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 $200 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $360 MSRP).
✅Delivers 42.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 57.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $360 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 6800U.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 6800U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 11,741).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 6800U moves to FP7 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 6800U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($360 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 7 6800U

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $200 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $360 MSRP).
✅Delivers 42.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 57.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $360 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 6800U.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +27.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 6800U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 11,741).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 6800U moves to FP7 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 57.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($360 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 6800U better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 7 6800U is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 27.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 43.3% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 58.3% 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 6800U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 27.8% 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 6800U is the better fit. You are getting 43.3% 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 6800U is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 6800U is 125.0% more expensive on MSRP at $360 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 27.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 42.2% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 57.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 6800U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FP7 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 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 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 7 6800U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	192 FPS	166 FPS
medium	152 FPS	147 FPS
high	123 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	142 FPS
medium	119 FPS	121 FPS
high	97 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	79 FPS
medium	70 FPS	72 FPS
high	55 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 6800U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	326 FPS	428 FPS
medium	318 FPS	362 FPS
high	290 FPS	316 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	281 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	368 FPS
medium	292 FPS	321 FPS
high	267 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	245 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	253 FPS
medium	258 FPS	227 FPS
high	235 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	185 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 6800U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	326 FPS	515 FPS
medium	326 FPS	515 FPS
high	326 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	388 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	515 FPS
medium	326 FPS	510 FPS
high	326 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	355 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	432 FPS
medium	326 FPS	368 FPS
high	289 FPS	323 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	262 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 6800U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
1080p
low	326 FPS	515 FPS
medium	326 FPS	515 FPS
high	326 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	515 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	515 FPS
medium	326 FPS	515 FPS
high	326 FPS	515 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	504 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	515 FPS
medium	326 FPS	483 FPS
high	326 FPS	431 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	372 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 6800U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 7 6800U

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 7 6800U

The Ryzen 7 6800U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 20,619 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 6800U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 6800U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 7 6800U — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 6800U (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 6800U uses Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 7 6800U's 20,619 — a 45.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 6800U. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 11,741 (35.6% advantage for the Ryzen 7 6800U). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,713, a 16.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 6800U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 7,397 (24.5% advantage for the Ryzen 7 6800U). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 6800U.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+7%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Rembrandt-U (Zen 3+) (2022)
PassMark	13,029	20,619+58%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	11,741+43%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,713+18%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	7,397+28%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 6800U uses FP7 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus LPDDR5-6400 on the Ryzen 7 6800U — the Ryzen 7 6800U supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 6800U) — the Ryzen 7 6800U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and SoC (Ryzen 7 6800U).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
Socket	LGA1200	FP7
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5-6400+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V (SVM) (Ryzen 7 6800U). The Ryzen 7 6800U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 680M), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 7 6800U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 7 6800U rivals Core i7-1255U.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 6800U
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon 680M
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V (SVM)
Target Use	Gaming	Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 6800U debuted at $360. On MSRP ($160 vs $360), the Core i5-10400F is $200 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 57.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 6800U — making the Core i5-10400F the 34.8% better value option.