Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 7940H

CPU

GPU

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Core family

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Ryzen 9 7940H

8 Cores16 Thrd35 WWMax: 5.2 GHz2023

Ryzen family

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Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 7940H Performance Spectrum

Core i5-10400F

6 / 12

13,029

0.0%

29,151

+123.7%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5995WX

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.

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 7940H FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 7940H: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 7940H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 7940H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 17,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 7940H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Ryzen 9 7940H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +59.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 7940H better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 7940H is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 59.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 110% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 123.7% higher PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 7940H is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 59.7% 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 9 7940H is the stronger fit. You are getting 110% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has 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 9 7940H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 9 7940H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it still gives you a 59.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it can still make sense for tighter-budget builds on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 7940H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FP8 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 gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 7940H Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 9 7940H

The Ryzen 9 7940H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Janeiro 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5600. Passmark benchmark score: 29,151 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 7940H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 7940H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 7940H — a 18.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H (base: 2.9 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 9 7940H's 29,151 — a 76.4% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 17,200 (71% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,646, a 58.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 7940H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 13,495 (80% advantage for the Ryzen 9 7940H). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 7940H.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 7940H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.2 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	4 GHz+38%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+25500%	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	13,029	29,151+124%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	17,200+110%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,646+82%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	13,495+133%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 7940H uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 9 7940H — the Ryzen 9 7940H supports 110.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 7940H supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Ryzen 9 7940H) — the Ryzen 9 7940H offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and FP7,FP7r2,FP8 (Ryzen 9 7940H).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 7940H
Socket	LGA1200	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+110%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

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Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 7940H has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 7940H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen 9 7940H). The Ryzen 9 7940H includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 9 7940H targets High-performance Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 9 7940H rivals Core i9-13900H.