Core i5-1038NG7 vs Ryzen 5 3400GE

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 i5-1038NG7

2020

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 35W, a 7W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Plus Graphics G7, while Ryzen 5 3400GE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3400GE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,823 vs 8,825).

Ryzen 5 3400GE

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $149 MSRP, while Core i5-1038NG7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌25% higher power demand at 35W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1038NG7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-1038NG7

2020

Ryzen 5 3400GE

2019

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Draws 28W instead of 35W, a 7W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Plus Graphics G7, while Ryzen 5 3400GE needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3400GE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,823 vs 8,825).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $149 MSRP, while Core i5-1038NG7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌25% higher power demand at 35W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1038NG7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3400GE better than Core i5-1038NG7?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3400GE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 12.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 5 3400GE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 12.5% 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 5 3400GE is the better fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3400GE is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 3400GE is at an unclear MSRP at $149 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 12.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (59.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Core i5-1038NG7 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019) and 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB). 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 i5-1038NG7 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 3400GE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1038NG7	Ryzen 5 3400GE
1080p
low	166 FPS	172 FPS
medium	134 FPS	151 FPS
high	106 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	143 FPS
medium	116 FPS	121 FPS
high	90 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	71 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	65 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	46 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-1038NG7 Open Ryzen 5 3400GE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1038NG7	Ryzen 5 3400GE
1080p
low	125 FPS	218 FPS
medium	106 FPS	189 FPS
high	97 FPS	173 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	136 FPS
1440p
low	107 FPS	187 FPS
medium	93 FPS	161 FPS
high	86 FPS	147 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	120 FPS
4K
low	83 FPS	138 FPS
medium	75 FPS	123 FPS
high	63 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	48 FPS	70 FPS

Open Core i5-1038NG7 Open Ryzen 5 3400GE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1038NG7	Ryzen 5 3400GE
1080p
low	221 FPS	221 FPS
medium	221 FPS	221 FPS
high	221 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	221 FPS
medium	221 FPS	221 FPS
high	221 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	221 FPS
4K
low	221 FPS	221 FPS
medium	221 FPS	221 FPS
high	221 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i5-1038NG7 Open Ryzen 5 3400GE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1038NG7	Ryzen 5 3400GE
1080p
low	221 FPS	221 FPS
medium	221 FPS	221 FPS
high	221 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	221 FPS	221 FPS
medium	221 FPS	221 FPS
high	221 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	221 FPS
4K
low	221 FPS	221 FPS
medium	221 FPS	221 FPS
high	221 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i5-1038NG7 Open Ryzen 5 3400GE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1038NG7 and Ryzen 5 3400GE

Core i5-1038NG7

The Core i5-1038NG7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Ice Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1344. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200, LPDDR4-3733. Passmark benchmark score: 8,823 points. Launch price was $320.

Ryzen 5 3400GE

The Ryzen 5 3400GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 8,825 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-1038NG7 and Ryzen 5 3400GE share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-1038NG7 versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3400GE — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3400GE (base: 2 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i5-1038NG7 uses the Ice Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture (10 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3400GE uses Picasso (2019−2022) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1038NG7 scores 8,823 against the Ryzen 5 3400GE's 8,825 — a 0% lead for the Ryzen 5 3400GE. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-1038NG7 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3400GE.

Feature	Core i5-1038NG7	Ryzen 5 3400GE
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.3 GHz+65%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+50%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	10 nm-17%	12 nm
Architecture	Ice Lake-U (2019−2020)	Picasso (2019−2022)
PassMark	8,823	8,825
Geekbench 6 Single	1,250	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1038NG7 uses the FCBGA1344 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3400GE uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-1038NG7	Ryzen 5 3400GE
Socket	FCBGA1344	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR4-3733	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1038NG7) / not specified (Ryzen 5 3400GE). The Core i5-1038NG7 includes integrated graphics (Iris Plus Graphics G7), while the Ryzen 5 3400GE requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1038NG7 targets Premium Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1038NG7 rivals Ryzen 7 4800U.