Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 8945H

CPU

GPU

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Core family

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Ryzen 9 8945H

8 Cores16 Thrd8 WWMax: 5.2 GHz2023

Ryzen family

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Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 9 8945H Performance Spectrum

Core i5-10400F

6 / 12

13,029

0.0%

30,240

+132.1%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

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 8945H 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 8945H: 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 8945H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 8945H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 17,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen 9 8945H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌712.5% higher power demand at 65W vs 8W.

Ryzen 9 8945H

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +45.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 8W instead of 65W, a 57W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP7/FP7r2/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 8945H better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 8945H is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 45.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 113.6% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 132.1% 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 8945H is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 45.6% 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 8945H is the stronger fit. You are getting 113.6% 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 8945H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F is easier to justify if budget matters more than peak performance. Ryzen 9 8945H comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it still gives you a 45.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 8945H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FP7/FP7r2/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 8945H 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 8945H

The Ryzen 9 8945H is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (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. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP7/FP7r2/FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 8 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,240 points. Launch price was $499.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 8945H offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 9 8945H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 9 8945H — a 18.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945H (base: 2.9 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 9 8945H's 30,240 — a 79.6% lead for the Ryzen 9 8945H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 17,500 (72.5% advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,617, a 57.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 8945H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 12,662 (74.6% advantage for the Ryzen 9 8945H). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 9 8945H.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 8945H
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+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+3100%	8 MB
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Hawk Point-HS (Zen 4) (2023−2024)
PassMark	13,029	30,240+132%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	17,500+114%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,617+80%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	12,662+119%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 9 8945H uses FP7/FP7r2/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 8945H — the Ryzen 9 8945H supports 110.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 9 8945H 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 8945H) — the Ryzen 9 8945H 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 8945H).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 8945H
Socket	LGA1200	FP7/FP7r2/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	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Ryzen 9 8945H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 9 8945H). The Ryzen 9 8945H includes integrated graphics (Radeon 780M), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 9 8945H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 9 8945H rivals Core i9-13900H.