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

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $259 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600G.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600G across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 19,696).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5600G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 5600G

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.0% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (Vega 7), while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
61.9% HIGHER MSRP
$259 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 5600G

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $259 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5600G.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.0% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Graphics (Vega 7), while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5600G across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 19,696).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 5600G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
61.9% HIGHER MSRP
$259 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5600G better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5600G is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 12.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 51.2% 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, Ryzen 5 5600G is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 12.0% 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, Ryzen 5 5600G is the better fit. You are getting 51.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries 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 5600G is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 5600G is 61.9% more expensive on MSRP at $259 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 12.0% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 7.1% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 76.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds 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.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 5 5600G is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020), 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 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 5600G Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
1080p
low	192 FPS	204 FPS
medium	152 FPS	174 FPS
high	123 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	174 FPS
medium	119 FPS	145 FPS
high	97 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	83 FPS
medium	70 FPS	75 FPS
high	55 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5600G

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
1080p
low	326 FPS	367 FPS
medium	318 FPS	302 FPS
high	290 FPS	271 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	235 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	325 FPS
medium	292 FPS	272 FPS
high	267 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	211 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	248 FPS
medium	258 FPS	211 FPS
high	235 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	155 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5600G

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
1080p
low	326 FPS	492 FPS
medium	326 FPS	477 FPS
high	326 FPS	440 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	390 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	492 FPS
medium	326 FPS	416 FPS
high	326 FPS	374 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	327 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	356 FPS
medium	326 FPS	302 FPS
high	289 FPS	263 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5600G

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
1080p
low	326 FPS	492 FPS
medium	326 FPS	492 FPS
high	326 FPS	492 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	492 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	492 FPS
medium	326 FPS	492 FPS
high	326 FPS	492 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	492 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	492 FPS
medium	326 FPS	492 FPS
high	326 FPS	478 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	412 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5600G

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 5600G

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 5600G

The Ryzen 5 5600G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 April 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 19,696 points. Launch price was $259.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 5600G share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600G — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600G (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600G uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 5600G's 19,696 — a 40.7% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600G. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5600G.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.4 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.9 GHz+34%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	13,029	19,696+51%
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 Ryzen 5 5600G 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. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5600G) — the Ryzen 5 5600G offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and AMD 400 series,AMD 500 series (Ryzen 5 5600G).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
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	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5600G 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 5600G). The Ryzen 5 5600G includes integrated graphics (Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 5600G targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5600G
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon Graphics (Vega 7)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600G debuted at $259. On MSRP ($160 vs $259), the Core i5-10400F is $99 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 76.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600G — making the Core i5-10400F the 6.8% better value option.