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 $69 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 7400.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7400 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 22,010).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 96.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7400 moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7400

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.1% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 18.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 96.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
43.1% HIGHER MSRP
$229 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 7400

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $69 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 7400.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +33.1% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 18.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 96.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($229 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7400 across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 22,010).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 96.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 7400 moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
43.1% HIGHER MSRP
$229 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7400 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 5 7400 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 33.1% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 68.9% 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 7400 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 33.1% 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, Ryzen 5 7400 is the better fit. You are getting 68.9% 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 7400 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 7400 is 43.1% more expensive on MSRP at $229 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 33.1% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 18.0% better value on MSRP (96.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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.

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

Ryzen 5 7400 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020), a healthier platform with AM5 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 should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 7400 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	192 FPS	146 FPS
medium	152 FPS	121 FPS
high	123 FPS	105 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	87 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	132 FPS
medium	119 FPS	108 FPS
high	97 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	72 FPS
medium	70 FPS	63 FPS
high	55 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 7400

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	326 FPS	296 FPS
medium	318 FPS	256 FPS
high	290 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	200 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	260 FPS
medium	292 FPS	230 FPS
high	267 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	182 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	204 FPS
medium	258 FPS	183 FPS
high	235 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	146 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 7400

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	326 FPS	550 FPS
medium	326 FPS	550 FPS
high	326 FPS	550 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	550 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	550 FPS
medium	326 FPS	550 FPS
high	326 FPS	531 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	481 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	419 FPS
medium	326 FPS	349 FPS
high	289 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	239 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 7400

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
1080p
low	326 FPS	550 FPS
medium	326 FPS	550 FPS
high	326 FPS	550 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	550 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	550 FPS
medium	326 FPS	550 FPS
high	326 FPS	550 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	533 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	550 FPS
medium	326 FPS	510 FPS
high	326 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	379 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 7400

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 7400

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 7400

The Ryzen 5 7400 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 September 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Raphael (2023−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 22,010 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 7400 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7400 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7400 uses Raphael (2023−2025) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 7400's 22,010 — a 51.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 7400. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7400.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.3 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	5 nm-64%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Raphael (2023−2025)
PassMark	13,029	22,010+69%
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 7400 uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
Socket	LGA1200	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
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 (Ryzen 5 7400). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 7400
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 Ryzen 5 7400 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 96.1 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 7400 — making the Ryzen 5 7400 the 16.5% better value option.