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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen AI Max 385 across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 16,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 385 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Ryzen AI Max 385

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +62.7% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP11 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen AI Max 385

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +62.7% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP11 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 AI Max 385 across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 16,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 32 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen AI Max 385 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max 385 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen AI Max 385 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 62.7% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 101.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 147.7% 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 AI Max 385 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 62.7% more average FPS across 7 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI Max 385 is the better fit. You are getting 101.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen AI Max 385 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen AI Max 385 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 62.7% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2020 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1200.

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

Ryzen AI Max 385 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FP11 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 166.7% larger total L3 cache (32 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 AI Max 385 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
1080p
low	192 FPS	257 FPS
medium	152 FPS	234 FPS
high	123 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	174 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	222 FPS
medium	119 FPS	183 FPS
high	97 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	134 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	154 FPS
medium	70 FPS	127 FPS
high	55 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen AI Max 385

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
1080p
low	326 FPS	592 FPS
medium	318 FPS	500 FPS
high	290 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	346 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	508 FPS
medium	292 FPS	452 FPS
high	267 FPS	359 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	303 FPS
medium	258 FPS	273 FPS
high	235 FPS	243 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen AI Max 385

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
1080p
low	326 FPS	780 FPS
medium	326 FPS	611 FPS
high	326 FPS	534 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	447 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	676 FPS
medium	326 FPS	534 FPS
high	326 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	389 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	476 FPS
medium	326 FPS	394 FPS
high	289 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	288 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen AI Max 385

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
1080p
low	326 FPS	807 FPS
medium	326 FPS	807 FPS
high	326 FPS	779 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	700 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	796 FPS
medium	326 FPS	706 FPS
high	326 FPS	619 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	536 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	554 FPS
medium	326 FPS	499 FPS
high	326 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	389 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen AI Max 385

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen AI Max 385

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 AI Max 385

The Ryzen AI Max 385 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 32,274 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max 385 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen AI Max 385 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 385 — a 15.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max 385 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max 385 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen AI Max 385's 32,274 — a 85% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 385. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 16,500 (67.3% advantage for the Ryzen AI Max 385). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,800, a 63.3% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 385 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 14,000 (83.1% advantage for the Ryzen AI Max 385). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max 385.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	32 MB (total)+167%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	13,029	32,274+148%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	16,500+101%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,800+93%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	14,000+142%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen AI Max 385 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus LPDDR5x-8000 on the Ryzen AI Max 385 — the Ryzen AI Max 385 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 4 (Ryzen AI Max 385). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Ryzen AI Max 385) — the Ryzen AI Max 385 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Strix Halo platform (Ryzen AI Max 385).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
Socket	LGA1200	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5x-8000+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen AI Max 385 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen AI Max 385 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max 385). The Ryzen AI Max 385 includes integrated graphics (Radeon 8050S), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen AI Max 385 targets High-performance AI / Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen AI Max 385 rivals Core Ultra 9 285H.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen AI Max 385
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon 8050S
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	High-performance AI / Gaming Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI Max 385 debuted at $0. On MSRP ($160 vs $0), the Ryzen AI Max 385 is $160 cheaper.