Core i5-10400F vs Steam Deck OLED APU

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: +141.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Steam Deck OLED APU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Steam Deck OLED APU mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Steam Deck OLED APU

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,457 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Steam Deck OLED APU

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +141.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Steam Deck OLED APU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Steam Deck OLED APU mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,457 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Steam Deck OLED APU?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 141.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 192.3% 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 141.6% 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 192.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 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 $160 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 141.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Steam Deck OLED APU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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

Steam Deck OLED APU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	192 FPS	111 FPS
medium	152 FPS	111 FPS
high	123 FPS	107 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	111 FPS
medium	119 FPS	109 FPS
high	97 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	66 FPS
medium	70 FPS	55 FPS
high	55 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	318 FPS	111 FPS
high	290 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	292 FPS	111 FPS
high	267 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	104 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	111 FPS
medium	258 FPS	111 FPS
high	235 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	64 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	326 FPS	111 FPS
high	326 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	326 FPS	111 FPS
high	326 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	326 FPS	111 FPS
high	289 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
1080p
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	326 FPS	111 FPS
high	326 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	326 FPS	111 FPS
high	326 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	111 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	111 FPS
medium	326 FPS	111 FPS
high	326 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	111 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Steam Deck OLED APU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Steam Deck OLED APU

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.

Steam Deck OLED APU

The Steam Deck OLED APU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 9 November 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 6 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,457 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Steam Deck OLED APU offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.5 GHz on the Steam Deck OLED APU — a 20.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Steam Deck OLED APU uses Van Gogh (Custom) (2023) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Steam Deck OLED APU's 4,457 — a 98% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 4 MB on the Steam Deck OLED APU.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Steam Deck OLED APU
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+23%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+21%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+200%	4 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	14 nm	6 nm-57%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Van Gogh (Custom) (2023)
PassMark	13,029+192%	4,457
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Steam Deck OLED APU). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.