Core i5-10400F vs U300

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: +20.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike U300.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while U300 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while U300 moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

U300

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,492 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

U300

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.1% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike U300.

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while U300 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while U300 moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,492 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than U300?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 20.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data and 53.4% 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 20.1% more average FPS across 2 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 53.4% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 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 $160 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 20.1% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

U300 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 FCBGA1744 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

U300 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	U300
1080p
low	192 FPS	182 FPS
medium	152 FPS	145 FPS
high	123 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	150 FPS
medium	119 FPS	118 FPS
high	97 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	84 FPS
medium	70 FPS	72 FPS
high	55 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open U300

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	U300
1080p
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	318 FPS	212 FPS
high	290 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	200 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	292 FPS	212 FPS
high	267 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	177 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	212 FPS
medium	258 FPS	183 FPS
high	235 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	128 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open U300

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	U300
1080p
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	326 FPS	212 FPS
high	326 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	212 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	326 FPS	212 FPS
high	326 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	212 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	326 FPS	212 FPS
high	289 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	168 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open U300

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	U300
1080p
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	326 FPS	212 FPS
high	326 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	212 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	326 FPS	212 FPS
high	326 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	212 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	212 FPS
medium	326 FPS	212 FPS
high	326 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	212 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open U300

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and U300

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.

U300

The U300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2023 (2 years ago). It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 8,492 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the U300 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.4 GHz on the U300 — a 2.3% clock advantage for the U300. The Core i5-10400F is built on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the U300's 8,492 — a 42.2% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the U300.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	U300
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+20%	5 / 6
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.4 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	—
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	—
PassMark	13,029+53%	8,492
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the U300 uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	U300
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1744
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	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (U300). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.