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 $1,639 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 358.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 33,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +58.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,639 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 358.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 17.8 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $1,799 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 250W, a 185W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +58.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 64 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅300% more PCIe lanes (64 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 33,213).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 64 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.8 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($1,799 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌284.6% higher power demand at 250W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX better than Core i5-10400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-10400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 58.1% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the better fit. You are getting 305.5% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 433.3% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is 1024.4% more expensive on MSRP at $1,799 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 58.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 358.6% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 17.8 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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 2018). 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.

Core i5-10400F Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	192 FPS	198 FPS
medium	152 FPS	177 FPS
high	123 FPS	143 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	115 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	160 FPS
medium	119 FPS	134 FPS
high	97 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	73 FPS
medium	70 FPS	64 FPS
high	55 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	41 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	326 FPS	536 FPS
medium	318 FPS	483 FPS
high	290 FPS	404 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	473 FPS
medium	292 FPS	424 FPS
high	267 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	295 FPS
medium	258 FPS	265 FPS
high	235 FPS	242 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	213 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	326 FPS	768 FPS
medium	326 FPS	640 FPS
high	326 FPS	577 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	504 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	640 FPS
medium	326 FPS	533 FPS
high	326 FPS	465 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	408 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	469 FPS
medium	326 FPS	377 FPS
high	289 FPS	336 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	280 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
1080p
low	326 FPS	799 FPS
medium	326 FPS	799 FPS
high	326 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	616 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	728 FPS
medium	326 FPS	644 FPS
high	326 FPS	549 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	474 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	522 FPS
medium	326 FPS	473 FPS
high	326 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	362 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

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 Threadripper 2990WX

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 13 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen+ (2018−2019) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 250 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Quad-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 31,945 points. Launch price was $1,799.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — a 2.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX's 31,945 — a 84.1% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 33,213 (120.9% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,206, a 18.6% lead for the Core i5-10400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 7,612 (27.3% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	32 / 64+433%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+2%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	64 MB+433%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Zen+ (2018−2019)
PassMark	13,029	31,945+145%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	33,213+305%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454+21%	1,206
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	7,612+32%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 48 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Socket	LGA1200	TR4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	2048 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	64+300%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX 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 Threadripper 2990WX). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX targets Extreme Content Creation. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX rivals Core i9-9980XE.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Extreme Content Creation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX debuted at $1799. On MSRP ($160 vs $1799), the Core i5-10400F is $1639 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 17.8 pts/$ for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — making the Core i5-10400F the 128.4% better value option.