Core i5-10400F vs N250

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: +98.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike N250.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while N250 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while N250 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

N250

2025

Why buy it

✅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 (4,773 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

N250

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +98.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike N250.

Why buy it

✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while N250 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while N250 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 (4,773 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than N250?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 98.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 173% 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 98.6% 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 173% 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 at an unclear MSRP at $160 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 98.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

N250 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 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

N250 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N250
1080p
low	192 FPS	119 FPS
medium	152 FPS	119 FPS
high	123 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	119 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 N250

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N250
1080p
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	318 FPS	119 FPS
high	290 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	292 FPS	119 FPS
high	267 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	119 FPS
medium	258 FPS	119 FPS
high	235 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	84 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N250

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N250
1080p
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	326 FPS	119 FPS
high	326 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	326 FPS	119 FPS
high	326 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	326 FPS	119 FPS
high	289 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	119 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N250

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	N250
1080p
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	326 FPS	119 FPS
high	326 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	119 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	326 FPS	119 FPS
high	326 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	119 FPS
medium	326 FPS	119 FPS
high	326 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	119 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open N250

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and N250

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.

N250

The N250 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Memory support: DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800, LPDDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 4,773 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the N250 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 3.8 GHz on the N250 — a 12.3% 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 N250's 4,773 — a 92.8% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 6 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the N250.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	N250
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+13%	3.8 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+173%	4,773
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 N250 uses FCBGA1264 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	N250
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 (N250). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.