Core i5-10400F vs Ryzen 5 3500U

CPU

GPU

Core i5-10400F

6 Cores12 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2020

Popular choices:

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Ryzen 5 3500U

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2019

Popular choices:

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Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-10400F

6 / 12

13,029

+90.6%

6,836

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

About PassMark

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

✅Better for gaming: +94.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 3500U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Ryzen 5 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (3,545 vs 8,191).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 3500U

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +94.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 3500U.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 8, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3500U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Ryzen 5 3500U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (3,545 vs 8,191).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Ryzen 5 3500U?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 94.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 131.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 90.6% 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, Core i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 94.0% 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, Core i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 131.1% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is at an unclear MSRP at $160 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 94.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-10400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019), 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 5 3500U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	192 FPS	169 FPS
medium	152 FPS	149 FPS
high	123 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	142 FPS
medium	119 FPS	121 FPS
high	97 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	67 FPS
medium	70 FPS	61 FPS
high	55 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 3500U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	326 FPS	120 FPS
medium	318 FPS	105 FPS
high	290 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	78 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	103 FPS
medium	292 FPS	90 FPS
high	267 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	77 FPS
medium	258 FPS	69 FPS
high	235 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	42 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 3500U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	326 FPS	171 FPS
medium	326 FPS	171 FPS
high	326 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	171 FPS
medium	326 FPS	171 FPS
high	326 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	171 FPS
medium	326 FPS	171 FPS
high	289 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 3500U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	326 FPS	171 FPS
medium	326 FPS	171 FPS
high	326 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	171 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	171 FPS
medium	326 FPS	171 FPS
high	326 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	171 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	171 FPS
medium	326 FPS	171 FPS
high	326 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	171 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 3500U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 3500U

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 5 3500U

The Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,836 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3500U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3500U — a 15% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3500U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 3500U's 6,836 — a 62.4% lead for the Core i5-10400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 3,545 (79.2% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 876, a 49.6% lead for the Core i5-10400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 1,898 (101.2% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3500U.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 3500U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+16%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+38%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+200%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	12 nm-14%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	13,029+91%	6,836
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191+131%	3,545
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454+66%	876
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783+205%	1,898

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3500U uses FP5 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 12 (Ryzen 5 3500U) — the Core i5-10400F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Mobile (Ryzen 5 3500U).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 3500U
Socket	LGA1200	FP5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 5 3500U). The Ryzen 5 3500U includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 8), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 3500U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 5 3500U rivals Core i5-10210U.