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: +99.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Costs $33 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅Delivers 232.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 24.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌983.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 6W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while N200 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

N200

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 65W, a 59W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,729 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($193 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

N200

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +99.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Costs $33 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅Delivers 232.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 24.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $193 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 65W, a 59W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌983.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 6W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while N200 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,729 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 24.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($193 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than N200?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 99.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 175.5% better PassMark, 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 99.5% more average FPS across 50 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 175.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $33 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $193 MSRP, and it gives you a 99.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 232.3% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 24.5 PassMark/$), 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?

N200 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FCBGA1264 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. 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

N200 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N200
1080p
low	192 FPS	118 FPS
medium	152 FPS	118 FPS
high	123 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	118 FPS
medium	119 FPS	115 FPS
high	97 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	69 FPS
medium	70 FPS	58 FPS
high	55 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N200

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N200
1080p
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	318 FPS	118 FPS
high	290 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	118 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	292 FPS	118 FPS
high	267 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	118 FPS
medium	258 FPS	118 FPS
high	235 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	84 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N200

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N200
1080p
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	326 FPS	118 FPS
high	326 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	118 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	326 FPS	118 FPS
high	326 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	326 FPS	118 FPS
high	289 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	118 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N200

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N200
1080p
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	326 FPS	118 FPS
high	326 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	118 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	326 FPS	118 FPS
high	326 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	118 FPS
medium	326 FPS	118 FPS
high	326 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	118 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N200

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and N200

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.

N200

The N200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 4,729 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the N200 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.7 GHz on the N200 — a 15% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F. The Core i5-10400F is built on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the N200's 4,729 — a 93.5% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 6 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the N200.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	N200
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+16%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	—
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+100%	6 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	—
PassMark	13,029+176%	4,729
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 N200 uses FCBGA1264 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	N200
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1264
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
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 (N200). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	N200
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 N200 debuted at $193. On MSRP ($160 vs $193), the Core i5-10400F is $33 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 24.5 pts/$ for the N200 — making the Core i5-10400F the 107.5% better value option.