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: +155.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Delivers 114.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 38.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $128 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Processor N100.

Trade-offs

❌
25% HIGHER MSRP
$160 MSRPvs$128 MSRP
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Processor N100 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Processor N100

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($128 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅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 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,869 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($128 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Processor N100

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +155.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Delivers 114.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 38.0 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $128 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Processor N100.

Why buy it

✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($128 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1264 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌
25% HIGHER MSRP
$160 MSRPvs$128 MSRP
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Processor N100 moves to FCBGA1264 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,869 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 12 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.0 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($128 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Processor N100?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 155.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 167.6% 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 155.1% 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 167.6% 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 25.0% more expensive on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $128 MSRP, and it gives you a 155.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 114.1% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 38.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Processor N100 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

Processor N100 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
1080p
low	192 FPS	122 FPS
medium	152 FPS	122 FPS
high	123 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	84 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	122 FPS
medium	119 FPS	112 FPS
high	97 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	68 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	68 FPS
medium	70 FPS	57 FPS
high	55 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Processor N100

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
1080p
low	326 FPS	107 FPS
medium	318 FPS	92 FPS
high	290 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	66 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	93 FPS
medium	292 FPS	79 FPS
high	267 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	60 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	72 FPS
medium	258 FPS	64 FPS
high	235 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Processor N100

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
1080p
low	326 FPS	122 FPS
medium	326 FPS	122 FPS
high	326 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	122 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	122 FPS
medium	326 FPS	122 FPS
high	326 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	122 FPS
medium	326 FPS	122 FPS
high	289 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	122 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Processor N100

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
1080p
low	326 FPS	122 FPS
medium	326 FPS	122 FPS
high	326 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	122 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	122 FPS
medium	326 FPS	122 FPS
high	326 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	122 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	122 FPS
medium	326 FPS	122 FPS
high	326 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	122 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Processor N100

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Processor N100

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.

Processor N100

The Processor N100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-N (2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 0.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1264. Thermal design power (TDP): + 6 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 4,869 points. Launch price was $128.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Processor N100 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 3.4 GHz on the Processor N100 — a 23.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 0.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Processor N100 uses Alder Lake-N (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Processor N100's 4,869 — a 91.2% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 6 MB (total) on the Processor N100.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+26%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+2800%	0.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+100%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (total)+700%
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Alder Lake-N (2023)
PassMark	13,029+168%	4,869
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 Processor N100 uses FCBGA1264 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1264
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
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 (Processor N100). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Processor N100
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 Processor N100 debuted at $128. On MSRP ($160 vs $128), the Processor N100 is $32 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 38.0 pts/$ for the Processor N100 — making the Core i5-10400F the 72.6% better value option.