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 i7-14700HX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-14700HX across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 17,358).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-14700HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Core i7-14700HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +41.8% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅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.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-14700HX

2024

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-14700HX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +41.8% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅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.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-14700HX across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 17,358).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 33 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-14700HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-14700HX better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i7-14700HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 41.8% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data, 200.2% better Geekbench multi-core, 185.3% 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 i7-14700HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 41.8% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-14700HX is the better fit. You are getting 200.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 20 cores and 28 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-14700HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-14700HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 41.8% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-14700HX 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, 175% larger total L3 cache (33 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 20 cores / 28 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 i7-14700HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-14700HX
1080p
low	192 FPS	315 FPS
medium	152 FPS	307 FPS
high	123 FPS	244 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	204 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	273 FPS
medium	119 FPS	236 FPS
high	97 FPS	175 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	187 FPS
medium	70 FPS	160 FPS
high	55 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-14700HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-14700HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	350 FPS
medium	318 FPS	299 FPS
high	290 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	228 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	304 FPS
medium	292 FPS	270 FPS
high	267 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	196 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	179 FPS
medium	258 FPS	163 FPS
high	235 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	136 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-14700HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-14700HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	647 FPS
medium	326 FPS	529 FPS
high	326 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	590 FPS
medium	326 FPS	490 FPS
high	326 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	433 FPS
medium	326 FPS	373 FPS
high	289 FPS	338 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	289 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-14700HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-14700HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	924 FPS
medium	326 FPS	841 FPS
high	326 FPS	725 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	651 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	778 FPS
medium	326 FPS	694 FPS
high	326 FPS	599 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	528 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	549 FPS
medium	326 FPS	499 FPS
high	326 FPS	445 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	389 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-14700HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-14700HX

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 i7-14700HX

The Core i7-14700HX 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 20 cores and 28 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 33 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 37,173 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-14700HX offers 20 cores / 28 threads — the Core i7-14700HX has 14 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5.4 GHz on the Core i7-14700HX — a 22.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-14700HX (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-14700HX uses Raptor Lake-HX Refresh (2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-14700HX's 37,173 — a 96.2% lead for the Core i7-14700HX. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,871, a 65.5% lead for the Core i7-14700HX that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 17,358 (100% advantage for the Core i7-14700HX). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 33 MB (total) on the Core i7-14700HX.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-14700HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	20 / 28+233%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.4 GHz+26%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+38%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	33 MB (total)+175%
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	37,173+185%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,871+97%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	17,358+200%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-14700HX 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 i7-14700HX — the Core i7-14700HX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-14700HX 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 i7-14700HX) — the Core i7-14700HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Mobile (Core i7-14700HX).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-14700HX
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 i7-14700HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-14700HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-14700HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.