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

✅+17.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 60.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 2600X

2018

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,242 vs 1,454).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (7,514 vs 8,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 60.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 2600X

2018

Why buy it

✅+17.1% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Delivers 34.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 60.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,242 vs 1,454).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (7,514 vs 8,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 60.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Ryzen 5 2600X?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 0.1% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 0.1% more average FPS across 6 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 9% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 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 $69 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $229 MSRP, and it gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 34.3% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 60.6 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 2600X can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap, but on MSRP alone you would want to find it meaningfully cheaper in real-world listings before that path becomes easy to justify.

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 2018) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. 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

Ryzen 5 2600X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
1080p
low	192 FPS	222 FPS
medium	152 FPS	189 FPS
high	123 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	113 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	182 FPS
medium	119 FPS	149 FPS
high	97 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	86 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	71 FPS
medium	70 FPS	62 FPS
high	55 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	39 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 2600X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
1080p
low	326 FPS	297 FPS
medium	318 FPS	259 FPS
high	290 FPS	231 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	202 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	274 FPS
medium	292 FPS	240 FPS
high	267 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	186 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	217 FPS
medium	258 FPS	192 FPS
high	235 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	143 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 2600X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
1080p
low	326 FPS	347 FPS
medium	326 FPS	347 FPS
high	326 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	347 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	347 FPS
medium	326 FPS	347 FPS
high	326 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	321 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	347 FPS
medium	326 FPS	295 FPS
high	289 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	201 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 2600X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
1080p
low	326 FPS	347 FPS
medium	326 FPS	347 FPS
high	326 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	347 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	347 FPS
medium	326 FPS	347 FPS
high	326 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	347 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	347 FPS
medium	326 FPS	347 FPS
high	326 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	347 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 2600X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 2600X

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.

Ryzen 5 2600X

The Ryzen 5 2600X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.25 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 13,880 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 2600X share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.25 GHz on the Ryzen 5 2600X — a 1.2% 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 Ryzen 5 2600X uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 2600X's 13,880 — a 6.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 2600X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 7,514 (8.6% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,242, a 15.7% lead for the Core i5-10400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 5,247 (9.7% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 2600X.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+1%	4.25 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	13,029	13,880+7%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191+9%	7,514
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454+17%	1,242
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783+10%	5,247

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 2600X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 2600X) — the Ryzen 5 2600X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 5 2600X).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 2600X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 2600X). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 2600X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 5 2600X rivals Core i5-9600K.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 2600X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 2600X debuted at $229. On MSRP ($160 vs $229), the Core i5-10400F is $69 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 60.6 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 2600X — making the Core i5-10400F the 29.3% better value option.