Core i5-10400F vs Phenom X4 9100e

CPU

GPU

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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Phenom X4 9100e

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2008

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-10400F

6 / 12

13,029

+863.0%

1,353

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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

✅Better for gaming: +565.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+500% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Costs $40 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1103.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 6.8 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Phenom X4 9100e

2008

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,353 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.8 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($200 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Phenom X4 9100e

2008

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +565.7% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+500% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Costs $40 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1103.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 6.8 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,353 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.8 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($200 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Phenom X4 9100e?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 565.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 863% 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 565.7% more average FPS across 3 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 863% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 500% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 2 MB).

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $40 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $200 MSRP, and it gives you a 565.7% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 1103.7% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 6.8 PassMark/$), 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 2008), 500% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 2 MB), 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

Phenom X4 9100e Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
1080p
low	192 FPS	34 FPS
medium	152 FPS	34 FPS
high	123 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	34 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	34 FPS
medium	119 FPS	34 FPS
high	97 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	34 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	34 FPS
medium	70 FPS	34 FPS
high	55 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	33 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Phenom X4 9100e

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
1080p
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	318 FPS	34 FPS
high	290 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	34 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	292 FPS	34 FPS
high	267 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	34 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	34 FPS
medium	258 FPS	34 FPS
high	235 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Phenom X4 9100e

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
1080p
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	326 FPS	34 FPS
high	326 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	34 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	326 FPS	34 FPS
high	326 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	34 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	326 FPS	34 FPS
high	289 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Phenom X4 9100e

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
1080p
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	326 FPS	34 FPS
high	326 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	34 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	326 FPS	34 FPS
high	326 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	34 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	34 FPS
medium	326 FPS	34 FPS
high	326 FPS	34 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Phenom X4 9100e

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Phenom X4 9100e

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.

Phenom X4 9100e

The Phenom X4 9100e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,353 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Phenom X4 9100e 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 1.8 GHz on the Phenom X4 9100e — a 82% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F. The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom X4 9100e uses Agena (2007−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Phenom X4 9100e's 1,353 — a 162.4% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9100e.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+139%	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	—
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+500%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm-78%	65 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Agena (2007−2008)
PassMark	13,029+863%	1,353
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 Phenom X4 9100e uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
Socket	LGA1200	AM2+
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
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 (Phenom X4 9100e). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Phenom X4 9100e
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 Phenom X4 9100e debuted at $200. On MSRP ($160 vs $200), the Core i5-10400F is $40 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 6.8 pts/$ for the Phenom X4 9100e — making the Core i5-10400F the 169.3% better value option.