Core i5-10400F vs FX-9800P

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

✅Better for gaming: +203.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 396.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 16.4 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike FX-9800P.

Trade-offs

❌
6.7% HIGHER MSRP
$160 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

FX-9800P

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $10 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,460 vs 13,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.4 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

FX-9800P

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +203.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 396.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 16.4 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike FX-9800P.

Why buy it

✅Costs $10 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
6.7% HIGHER MSRP
$160 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,460 vs 13,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 16.4 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than FX-9800P?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 203.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 429.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 203.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 429.6% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is 6.7% more expensive on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and it gives you a 203.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 396.5% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 16.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play 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 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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.

Core i5-10400F Benchmark Check

FX-9800P Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
1080p
low	192 FPS	62 FPS
medium	152 FPS	62 FPS
high	123 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	62 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	62 FPS
medium	119 FPS	62 FPS
high	97 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	62 FPS
medium	70 FPS	56 FPS
high	55 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open FX-9800P

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
1080p
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	318 FPS	62 FPS
high	290 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	62 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	292 FPS	62 FPS
high	267 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	62 FPS
medium	258 FPS	62 FPS
high	235 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	53 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open FX-9800P

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
1080p
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	326 FPS	62 FPS
high	326 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	62 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	326 FPS	62 FPS
high	326 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	326 FPS	62 FPS
high	289 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	62 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open FX-9800P

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
1080p
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	326 FPS	62 FPS
high	326 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	62 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	326 FPS	62 FPS
high	326 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	62 FPS
medium	326 FPS	62 FPS
high	326 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	62 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open FX-9800P

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and FX-9800P

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.

FX-9800P

The FX-9800P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 31 May 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB (per module). Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,460 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the FX-9800P offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.6 GHz on the FX-9800P — a 17.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the FX-9800P uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the FX-9800P's 2,460 — a 136.5% lead for the Core i5-10400F.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+19%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+7%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per module)+300%
Process	14 nm-50%	28 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark	13,029+430%	2,460
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 FX-9800P uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
Socket	LGA1200	FP4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
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 (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (FX-9800P). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	FX-9800P
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the FX-9800P debuted at $150. On MSRP ($160 vs $150), the FX-9800P is $10 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 16.4 pts/$ for the FX-9800P — making the Core i5-10400F the 132.9% better value option.