Core i5-10400F vs EPYC 9565

Intel

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

EPYC 9565

72 Cores144 Thrd400 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2024

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 $10,326 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $10,486 MSRP).
  • Delivers 531.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 12.9 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $10,486 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 400W, a 335W reduction.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike EPYC 9565.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than EPYC 9565 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 135,221).
  • Less compelling for workstation-style loads than EPYC 9565, which brings 72 cores / 144 threads and 128 PCIe lanes.
  • Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while EPYC 9565 moves to SP5 and DDR5.

EPYC 9565

2024

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +63.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 72 cores / 144 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 12.9 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($10,486 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
  • 515.4% higher power demand at 400W vs 65W.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is EPYC 9565 better than Core i5-10400F?
Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. EPYC 9565 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 9565 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 63.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 384 MB vs 12 MB.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, EPYC 9565 is the better fit. You are getting 937.8% better PassMark, backed by 72 cores and 144 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 3100% larger total L3 cache (384 MB vs 12 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
EPYC 9565 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. EPYC 9565 is 6453.7% more expensive on MSRP at $10,486 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 63.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 531.5% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 12.9 PassMark/$), 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 9565 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with SP5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 384 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 72 cores / 144 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 9565
1080p
low192 FPS171 FPS
medium152 FPS142 FPS
high123 FPS121 FPS
ultra100 FPS98 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS150 FPS
medium119 FPS120 FPS
high97 FPS98 FPS
ultra79 FPS81 FPS
4K
low82 FPS81 FPS
medium70 FPS69 FPS
high55 FPS55 FPS
ultra43 FPS45 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
1080p
low326 FPS583 FPS
medium318 FPS511 FPS
high290 FPS415 FPS
ultra253 FPS361 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS492 FPS
medium292 FPS439 FPS
high267 FPS367 FPS
ultra234 FPS302 FPS
4K
low309 FPS306 FPS
medium258 FPS276 FPS
high235 FPS249 FPS
ultra199 FPS222 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
1080p
low326 FPS747 FPS
medium326 FPS634 FPS
high326 FPS575 FPS
ultra326 FPS506 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS561 FPS
medium326 FPS474 FPS
high326 FPS423 FPS
ultra326 FPS366 FPS
4K
low326 FPS405 FPS
medium326 FPS324 FPS
high289 FPS286 FPS
ultra229 FPS229 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
1080p
low326 FPS969 FPS
medium326 FPS875 FPS
high326 FPS752 FPS
ultra326 FPS676 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS780 FPS
medium326 FPS683 FPS
high326 FPS583 FPS
ultra326 FPS513 FPS
4K
low326 FPS551 FPS
medium326 FPS496 FPS
high326 FPS434 FPS
ultra326 FPS380 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and EPYC 9565

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 9565

The EPYC 9565 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Turin (2024) architecture. It features 72 cores and 144 threads. Base frequency is 3.15 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 384 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: SP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 400 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 135,221 points. Launch price was $10,486.

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 9565 offers 72 cores / 144 threads — the EPYC 9565 has 66 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.3 GHz on the EPYC 9565 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.15 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the EPYC 9565 uses Turin (2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the EPYC 9565's 135,221 — a 164.8% lead for the EPYC 9565. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 384 MB (total) on the EPYC 9565.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
72 / 144+1100%
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz
4.3 GHz
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
3.15 GHz+9%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
384 MB (total)+3100%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB (per core)+300%
Process
14 nm
4 nm-71%
Architecture
Comet Lake (2020−2025)
Turin (2024)
PassMark
13,029
135,221+938%
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 9565 uses SP5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-6000 on the EPYC 9565 — the EPYC 9565 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 9565). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 128 (EPYC 9565) — the EPYC 9565 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 9565).

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
Socket
LGA1200
SP5
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
DDR5-6000+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 9565). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, EPYC 9565 targets Data Center / Cloud Computing. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; EPYC 9565 rivals Xeon 6972P.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
Integrated GPU
No
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
AMD-V, SEV-SNP
Target Use
Gaming
Data Center / Cloud Computing
💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the EPYC 9565 debuted at $10486. On MSRP ($160 vs $10486), the Core i5-10400F is $10326 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 12.9 pts/$ for the EPYC 9565 — making the Core i5-10400F the 145.3% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-10400FEPYC 9565
MSRP
$160-98%
$10486
Performance per Dollar
81.4+531%
12.9
Release Date
2020
2024