Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 7 5700

Intel

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 5700

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2022

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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

  • Costs $19 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 11,000).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 135.8 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 5700

2022

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +40.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • +33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
  • Delivers 66.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 135.8 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($179 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
  • 50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • 11.9% HIGHER MSRP
    $179 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5700 better than Core i5-10400F?
Yes. Ryzen 7 5700 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 40.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 34.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 86.6% 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 7 5700 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 40.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 5700 is the better fit. You are getting 34.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 7 5700 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 5700 is 11.9% more expensive on MSRP at $179 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 40.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 66.8% better value on MSRP (135.8 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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 7 5700 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
1080p
low192 FPS179 FPS
medium152 FPS152 FPS
high123 FPS122 FPS
ultra100 FPS102 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS153 FPS
medium119 FPS126 FPS
high97 FPS100 FPS
ultra79 FPS85 FPS
4K
low82 FPS84 FPS
medium70 FPS75 FPS
high55 FPS60 FPS
ultra43 FPS46 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
1080p
low326 FPS417 FPS
medium318 FPS352 FPS
high290 FPS303 FPS
ultra253 FPS268 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS360 FPS
medium292 FPS316 FPS
high267 FPS278 FPS
ultra234 FPS237 FPS
4K
low309 FPS248 FPS
medium258 FPS224 FPS
high235 FPS209 FPS
ultra199 FPS182 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
1080p
low326 FPS608 FPS
medium326 FPS574 FPS
high326 FPS519 FPS
ultra326 FPS431 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS509 FPS
medium326 FPS436 FPS
high326 FPS392 FPS
ultra326 FPS326 FPS
4K
low326 FPS376 FPS
medium326 FPS318 FPS
high289 FPS280 FPS
ultra229 FPS220 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
1080p
low326 FPS608 FPS
medium326 FPS608 FPS
high326 FPS608 FPS
ultra326 FPS608 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS608 FPS
medium326 FPS608 FPS
high326 FPS572 FPS
ultra326 FPS493 FPS
4K
low326 FPS520 FPS
medium326 FPS465 FPS
high326 FPS414 FPS
ultra326 FPS358 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 7 5700

Intel

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.

AMD

Ryzen 7 5700

The Ryzen 7 5700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 24,317 points. Launch price was $179.

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5700 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5700 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700 — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5700 uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 7 5700's 24,317 — a 60.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 11,000 (29.3% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,000, a 31.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 8,600 (39.2% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 7 5700.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz
4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
3.7 GHz+28%
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
24,317+87%
Cinebench R23 Multi
8,191
11,000+34%
Geekbench 6 Single
1,454
2,000+38%
Geekbench 6 Multi
5,783
8,600+49%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 5700 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 7 5700) — the Ryzen 7 5700 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and A520,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 7 5700).

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
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
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
24+50%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 5700 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 7 5700). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 7 5700 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 7 5700 rivals Core i5-13400F.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
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 7 5700 debuted at $179. On MSRP ($160 vs $179), the Core i5-10400F is $19 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 135.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5700 — making the Ryzen 7 5700 the 50.1% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 5700
MSRP
$160-11%
$179
Performance per Dollar
81.4
135.8+67%
Release Date
2020
2022