPS
ultra199 FPS232 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
1080p
low326 FPS787 FPS
medium326 FPS671 FPS
high326 FPS608 FPS
ultra326 FPS534 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS586 FPS
medium326 FPS497 FPS
high326 FPS443 FPS
ultra326 FPS384 FPS
4K
low326 FPS423 FPS
medium326 FPS339 FPS
high289 FPS299 FPS
ultra229 FPS240 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
1080p
low326 FPS1075 FPS
medium326 FPS974 FPS
high326 FPS829 FPS
ultra326 FPS732 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS819 FPS
medium326 FPS717 FPS
high326 FPS607 FPS
ultra326 FPS521 FPS
4K
low326 FPS592 FPS
medium326 FPS531 FPS
high326 FPS461 FPS
ultra326 FPS393 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and EPYC 9474F

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 9474F

The EPYC 9474F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 November 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Genoa (2022−2023) architecture. It features 48 cores and 96 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm, 6 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 360 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 102,255 points. Launch price was $6,780.

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 9474F offers 48 cores / 96 threads — the EPYC 9474F has 42 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.1 GHz on the EPYC 9474F — a 4.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 9474F uses Genoa (2022−2023) (5 nm, 6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the EPYC 9474F's 102,255 — a 154.8% lead for the EPYC 9474F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 256 MB (total) on the EPYC 9474F.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
48 / 96+700%
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz+5%
4.1 GHz
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
3.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
256 MB (total)+2033%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+300%
Process
14 nm
5 nm, 6 nm-64%
Architecture
Comet Lake (2020−2025)
Genoa (2022−2023)
PassMark
13,029
102,255+685%
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 9474F uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-4800 on the EPYC 9474F — the EPYC 9474F supports 22.2% 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 6 TB 182.1% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 12 (EPYC 9474F). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 128 (EPYC 9474F) — the EPYC 9474F offers 112 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and SP5 (EPYC 9474F).

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
Socket
LGA1200
SP5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
6 TB+4700%
RAM Channels
2
12+500%
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
128+700%
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V, SEV-SNP (EPYC 9474F). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, EPYC 9474F targets Data Center / Performance Optimized. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; EPYC 9474F rivals Xeon 8461V.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
Integrated GPU
No
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use
Gaming
Data Center / Performance Optimized
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the EPYC 9474F debuted at $6780. On MSRP ($160 vs $6780), the Core i5-10400F is $6620 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 15.1 pts/$ for the EPYC 9474F — making the Core i5-10400F the 137.5% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9474F
MSRP
$160-98%
$6780
Performance per Dollar
81.4+439%
15.1
Release Date
2020
2022