Recently nosotros compared AMD'due south Ryzen v 3600 to loftier-finish flagship CPUs such equally the Core i9-10900K and Ryzen ix 3950X and in a wide range of games using the Radeon RX 6800 GPU and institute there's little operation difference at 1440p, so the budget Ryzen part did very well.

In this article, nosotros'll be checking out Intel's Core i5-10400F, a direct competitor to the Ryzen 3600. The more than affordable 10400F variant is essentially the aforementioned processor nosotros reviewed last yr, but drops the integrated graphics. Once once more, the thought is to see how this processor performs when paired with a latest-generation high-terminate GPU.

Every bit nosotros noted in the Ryzen test, the R5 3600 isn't as inexpensive as it used to for those looking to build a new PC in early 2022. The CPU is now 18 months old, released at $200 back in mid 2022. Final year nosotros saw it selling for equally little as $150, but today it's dorsum up at $200 and sometimes fifty-fifty a lilliputian college.

Meanwhile, Intel is selling the Core i5-10400F for just $166, an interesting office reversal from what we observed months ago. Dorsum and so Intel Z490 motherboards were quite costly, while decent AMD B450 boards were relatively inexpensive, making the Ryzen 5 part the better overall deal. In fact, our i5-10400 review conclusion said...

"As for what the immediate future holds, we'd bet the Ryzen 5 3600 volition go on selling for $175 or even less, with rumors of a boosted 3600XT coming soon. For Intel to compete in terms of value, it will need to driblet the i5-10400 down to ~$150 and of course upcoming Intel B460 boards will take to show their worth likewise. Opening upward retentivity overclocking would certainly assistance Intel'south instance besides, this is something they absolutely need to do at this bespeak."

Essentially we said, the Intel CPU needs to be cheaper and guess what, today it's about 17% less expensive. There's a lot more than to this comparing and we'll discuss all the pros and cons towards the terminate of the commodity, only for at present let'due south run across how the 10400F handles the RX 6800 and how that performance compares to the R5 3600 along with loftier-end parts such every bit the 10900K.

We're going to look at performance in 21 games running at 1080p, 1440p and 4K using 32GB of DDR4-3200 CL14 memory. We're aware that on more than affordable B serial boards the 10400F volition be limited to DDR4-2666, merely for the sake of this comparison nosotros wanted to proceed the test hardware as apples to apples as possible.

Delight annotation for DDR4-3200 or faster you will require a Z490 motherboard. Previously we've found upward to a 10% performance increase when using DDR4-3200 over 2666 with Intel CPUs, though on average the performance uplift is less than that. So with that in mind, let'due south jump into the benchmark graphs…

Benchmarks

Starting with Godfall, we find that the 10400F is up to xv% faster than the R5 3600 at 1080p when comparing the average frame rate, though only iv% faster when comparing ane% low data.

The margin is reduced slightly at 1440p, here the 10400F was 12% faster, delivering 10900K-like performance under these more than GPU express conditions.

Then at 4K we're looking at identical functioning beyond the lath.

Next up we have Watch Dogs: Legion and hither the 10400F is roughly on par with the R5 3600 and just nine% slower than the 10900K at 1080p, while it was able to match it at 1440p and 4K.

Under realistic gaming conditions, which would come across you lot playing at 1440p or higher, the 10400F is able to become the most out of the RX 6800.

Performance in Dirt 5 is similar between the 10400F and 3600, both delivering similar performance to the flagship CPUs at 1080p and so identical performance at 1440p and 4K.

The 10400F besides delivered comparable boilerplate frame charge per unit operation in Assassin's Creed Valhalla though with a hit to 1% depression functioning, only the game nevertheless appeared to run smoothly. It is a footling apropos to encounter a xiii% reduction in 1% low performance at 1440p when compared to the Ryzen 5 3600.

The Core i5-10400F performed very well in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, delivering comparable functioning to the R5 3600 and while that meant the ane% low performance was well downwards on the 10900K at 1080p, performance was compatible at 1440p.

The 10400F performs well in Cyberpunk 2077, delivering operation near to that of the 10900K, even at 1080p, though then did the R5 3600.

Nonetheless, the 10400F was slightly better at 1080p and 1440p and while you won't discover the divergence, it was faster.

For those seeking maximum performance at 1080p, the 10400F falls curt, though I have to question how important the difference between the Core i5 and Ryzen 5 processors are here given we're at over 300 fps. Then at 1440p the performance margins are neutralized and the CPU becomes somewhat irrelevant.

Another title where the 10400F lags backside a picayune at 1080p, but we're talking almost well-nigh 300 fps on average with a 1% depression of almost 200 fps, so again I have to question how much this difference matters to most gamers. We're seeing very little difference at 1440p and no departure at 4K.

Moving on to F1 2022, where nosotros see little difference in operation between all iv test CPUs, the 10400F matched the 3950X at 1080p making it simply 5% faster than the 3600, merely with average frame rates over 200 fps there's little to exist gained with a 5% boost.

The margins at 1440p are about the aforementioned, shrinking ever so slightly so at 4K we're looking at identical results every bit the game becomes entirely GPU limited.

The 10400F is similar to the R5 3600 in Horizon Zero Dawn, making information technology just 6% slower than the 10900K at 1080p and 5% slower at 1440p. For the nearly part you lot're getting close to maxing out the RX 6800 with the Core i5 processor in this title.

