Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 240

Intel

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020
VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 240

6 Cores12 Thrd45 WWMax: 5 GHz2025

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 240 Performance Spectrum

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.

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 240 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 240: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Why buy it

  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • βœ…Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 240.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 240 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 23,167).
  • ❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 240 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • ❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Ryzen 5 240

2025

Why buy it

  • βœ…Better for gaming: +33.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • βœ…+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
  • βœ…Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
  • βœ…Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

  • ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 240 better than Core i5-10400F?
Yes. Ryzen 5 240 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 33.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 77.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 240 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 33.2% 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, Ryzen 5 240 is the stronger fit. You are getting 77.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 5 240 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 5 240 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it still gives you a 33.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 5 240 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 240 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 (2020βˆ’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

Ryzen 5 240

The Ryzen 5 240 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point (2024βˆ’2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 23,167 points. Launch price was $299.

⚑

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 240 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 240 β€” a 15.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 240 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 4.3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020βˆ’2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 240 uses Hawk Point (2024βˆ’2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 240's 23,167 β€” a 56% lead for the Ryzen 5 240. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 240.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 5 240
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
6 / 12
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz
5 GHz+16%
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
4.3 GHz+48%
L3 Cache
12 MB (total)
16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)+25500%
1 MB (per core)
Process
14 nm
4 nm-71%
Architecture
Comet Lake (2020βˆ’2025)
Hawk Point (2024βˆ’2025)
PassMark
13,029
23,167+78%
Cinebench R23 Multi
8,191
β€”
Geekbench 6 Single
1,454
β€”
Geekbench 6 Multi
5,783
β€”
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 240 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 5 240
Socket
LGA1200
FP8
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
β€”
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
β€”
RAM Channels
2
β€”
ECC Support
No
β€”
PCIe Lanes
16
β€”
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Ryzen 5 240). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 5 240
Integrated GPU
No
β€”
Unlocked
No
β€”
AVX-512
No
β€”
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
β€”
Target Use
Gaming
β€”
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the Core i5-10400F was priced at $160, while the Ryzen 5 240 came in at $0. On launch pricing ($160 vs $0), Ryzen 5 240 was $160 cheaper.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 5 240
MSRP
$160
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
81.4
β€”
Release Date
2020
2025

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