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

✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 18,040).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 115.7 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8700F moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Ryzen 7 8700F

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +90.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 42.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 115.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($270 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
68.8% HIGHER MSRP
$270 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Core i5-10400F

2020

Ryzen 7 8700F

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $110 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +90.4% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 42.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 115.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($270 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on AM5 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 8700F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 18,040).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 115.7 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $270 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Ryzen 7 8700F moves to AM5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
68.8% HIGHER MSRP
$270 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 8700F better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Ryzen 7 8700F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 90.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 120.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 139.8% 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, Ryzen 7 8700F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 90.4% 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 7 8700F is the better fit. You are getting 120.2% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 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 7 8700F is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 8700F is 68.8% more expensive on MSRP at $270 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 90.4% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 42.1% better value on MSRP (115.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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 7 8700F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with AM5 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 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.

Core i5-10400F Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 8700F Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	192 FPS	266 FPS
medium	152 FPS	240 FPS
high	123 FPS	206 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	233 FPS
medium	119 FPS	190 FPS
high	97 FPS	158 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	158 FPS
medium	70 FPS	131 FPS
high	55 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 8700F

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	326 FPS	483 FPS
medium	318 FPS	403 FPS
high	290 FPS	347 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	308 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	423 FPS
medium	292 FPS	374 FPS
high	267 FPS	322 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	273 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	283 FPS
medium	258 FPS	259 FPS
high	235 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	209 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 8700F

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	326 FPS	781 FPS
medium	326 FPS	781 FPS
high	326 FPS	767 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	649 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	766 FPS
medium	326 FPS	629 FPS
high	326 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	463 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	530 FPS
medium	326 FPS	457 FPS
high	289 FPS	402 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	338 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 8700F

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
1080p
low	326 FPS	781 FPS
medium	326 FPS	781 FPS
high	326 FPS	781 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	781 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	781 FPS
medium	326 FPS	781 FPS
high	326 FPS	692 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	602 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	615 FPS
medium	326 FPS	553 FPS
high	326 FPS	495 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	431 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Ryzen 7 8700F

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Ryzen 7 8700F

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 7 8700F

The Ryzen 7 8700F 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 5 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: 31,240 points. Launch price was $270.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 8700F offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 8700F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 8700F — a 15.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 8700F uses Phoenix (2023−2024) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Ryzen 7 8700F's 31,240 — a 82.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 8700F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 18,040 (75.1% advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,649, a 58.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 8700F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 13,500 (80% advantage for the Ryzen 7 8700F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 16 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 8700F.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5 GHz+16%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	4.1 GHz+41%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Phoenix (2023−2024)
PassMark	13,029	31,240+140%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	18,040+120%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,649+82%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	13,500+133%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 8700F uses AM5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 8700F — the Ryzen 7 8700F supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 8700F supports up to 256 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Ryzen 7 8700F) — the Ryzen 7 8700F offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and XB650,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 8700F).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
Socket	LGA1200	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	256 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 8700F has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 8700F supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs AMD-V (Ryzen 7 8700F). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Ryzen 7 8700F targets High-performance Gaming w/ dGPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Ryzen 7 8700F rivals Core i7-14700F.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Ryzen 7 8700F
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	AMD-V
Target Use	Gaming	High-performance Gaming w/ dGPU

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 8700F debuted at $270. On MSRP ($160 vs $270), the Core i5-10400F is $110 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 115.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 8700F — making the Ryzen 7 8700F the 34.8% better value option.