Yet another example where the 10400F isn't a great deal slower than the 10900K and is comparable to the R5 3600, this time in Cherry-red Dead Redemption 2.

Moving on to Globe War Z, we run into a slight reduction in performance with the Cadre i5 processor, though it was comparable to the R5 3600, making it 10% slower than the 10900K at 1080p.

Resident Evil 3 isn't at all CPU intensive then operation is similar using all test CPUs. Basically the 10400F is no slower than the 10900K and is therefore able to extract maximum functioning from the RX 6800.

Doom Eternal is not particularly CPU intensive and every bit a issue the 10400F and 3600 are evenly matched, trailing the 10900K by just eight% at 1080p and 6% at 1440p.

The Core i5-10400F scales better in Expiry Stranding than the R5 3600, delivering 18% more functioning at 1080p, a significant performance uplift. That margin is reduced to but ii% at 1440p though.

The 10400F also performs much better than the R5 3600 in Hitman 2 delivering xvi% more than performance at 1080p and up to 14% more at 1440p when comparison the 1% low results.

Unexpectedly the Cadre i5-10400F falls away a lilliputian in War Thunder and this is seen even at 1440p where it was 6% slower than the Ryzen 5 3600, non a terrible upshot just certainly weaker than expected given many of the other games we've already tested.

The 10400F performs well in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, abaft the 10900K by a slim margin. It was also 6% faster than the R5 3600 at 1080p, and then 4% at 1440p.

Frame rates are also similar in PUBG, the 10400F does trail a little at 1080p, particularly when looking at the one% low data, but that divergence is made up one time we become GPU bound at 1440p.

Finally, we take Gears 5 and here the 10400F is similar to the 10900K at 1080p and and so past the time we accomplish 1440p all four CPUs are seen delivering the same kind of performance. So it doesn't affair which of these four CPUs you lot're using in Gears 5 with the RX 6800, performance is going to be much the same.

Performance Summary

That's all 21 games and as expected the Core i5-10400F performed well, delivering similar or slightly better functioning than the Ryzen five 3600. Let'due south at present look at the FPS average to get a improve idea of how they compared beyond this wide range of games.

No real surprises here, the 10400F and 3600 are evenly matched, delivering around the same level of functioning with the RX 6800 at 1080p, 1440p and 4K.

When compared to the 10900K they're ~9% slower at 1080p and just iv% slower at 1440p with no real difference at 4K. The low latency DDR4-3200 dual rank memory is probable helping out the 3600 a flake more than the 10400F, but either way, they're very close overall for gaming.

What We Learned

The Core i5-10400F is a very capable gaming CPU and an first-class value pairing for a high-finish GPU such equally the Radeon RX 6800.

Now, because the 10400 and 3600 were and so evenly matched when we first reviewed the Core i5, we recommended the Ryzen CPU and nosotros did so for a few reasons. Commencement, the 3600 was slightly cheaper which wasn't a huge bargain, but coupled with savings on cheaper B450 motherboards, the Ryzen 5 package was only more than cost constructive.

The Ryzen five 3600 on a B450 or newer motherboard also has a strong upgrade path. You upgrade to an 8, 12 or 16 core Zen ii processor, but at present also there's the option of higher IPC Zen three processors equally well, scaling all the style up to 16 cores on the aforementioned motherboard. The R5 3600 is also typically a bit punchier in applications, and then another plus there.

On the reverse side, the Core i5-10400F requires a Z490 motherboard for maximum functioning as B and H-serial boards volition limit you to DDR4-2666, though realistically that's not a huge deal billow as gaming functioning volition exist the same for the nearly function. Overclocking is also off the table unless you have a Z-series motherboard.

Now, the near affordable Z490 motherboard that we'd bother with is the MSI Z490-A Pro at $160, which is not terrible, only y'all can become a higher quality B550 motherboard such as the MSI B550 Gaming Plus or Asus TUF Gaming B550-Plus for effectually $150. The MSI B550M Bazooka is also dandy value at $130.

Then with the motherboard existence up to $thirty cheaper, you'll end up paying a similar amount for a Ryzen v 3600 on a B550 board as you will the Core i5-10400F on a Z490 motherboard, at least assuming pricing in your region is similar to what nosotros're seeing in the Us at retailers such as Amazon or Newegg.

At the finish of the twenty-four hour period, once you lot factor in the toll of the motherboard both options finish upwardly costing roughly the same. You could relieve more than by getting an Intel B460 board and opting for lower clocked retention, simply you can practise the aforementioned on the Ryzen side by buying an A520 or cheaper B450 motherboard.

Initially nosotros thought the discounted Core i5-10400F would be the better purchase, but subsequently a complete assay it turns out information technology'southward at all-time offering the same level of value as the Ryzen v 3600.

The 3600 benefits from a superior upgrade path, support for PCIe 4.0 and overclocking B and X-series motherboards, so ultimately nosotros recollect it remains the better value choice. We just can't let get that it's no longer bachelor at an attractive discount (run across our price tracker nautical chart for more), but that'south the world we live in correct now.

Given the current pricing, we feel parts similar the Core i5-10400F are certainly a feasible alternative and if availability or pricing of Zen ii CPUs is even worse in your region, then we wouldn't hesitate to snap up the Core i5 as we've seen it's a very capable processor. Sadly, while you tin easily take hold of the 10400F, getting your hands on an RX 6800 graphics carte du jour is close to impossible, let alone getting one at a reasonable cost.

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