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 $61 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14400.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14400 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 25,329).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 114.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-14400 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Core i5-14400

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +50.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 40.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($221 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
38.1% HIGHER MSRP
$221 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-14400

2024

Why buy it

✅Costs $61 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14400.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +50.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Delivers 40.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 114.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($221 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14400 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 25,329).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 81.4 vs 114.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $221 MSRP).
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-14400 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌
38.1% HIGHER MSRP
$221 MSRPvs$160 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-14400 better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-14400 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 50.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 94.4% 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 i5-14400 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 50.6% 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 i5-14400 is the better fit. You are getting 94.4% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i5-14400 is the smarter buy today. Core i5-14400 is 38.1% more expensive on MSRP at $221 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 50.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 40.7% better value on MSRP (114.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Core i5-10400F can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Core i5-14400 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i5-14400 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
1080p
low	192 FPS	170 FPS
medium	152 FPS	154 FPS
high	123 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	145 FPS
medium	119 FPS	126 FPS
high	97 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	85 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	82 FPS
medium	70 FPS	76 FPS
high	55 FPS	61 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	47 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14400

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
1080p
low	326 FPS	548 FPS
medium	318 FPS	466 FPS
high	290 FPS	390 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	354 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	457 FPS
medium	292 FPS	402 FPS
high	267 FPS	345 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	299 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	275 FPS
medium	258 FPS	244 FPS
high	235 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	202 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14400

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
1080p
low	326 FPS	633 FPS
medium	326 FPS	610 FPS
high	326 FPS	540 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	633 FPS
medium	326 FPS	548 FPS
high	326 FPS	479 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	411 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	494 FPS
medium	326 FPS	412 FPS
high	289 FPS	370 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	311 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14400

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
1080p
low	326 FPS	633 FPS
medium	326 FPS	633 FPS
high	326 FPS	633 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	596 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	633 FPS
medium	326 FPS	633 FPS
high	326 FPS	565 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	515 FPS
medium	326 FPS	471 FPS
high	326 FPS	418 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	363 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14400

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-14400

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 i5-14400

The Core i5-14400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 25,329 points. Launch price was $221.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-14400 offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-14400 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i5-14400 — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-14400 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-14400 uses Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-14400's 25,329 — a 64.1% lead for the Core i5-14400. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Core i5-14400.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+16%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	13,029	25,329+94%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-14400 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
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 i5-14400). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14400
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 i5-14400 debuted at $221. On MSRP ($160 vs $221), the Core i5-10400F is $61 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 114.6 pts/$ for the Core i5-14400 — making the Core i5-14400 the 33.8% better value option.