Cyberpunk 2077 does not leverage simultaneous multi-threading (SMT) on AMD Ryzen processors, according to multiple technical reviews of the game that tested it with various processors. The game does leverage the analogous HyperThreading feature on rival Intel Core processors. While this doesn't adversely affect performance of higher core-count Ryzen chips, such as the 16-core Ryzen 9 5950X or to a lesser extent the 12-core 5900X, lower core-count variants such as the 6-core 5600X take a definite performance hit, with PCGH reporting that a Ryzen 5 5600X is now matched by a Core i5-10400F, as the game is able to take advantage of HyperThreading and deal with 12 logical processors on the Intel chip, while ignoring SMT on the AMD one.

CD Projekt RED may have bigger problems on its hands than performance optimization for a PC processor, such as the game being riddled with glaring performance issues on consoles; but in the meantime, the PC enthusiast community swung to action with a fix. Authored by chaosxk on Reddit, it involves manually editing the executable binaries of the game using a Hex Editor, which tricks the game into using logical processors as cores. This fix has been found to improve frame-rates on AMD Ryzen machines. Before attempting the hex edit, make sure you back up your original executables. The screenshot below provides a before & after-patch view of Cyberpunk 2077 loading a Ryzen 9 5950X. You can learn more about this fix, and a step-by-step guide here.Update 08:28 UTC: We have some technical details on what's happening.

Intel's upcoming Core i5-10400 processor, priced at USD $184, with an iGPU-devoid i5-10400F variant priced at $157, could be a serious mid-range price-performance package, building on the popularity of its predecessors, the i5-9400F and the i5-8400. The new chip is 6-core/12-thread, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache, or a similar die configuration to the 8th generation Core i7 series. The chip has the same 2.90 GHz nominal clock as the i5-9400, but increases the max Turbo Boost frequency by 200 MHz to 4.30 GHz.

A PC enthusiast on ChipHell, with access to an i5-10400, tested it on an MSI MAG Z490 Tomahawk motherboard, and compared its performance with the i5-9400F. Among the strictly-synthetic tests are Cinebench R15 and R20, various forms of CPU-Z bench, and SuperPi. The processor posts a tiny 2-5% performance gain in single-threaded tests that scale perfectly with its 4.8% higher max boost frequency (4.30 GHz vs. 4.10 GHz on the i5-9400F). It's the multi-threaded tests where the i5-10400 comes alive, thanks to HyperThreading. It posts massive 35-45% performance gains with CPU-Z bench multi-threaded; a 41.85% gain with Cinebench R20 nT, and 45.05% gain with Cinebench R15 nT. This would bring the i5-10400 within 10-15% of the Ryzen 5 3600X in multi-threaded Cinebench tests.

Benchmarks for one of the recently announced 10th generation Intel Core chips have been leaked early by Chinese review channel Bilibili as reported by @Momomo_US. The mid-range Intel Core i5-10400 is a new 6 core/12 thread CPU with a base clock of 2.9 GHz and a max all core boost of 4.0 GHz with a recommended customer price of $182. The Core i5-10400 was put up against the current-gen Core i5-9400F and Core i7-9700F in a variety of games by Bilibili with the i5-10400 matching or beating the i7-9700F in most tests.

The Intel Core i7-9700F is an 8 core/8 thread CPU that was released in 2019 with a recommended customer price of $310 which it still retails for today. To see the i5-10400 match the i7-9700F is significant news for gamers as Intel is forced to lower prices and increase performance as the threat of Ryzen 3000 looms. The CPU was tested in Grand Theft Auto V and Assassins Creed Odyssey at 1080p where the i5-10400 came ahead in Assassins Creed Odyssey and just behind the i7-9700F in Grand Theft Auto V. The full results can be viewed below.

Intel launched its 10th generation Core desktop processor family last week, with the announcement of a staggering 22 SKUs (32 if you count energy-efficient T-SKUs). This got us wondering if some of the deliciously-priced SKUs such as the $157 6-core/12-thread Core i5-10400F would be available in the first wave. Turns out, it might not.

Apparently, Intel has a split launch schedule for these processors, but in the very first wave, only the unlocked K-SKUs will be available in the market. These would include the 6-core/12-thread Core i5-10600K at $262 (1k-unit tray pricing), the 8-core/16-thread Core i7-10700K at $374, and the flagship 10-core/20-thread Core i9-10900K at $488). The three SKUs will be available in markets within May 2020.

Update May 4th: Intel confirmed that the KF-SKUs will also be part of the first wave.

Here are two of the first pictures of Intel's upcoming Core i5-10400 processor, based on the company's 10th generation, 14 nm "Comet Lake-S" silicon. With its 10th generation, Intel is looking to bolster its Core i5 desktop processor series by introducing HyperThreading and increased L3 cache to existing price-points. The i5-10400 is hence a 6-core/12-thread processor with 12 MB of shared L3 cache at its disposal, compared to 9th and 8th generation Core i5 desktop chips being 6-core/6-thread with 9 MB of L3 cache.

The Core i5-10400 succeeds the popular Core i5-9400/F and its equally popular predecessor, the i5-8400. The iGPU-devoid i5-9400F in particular owed its popularity to Intel pricing it $15-20 less than the standard i5-9400. The upcoming i5-10400 is expected to be priced under the $200 mark, with the i5-10400F being similarly discounted. Both chips feature identical CPU specs: 2.90 GHz nominal clock speeds, up to 4.30 GHz maximum Turbo Boost, and 4.00 GHz all-core Turbo Boost. As the chip lacks an unlocked multiplier, its TDP is reportedly rated at 65 W. The chip will compete with AMD's Ryzen 5 3600 for sub-$200 supremacy. The 10th generation Core desktop processor family is built in the new LGA1200 package, and launches alongside the new Intel 400-series chipset, in April.