Ryzen 5 8400F or Ryzen 7 5700X for an RTX 5060 gaming PC?

The main reason to choose AM5 is the upgrade path, not necessarily the 8400F itself. The 8400F is a fairly limited AM5 option, so a Ryzen 5 7500F would usually make more sense if its total platform cost is reasonable. AM5 lets you replace the CPU later without changing the motherboard and memory, while AM4 is effectively at the end of its upgrade cycle.

For gaming, the 5700X is generally the stronger choice between these two CPUs, but remember that AM4 requires DDR4 and an AM4 motherboard. If you choose it, a Ryzen 5 5600 may offer nearly the same gaming performance for less money. The savings could potentially go toward a faster graphics card, which matters more for many games.

With an RTX 5060, either processor should be workable for 1080p gaming. The best decision depends on whether the AM5 parts fit your budget without sacrificing the graphics card. I’d avoid buying AM5 solely because it is newer; choose it for the future CPU upgrades, and avoid the 8400F if a 7500F or another stronger AM5 chip is available at a similar overall cost.

Compare the complete build prices rather than just the CPU prices. AM5 needs a compatible motherboard and DDR5 memory, which can make the 8400F build considerably more expensive. If you truly expect to use the PC unchanged for four or five years, the 5700X can be a sensible budget option. If you might upgrade the processor in a couple of years, AM5 is the safer long-term platform.