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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14500HX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14500HX across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 13,150).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-14500HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-14500HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.

Core i5-14500HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +51.1% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-14500HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-14500HX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +51.1% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-14500HX across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 13,150).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-14500HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i5-14500HX moves to FCBGA1964 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-14500HX better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-14500HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 51.1% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 127.4% better Geekbench multi-core, 117.8% 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 i5-14500HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 51.1% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14500HX is the better fit. You are getting 127.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i5-14500HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-14500HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 51.1% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-14500HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2024 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1964 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 14 cores / 20 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 i5-14500HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14500HX
1080p
low	192 FPS	259 FPS
medium	152 FPS	249 FPS
high	123 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	177 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	221 FPS
medium	119 FPS	190 FPS
high	97 FPS	151 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	132 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	152 FPS
medium	70 FPS	130 FPS
high	55 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14500HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14500HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	557 FPS
medium	318 FPS	472 FPS
high	290 FPS	400 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	369 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	458 FPS
medium	292 FPS	403 FPS
high	267 FPS	350 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	306 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	281 FPS
medium	258 FPS	248 FPS
high	235 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	208 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14500HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14500HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	647 FPS
medium	326 FPS	527 FPS
high	326 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	590 FPS
medium	326 FPS	485 FPS
high	326 FPS	424 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	433 FPS
medium	326 FPS	372 FPS
high	289 FPS	334 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14500HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14500HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	710 FPS
medium	326 FPS	710 FPS
high	326 FPS	707 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	628 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	710 FPS
medium	326 FPS	682 FPS
high	326 FPS	592 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	515 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	539 FPS
medium	326 FPS	490 FPS
high	326 FPS	437 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	380 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-14500HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-14500HX

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 i5-14500HX

The Core i5-14500HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): + 24 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 28,383 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-14500HX offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i5-14500HX has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i5-14500HX — a 13% clock advantage for the Core i5-14500HX (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-14500HX uses Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-14500HX's 28,383 — a 74.2% lead for the Core i5-14500HX. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,409, a 49.4% lead for the Core i5-14500HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 13,150 (77.8% advantage for the Core i5-14500HX). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i5-14500HX.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14500HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.9 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+12%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024)
PassMark	13,029	28,383+118%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,409+66%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	13,150+127%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-14500HX uses FCBGA1964 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-5600 on the Core i5-14500HX — the Core i5-14500HX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-14500HX supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Core i5-14500HX) — the Core i5-14500HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and HM770 (Core i5-14500HX).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-14500HX
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5600+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	192 GB+50%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i5-14500HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i5-14500HX includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-14500HX targets Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.