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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5500.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5500 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 19,311).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.2% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Delivers 49.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 5 5500

2022

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 5 5500.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +36.2% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Delivers 49.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 121.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($159 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 5500 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 19,311).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 121.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 5500 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 5 5500 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 36.2% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 48.2% 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 5500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 36.2% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 5500 is the better fit. You are getting 48.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 5500 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 5500 is $1 cheaper on MSRP at $159 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 36.2% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 49.1% better value on MSRP (121.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-10400F 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 5500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. 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 5500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	192 FPS	181 FPS
medium	152 FPS	150 FPS
high	123 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	97 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	153 FPS
medium	119 FPS	124 FPS
high	97 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	70 FPS
medium	70 FPS	61 FPS
high	55 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	326 FPS	329 FPS
medium	318 FPS	285 FPS
high	290 FPS	254 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	291 FPS
medium	292 FPS	258 FPS
high	267 FPS	233 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	229 FPS
medium	258 FPS	206 FPS
high	235 FPS	189 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	162 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	326 FPS	483 FPS
medium	326 FPS	483 FPS
high	326 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	406 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	483 FPS
medium	326 FPS	411 FPS
high	326 FPS	361 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	340 FPS
medium	326 FPS	285 FPS
high	289 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	192 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
1080p
low	326 FPS	483 FPS
medium	326 FPS	483 FPS
high	326 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	483 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	483 FPS
medium	326 FPS	483 FPS
high	326 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	425 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	448 FPS
medium	326 FPS	404 FPS
high	326 FPS	360 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	308 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 5 5500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 5500

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 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.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 5 5500 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5500 — a 2.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5500 uses Cezanne (2021−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 5 5500's 19,311 — a 38.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 5500. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB on the Ryzen 5 5500.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+2%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Cezanne (2021−2025)
PassMark	13,029	19,311+48%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 5500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 5500) — the Ryzen 5 5500 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series (Ryzen 5 5500).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
Socket	LGA1200	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 5 5500 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 5 5500). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 5 5500 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 5 5500
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5500 debuted at $159. On MSRP ($160 vs $159), the Ryzen 5 5500 is $1 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 121.5 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5500 — making the Ryzen 5 5500 the 39.5% better value option.