Core i3-380M vs Core i5-10400F

The Core i3-380M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-10400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M versus 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F — a 156.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i3-380M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-10400F uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-380M scores 1,212 against the Core i5-10400F's 13,029 — a 166% lead for the Core i5-10400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 450 vs 1,454, a 105.5% lead for the Core i5-10400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,100 vs 5,783 (136.1% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-380M vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F.

The Core i3-380M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-10400F uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Core i3-380M versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F — the Core i5-10400F supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57,QM57 (Core i3-380M) and H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i3-380M) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F). The Core i3-380M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1)), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop, Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320; Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

The Core i3-380M launched at $49 MSRP, while the Core i5-10400F debuted at $160. At current prices ($25 vs $102), the Core i3-380M is $77 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-380M delivers 48.5 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-10400F — making the Core i5-10400F the 90% better value option.