M3 Pro 11-Core vs Ryzen 5 8400F

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.

M3 Pro 11-Core

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Ryzen 5 8400F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,554 vs 24,861).
❌Launch MSRP is still $303 MSRP, while M3 Pro 11-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

M3 Pro 11-Core

2023

Ryzen 5 8400F

2024

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 8400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (24,554 vs 24,861).
❌Launch MSRP is still $303 MSRP, while M3 Pro 11-Core mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 8400F better than M3 Pro 11-Core?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 8400F is ahead with a 11.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, M3 Pro 11-Core pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M3 Pro 11-Core is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 11 cores and 11 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 8400F is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 5 8400F is at an unclear MSRP at $303 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 11.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that M3 Pro 11-Core is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.3% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 none + DDR5 setup, M3 Pro 11-Core 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 2023). 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.

M3 Pro 11-Core Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 8400F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M3 Pro 11-Core	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	182 FPS	178 FPS
medium	146 FPS	151 FPS
high	119 FPS	123 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	102 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	151 FPS
medium	115 FPS	124 FPS
high	92 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	84 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	81 FPS
medium	56 FPS	72 FPS
high	45 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	45 FPS

Open M3 Pro 11-Core Open Ryzen 5 8400F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M3 Pro 11-Core	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	399 FPS	374 FPS
medium	339 FPS	316 FPS
high	293 FPS	278 FPS
ultra	256 FPS	238 FPS
1440p
low	352 FPS	326 FPS
medium	309 FPS	282 FPS
high	270 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	230 FPS	214 FPS
4K
low	255 FPS	243 FPS
medium	229 FPS	215 FPS
high	210 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	184 FPS	165 FPS

Open M3 Pro 11-Core Open Ryzen 5 8400F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M3 Pro 11-Core	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	622 FPS	614 FPS
medium	622 FPS	614 FPS
high	622 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	593 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	622 FPS	614 FPS
medium	515 FPS	603 FPS
high	458 FPS	522 FPS
ultra	400 FPS	446 FPS
4K
low	452 FPS	492 FPS
medium	356 FPS	431 FPS
high	310 FPS	369 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	303 FPS

Open M3 Pro 11-Core Open Ryzen 5 8400F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M3 Pro 11-Core	Ryzen 5 8400F
1080p
low	622 FPS	614 FPS
medium	622 FPS	614 FPS
high	622 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	621 FPS	614 FPS
1440p
low	622 FPS	614 FPS
medium	622 FPS	614 FPS
high	540 FPS	614 FPS
ultra	469 FPS	601 FPS
4K
low	494 FPS	610 FPS
medium	443 FPS	548 FPS
high	396 FPS	490 FPS
ultra	342 FPS	426 FPS

Open M3 Pro 11-Core Open Ryzen 5 8400F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M3 Pro 11-Core and Ryzen 5 8400F

M3 Pro 11-Core

The M3 Pro 11-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 30 October 2023 (2 years ago). It features 11 cores and 11 threads. Base frequency is 2.748 GHz, with boost up to 4.06 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 24,861 points. Launch price was $299.

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

The M3 Pro 11-Core packs 11 cores / 11 threads, while the Ryzen 5 8400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the M3 Pro 11-Core has 5 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.06 GHz on the M3 Pro 11-Core versus 4.7 GHz on the Ryzen 5 8400F — a 14.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 8400F (base: 2.748 GHz vs 4.2 GHz). The Ryzen 5 8400F is built on the Phoenix (2023−2024) architecture. In PassMark, the M3 Pro 11-Core scores 24,861 against the Ryzen 5 8400F's 24,554 — a 1.2% lead for the M3 Pro 11-Core.

Feature	M3 Pro 11-Core	Ryzen 5 8400F
Cores / Threads	11 / 11+83%	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.06 GHz	4.7 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.748 GHz	4.2 GHz+53%
L3 Cache	—	16 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	1 MB (per core)
Process	3 nm-25%	4 nm
Architecture	—	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	24,861+1%	24,554

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Memory & Platform

The M3 Pro 11-Core uses the none socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 5 8400F uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.