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 $32 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11500 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 9,883).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 89.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-11500

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 9.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 750, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
20% HIGHER MSRP
$192 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-11500

2021

Why buy it

✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +23.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 9.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD 750, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11500 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 9,883).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 89.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
20% HIGHER MSRP
$192 MSRPvs$160 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11500 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-11500 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 23.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 20.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 31.2% higher 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 i5-11500 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 23.3% 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 i5-11500 is the better fit. You are getting 20.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-11500 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-11500 is 20.0% more expensive on MSRP at $192 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 23.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 9.3% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), 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 i5-11500 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and 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 i5-11500 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
1080p
low	192 FPS	189 FPS
medium	152 FPS	154 FPS
high	123 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	151 FPS
medium	119 FPS	120 FPS
high	97 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	85 FPS
medium	70 FPS	73 FPS
high	55 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
1080p
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	318 FPS	359 FPS
high	290 FPS	324 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	282 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	400 FPS
medium	292 FPS	324 FPS
high	267 FPS	295 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	257 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	334 FPS
medium	258 FPS	274 FPS
high	235 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	211 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
1080p
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	326 FPS	427 FPS
high	326 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	326 FPS	427 FPS
high	326 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	380 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	326 FPS	346 FPS
high	289 FPS	302 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	238 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
1080p
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	326 FPS	427 FPS
high	326 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	427 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	326 FPS	427 FPS
high	326 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	427 FPS
medium	326 FPS	427 FPS
high	326 FPS	427 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	415 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-11500

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 i5-11500

The Core i5-11500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 17,096 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-11500 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 i5-11500 — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-11500 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-11500 uses Rocket Lake (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-11500's 17,096 — a 27% lead for the Core i5-11500. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 9,883 (18.7% advantage for the Core i5-11500). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,064, a 34.7% lead for the Core i5-11500 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 8,564 (38.8% advantage for the Core i5-11500). Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+7%	2.7 GHz
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)	Rocket Lake (2021)
PassMark	13,029	17,096+31%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	9,883+21%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,064+42%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	8,564+48%

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1200 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Core i5-11500) — the Core i5-11500 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and H510,B560,Z590,H470,Z490 (Core i5-11500).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i5-11500 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11500). The Core i5-11500 includes integrated graphics (UHD 750), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-11500 targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i5-11500 rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD 750
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i5-11500 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 89.0 pts/$ for the Core i5-11500 — making the Core i5-11500 the 8.9% better value option.