Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X

Intel

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X

8 Cores16 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2017

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 $239 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
  • Delivers 108.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 39.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 15,570).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).

Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X

2017

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +7.7% higher average FPS across 50 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.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 39.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($399 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
  • 46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X better than Core i5-10400F?
Yes. Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 19.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X is the better fit. You are getting 19.5% better PassMark, 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 PRO 1700X is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X is 149.4% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 108.7% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 39.0 PassMark/$), 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?
Core i5-10400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017). 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
1080p
low192 FPS185 FPS
medium152 FPS160 FPS
high123 FPS132 FPS
ultra100 FPS105 FPS
1440p
low153 FPS152 FPS
medium119 FPS125 FPS
high97 FPS100 FPS
ultra79 FPS78 FPS
4K
low82 FPS67 FPS
medium70 FPS59 FPS
high55 FPS47 FPS
ultra43 FPS37 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
1080p
low326 FPS289 FPS
medium318 FPS256 FPS
high290 FPS228 FPS
ultra253 FPS187 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS255 FPS
medium292 FPS231 FPS
high267 FPS205 FPS
ultra234 FPS169 FPS
4K
low309 FPS185 FPS
medium258 FPS172 FPS
high235 FPS158 FPS
ultra199 FPS125 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
1080p
low326 FPS389 FPS
medium326 FPS389 FPS
high326 FPS389 FPS
ultra326 FPS389 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS389 FPS
medium326 FPS389 FPS
high326 FPS377 FPS
ultra326 FPS320 FPS
4K
low326 FPS364 FPS
medium326 FPS295 FPS
high289 FPS264 FPS
ultra229 FPS214 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
1080p
low326 FPS389 FPS
medium326 FPS389 FPS
high326 FPS389 FPS
ultra326 FPS389 FPS
1440p
low326 FPS389 FPS
medium326 FPS389 FPS
high326 FPS389 FPS
ultra326 FPS389 FPS
4K
low326 FPS389 FPS
medium326 FPS389 FPS
high326 FPS372 FPS
ultra326 FPS323 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X

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 PRO 1700X

The Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 15,570 points. Launch price was $299.

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X — a 12.3% 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 7 PRO 1700X uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X's 15,570 — a 17.8% lead for the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock
4.3 GHz+13%
3.8 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
14 nm
Architecture
Comet Lake (2020−2025)
Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark
13,029
15,570+20%
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 7 PRO 1700X uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. 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 24 (Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X) — the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
Socket
LGA1200
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB+100%
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
24+50%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X 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 PRO 1700X). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
Integrated GPU
No
No
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 7 PRO 1700X debuted at $399. On MSRP ($160 vs $399), the Core i5-10400F is $239 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 39.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 PRO 1700X — making the Core i5-10400F the 70.4% better value option.

FeatureCore i5-10400FRyzen 7 PRO 1700X
MSRP
$160-60%
$399
Performance per Dollar
81.4+109%
39.0
Release Date
2020
2017