Core i5-10400F vs Core i5-10600

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

✅Costs $84 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $244 MSRP).
✅Delivers 46.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 55.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $244 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-10600.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10600 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 13,573).

Core i5-10600

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 55.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($244 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-10600

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $84 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $244 MSRP).
✅Delivers 46.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 55.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $244 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-10600.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.0% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10600 across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 13,573).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 55.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($244 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10600 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-10600 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 9.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 4.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-10600 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.0% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10600 is the better fit. You are getting 4.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-10600 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-10600 is 52.5% more expensive on MSRP at $244 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.0% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 46.4% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 55.6 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i5-10600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-10600 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
1080p
low	192 FPS	292 FPS
medium	152 FPS	258 FPS
high	123 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	240 FPS
medium	119 FPS	191 FPS
high	97 FPS	156 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	138 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	166 FPS
medium	70 FPS	135 FPS
high	55 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	91 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10600

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
1080p
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	318 FPS	339 FPS
high	290 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	292 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	292 FPS	326 FPS
high	267 FPS	298 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	259 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	337 FPS
medium	258 FPS	276 FPS
high	235 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	212 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10600

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
1080p
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	326 FPS	339 FPS
high	326 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	339 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	326 FPS	339 FPS
high	326 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	339 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	326 FPS	339 FPS
high	289 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	295 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10600

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
1080p
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	326 FPS	339 FPS
high	326 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	339 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	326 FPS	339 FPS
high	326 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	339 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	339 FPS
medium	326 FPS	339 FPS
high	326 FPS	339 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	339 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-10600

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-10600

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 i5-10600

The Core i5-10600 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 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 13,573 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-10600 share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-10600 — a 11% clock advantage for the Core i5-10600 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). Both are built on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-10600's 13,573 — a 4.1% lead for the Core i5-10600. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.8 GHz+12%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.3 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	13,029	13,573+4%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1200 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Core i5-10600). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-10600
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

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Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i5-10600 debuted at $244. On MSRP ($160 vs $244), the Core i5-10400F is $84 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 55.6 pts/$ for the Core i5-10600 — making the Core i5-10400F the 37.7% better value option.