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

✅Better for gaming: +57.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $423 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $583 MSRP).
✅Delivers 478.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 14.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $583 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-3930K.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i7-3930K

2011

Why buy it

✅150% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,204 vs 13,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($583 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-3930K

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +57.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $423 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $583 MSRP).
✅Delivers 478.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 14.1 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $583 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-3930K.

Why buy it

✅150% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,204 vs 13,029).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.1 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($583 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Core i7-3930K?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 57.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 58.8% 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 i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 57.0% 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 i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 58.8% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $423 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $583 MSRP, and it gives you a 57.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 478.7% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 14.1 PassMark/$), 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 i5-10400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2011) 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 i7-3930K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	192 FPS	162 FPS
medium	152 FPS	139 FPS
high	123 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	136 FPS
medium	119 FPS	115 FPS
high	97 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	62 FPS
medium	70 FPS	56 FPS
high	55 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-3930K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	318 FPS	186 FPS
high	290 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	189 FPS
medium	292 FPS	164 FPS
high	267 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	127 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	163 FPS
medium	258 FPS	143 FPS
high	235 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	94 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-3930K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	326 FPS	205 FPS
high	326 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	326 FPS	205 FPS
high	326 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	205 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	326 FPS	205 FPS
high	289 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	205 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-3930K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	326 FPS	205 FPS
high	326 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	326 FPS	205 FPS
high	326 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	205 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	205 FPS
medium	326 FPS	205 FPS
high	326 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	205 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-3930K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-3930K

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 i7-3930K

The Core i7-3930K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,204 points. Launch price was $611.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i7-3930K share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-3930K — a 12.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-3930K uses Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-3930K's 8,204 — a 45.4% lead for the Core i5-10400F. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 731, a 66.2% lead for the Core i5-10400F that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+13%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.2 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013)
PassMark	13,029+59%	8,204
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454+99%	731
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-3930K uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR3-1600 on the Core i7-3930K — the Core i5-10400F supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 4 (Core i7-3930K). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 40 (Core i7-3930K) — the Core i7-3930K offers 24 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and X79 (Core i7-3930K).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
Socket	LGA1200	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666+33%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	40+150%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-3930K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3930K). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i7-3930K targets HEDT Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i7-3930K rivals FX-8350.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-3930K
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	HEDT Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i7-3930K debuted at $583. On MSRP ($160 vs $583), the Core i5-10400F is $423 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 14.1 pts/$ for the Core i7-3930K — making the Core i5-10400F the 141.1% better value option.