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

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,454 vs 1,560).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 8,433).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 124.4 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 4500

2022

Why buy it

✅+7.3% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $31 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Delivers 52.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 124.4 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($129 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 4500

2022

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Why buy it

✅+7.3% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $31 less on MSRP ($129 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Delivers 52.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 124.4 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($129 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,454 vs 1,560).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 8,433).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 124.4 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $129 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 4500 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 5 4500 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 23.2% higher 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, Ryzen 5 4500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 7 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 4500 is the better fit. You are getting 3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 4500 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 4500 is $31 cheaper on MSRP at $129 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 52.8% better value on MSRP (124.4 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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 LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-10400F 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?

Ryzen 5 4500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020) 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 4500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	192 FPS	178 FPS
medium	152 FPS	142 FPS
high	123 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	152 FPS
medium	119 FPS	120 FPS
high	97 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	70 FPS
medium	70 FPS	59 FPS
high	55 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 4500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	326 FPS	304 FPS
medium	318 FPS	261 FPS
high	290 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	198 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	266 FPS
medium	292 FPS	232 FPS
high	267 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	179 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	229 FPS
medium	258 FPS	205 FPS
high	235 FPS	183 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	155 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 4500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	326 FPS	401 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	326 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	401 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	401 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	326 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	368 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	399 FPS
medium	326 FPS	337 FPS
high	289 FPS	290 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	230 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 4500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
1080p
low	326 FPS	401 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	326 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	401 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	401 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	326 FPS	401 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	401 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	401 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	326 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	311 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 4500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 4500

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 4500

The Ryzen 5 4500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Renoir (2020−2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,049 points. Launch price was $129.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 4500 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.1 GHz on the Ryzen 5 4500 — a 4.8% 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 4500 uses Renoir (2020−2023) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 4500's 16,049 — a 20.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 4500. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 8,433 (2.9% advantage for the Ryzen 5 4500). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,560, a 7% lead for the Ryzen 5 4500 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 6,235 (7.5% advantage for the Ryzen 5 4500). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 4500.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+5%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Renoir (2020−2023)
PassMark	13,029	16,049+23%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	8,433+3%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,560+7%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	6,235+8%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 4500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and A320,B450,X570,B550 (Ryzen 5 4500).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 4500 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 4500). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 4500 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 5 4500 rivals Core i5-10400F.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 4500
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 4500 debuted at $129. On MSRP ($160 vs $129), the Ryzen 5 4500 is $31 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 124.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 4500 — making the Ryzen 5 4500 the 41.8% better value option.