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.

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $144 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
✅Delivers 49.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 81.0 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 24,554).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 8400F moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 8400F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.0 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($303 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Ryzen 5 8400F

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $144 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
✅Delivers 49.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 81.0 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $303 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +17.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of AM4 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (19,311 vs 24,554).
❌Older platform position on AM4 with DDR4, while Ryzen 5 8400F moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.0 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($303 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8400F better than Ryzen 5 5500?

Yes. Ryzen 5 8400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 17.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 27.2% 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 5 8400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 17.8% 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 5 8400F is the better fit. You are getting 27.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 8400F is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 5 5500 makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen 5 8400F is 90.6% more expensive on MSRP at $303 MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and it gives you a 17.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 5500 is also 49.9% better value on MSRP (121.5 vs 81.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, Ryzen 5 5500 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Ryzen 5 8400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2022), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of AM4, and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 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.

Ryzen 5 5500 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 8400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	181 FPS	178 FPS
medium	150 FPS	151 FPS
high	120 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	97 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	151 FPS
medium	124 FPS	124 FPS
high	98 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	81 FPS
medium	61 FPS	72 FPS
high	48 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	38 FPS	45 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 8400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	329 FPS	374 FPS
medium	285 FPS	316 FPS
high	254 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	238 FPS
1440p
low	291 FPS	326 FPS
medium	258 FPS	282 FPS
high	233 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	201 FPS	214 FPS
4K
low	229 FPS	243 FPS
medium	206 FPS	215 FPS
high	189 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	162 FPS	165 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 8400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	483 FPS	614 FPS
medium	483 FPS	614 FPS
high	483 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	406 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	614 FPS
medium	411 FPS	603 FPS
high	361 FPS	522 FPS
ultra	300 FPS	446 FPS
4K
low	340 FPS	492 FPS
medium	285 FPS	431 FPS
high	248 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	303 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 8400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	483 FPS	614 FPS
medium	483 FPS	614 FPS
high	483 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	483 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	483 FPS	614 FPS
medium	483 FPS	614 FPS
high	483 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	425 FPS	601 FPS
4K
low	448 FPS	610 FPS
medium	404 FPS	548 FPS
high	360 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	308 FPS	426 FPS

Open Ryzen 5 5500 Open Ryzen 5 8400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 5 5500 and Ryzen 5 8400F

Ryzen 5 5500

The Ryzen 5 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 19,311 points. Launch price was $159.

Ryzen 5 8400F

The Ryzen 5 8400F is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 April 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 4.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,554 points. Launch price was $170.

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Processing Power

Both the Ryzen 5 5500 and Ryzen 5 8400F share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500 versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8400F — a 11.2% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8400F (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 5500 uses the Cezanne (2021−2025) architecture (7 nm), while the Ryzen 5 8400F uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 5 5500 scores 19,311 against the Ryzen 5 8400F's 24,554 — a 23.9% lead for the Ryzen 5 8400F. L3 cache: 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500 vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 8400F.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.7 GHz+12%
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4.2 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	16 MB	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	7 nm	4 nm-43%
Architecture	Cezanne (2021−2025)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	19,311	24,554+27%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 5 5500 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 8400F uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
Socket	AM4	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	24	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5500) / not specified (Ryzen 5 8400F). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5500 targets Desktop.

Feature	Ryzen 5 5500	Ryzen 5 8400F
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 5 5500 launched at $159 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 8400F debuted at $303. On MSRP ($159 vs $303), the Ryzen 5 5500 is $144 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 5 5500 delivers 121.5 pts/$ vs 81.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 8400F — making the Ryzen 5 5500 the 39.9% better value option.