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 $589 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 9955HX3D.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 9955HX3D across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 61,578).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 9955HX3D moves to FL1 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 9955HX3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +81.6% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FL1 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon 610M, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
368.1% HIGHER MSRP
$749 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $589 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $749 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 9 9955HX3D.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +81.6% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FL1 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon 610M, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 9955HX3D across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 61,578).
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 9 9955HX3D moves to FL1 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 9 9955HX3D can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
368.1% HIGHER MSRP
$749 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 9955HX3D better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 81.6% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 372.6% better 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 9 9955HX3D is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 81.6% more average FPS across 7 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 12 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the better fit. You are getting 372.6% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 32 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 966.7% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 12 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is 368.1% more expensive on MSRP at $749 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 81.6% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 1.0% better value on MSRP (82.2 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FL1 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 12 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 32 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 9 9955HX3D Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
1080p
low	192 FPS	287 FPS
medium	152 FPS	265 FPS
high	123 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	183 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	264 FPS
medium	119 FPS	221 FPS
high	97 FPS	170 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	150 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	183 FPS
medium	70 FPS	153 FPS
high	55 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	103 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
1080p
low	326 FPS	698 FPS
medium	318 FPS	601 FPS
high	290 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	376 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	579 FPS
medium	292 FPS	517 FPS
high	267 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	311 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	325 FPS
medium	258 FPS	294 FPS
high	235 FPS	258 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	218 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
1080p
low	326 FPS	851 FPS
medium	326 FPS	696 FPS
high	326 FPS	627 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	539 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	680 FPS
medium	326 FPS	557 FPS
high	326 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	416 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	484 FPS
medium	326 FPS	401 FPS
high	289 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	302 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
1080p
low	326 FPS	1080 FPS
medium	326 FPS	976 FPS
high	326 FPS	854 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	768 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	853 FPS
medium	326 FPS	753 FPS
high	326 FPS	660 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	571 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	622 FPS
medium	326 FPS	557 FPS
high	326 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	426 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

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 9955HX3D

The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2025-01-01. It is based on the Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025) architecture. It features 16 cores and 32 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FL1. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 61,578 points. Launch price was $700.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D offers 16 cores / 32 threads — the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D — a 22.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D uses Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D's 61,578 — a 130.1% lead for the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 32+167%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.4 GHz+26%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+16%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	128 MB (total)+967%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Fire Range-HX (Zen 5) (2025)
PassMark	13,029	61,578+373%
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 9 9955HX3D uses FL1 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus 5600 on the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D — the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D supports 199.7% 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 96 — 28.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 28 (Ryzen 9 9955HX3D) — the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and FL1 (Ryzen 9 9955HX3D).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
Socket	LGA1200	FL1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	5600+139900%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+139810033%	96
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	28+75%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen 9 9955HX3D). The Ryzen 9 9955HX3D includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon 610M), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 9 9955HX3D rivals Core Ultra 9 185H.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 9 9955HX3D
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	AMD Radeon 610M
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D debuted at $749. On MSRP ($160 vs $749), the Core i5-10400F is $589 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 82.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D — making the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D the 1% better value option.