Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

CPU

GPU

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-10400F

6 / 12

13,029

0.0%

13,330

+2.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

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

✅Better for gaming: +14.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $39 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 21.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 67.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 PRO 2600.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 13,330).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 67.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $39 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Delivers 21.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 67.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 PRO 2600.

Why buy it

✅+2.3% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 13,330).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 67.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($199 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

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

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-10400F is ahead with a 14.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 pulls ahead with 2.3% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is the better fit. You are getting 2.3% 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?

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $39 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 2.3% better PassMark. It is also 21.6% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 67.0 PassMark/$), 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 PRO 2600 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). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 PRO 2600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	192 FPS	186 FPS
medium	152 FPS	159 FPS
high	123 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	152 FPS
medium	119 FPS	125 FPS
high	97 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	67 FPS
medium	70 FPS	59 FPS
high	55 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	326 FPS	255 FPS
medium	318 FPS	221 FPS
high	290 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	157 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	229 FPS
medium	292 FPS	201 FPS
high	267 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	180 FPS
medium	258 FPS	161 FPS
high	235 FPS	142 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	326 FPS	333 FPS
medium	326 FPS	333 FPS
high	326 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	333 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	333 FPS
medium	326 FPS	333 FPS
high	326 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	302 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	333 FPS
medium	326 FPS	270 FPS
high	289 FPS	238 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	189 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
1080p
low	326 FPS	333 FPS
medium	326 FPS	333 FPS
high	326 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	333 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	333 FPS
medium	326 FPS	333 FPS
high	326 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	333 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	333 FPS
medium	326 FPS	333 FPS
high	326 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	320 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 PRO 2600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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 PRO 2600

The Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 19 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 13,330 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.9 GHz on the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 — a 9.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600's 13,330 — a 2.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+10%	3.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.4 GHz+17%
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	13,330+2%
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 PRO 2600 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
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 PRO 2600). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
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 PRO 2600 debuted at $199. On MSRP ($160 vs $199), the Core i5-10400F is $39 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 67.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 — making the Core i5-10400F the 19.5% better value option.