Core i5-10400F vs Core i5-10505

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

✅Better for gaming: +10.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅Delivers 30.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 62.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-10505.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i5-10505

2021

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,009 vs 13,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 62.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-10505

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅Delivers 30.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 62.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-10505.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (12,009 vs 13,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 62.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Core i5-10505?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 10.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 8.5% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 10.0% 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, Core i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 8.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $32 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $192 MSRP, and it gives you a 10.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 30.2% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 62.5 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-10505 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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

Core i5-10505 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
1080p
low	192 FPS	186 FPS
medium	152 FPS	150 FPS
high	123 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	151 FPS
medium	119 FPS	119 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	84 FPS
medium	70 FPS	72 FPS
high	55 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10505

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
1080p
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	318 FPS	273 FPS
high	290 FPS	248 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	214 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	292 FPS	247 FPS
high	267 FPS	226 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	196 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	252 FPS
medium	258 FPS	208 FPS
high	235 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	161 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10505

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
1080p
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	326 FPS	300 FPS
high	326 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	300 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	326 FPS	300 FPS
high	326 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	326 FPS	300 FPS
high	289 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	238 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10505

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
1080p
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	326 FPS	300 FPS
high	326 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	300 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	326 FPS	300 FPS
high	326 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	300 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	300 FPS
medium	326 FPS	300 FPS
high	326 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	300 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10505

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-10505

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.

Core i5-10505

The Core i5-10505 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2021 (4 years ago). It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 12,009 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-10505 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-10505 — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-10505 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-10400F is built on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-10505's 12,009 — a 8.1% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Core i5-10505.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.2 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	—
PassMark	13,029+8%	12,009
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1200 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Core i5-10505). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10505
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i5-10505 debuted at $192. On MSRP ($160 vs $192), the Core i5-10400F is $32 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 62.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-10505 — making the Core i5-10400F the 26.2% better value option.