Core i5-10400F vs Xeon D-1736NT

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

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon D-1736NT.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 17,826).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon D-1736NT, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Xeon D-1736NT mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon D-1736NT

2022

Why buy it

✅+36.8% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Xeon D-1736NT

2022

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon D-1736NT.

Why buy it

✅+36.8% higher PassMark.
✅+25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 17,826).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 15 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon D-1736NT, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Xeon D-1736NT mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon D-1736NT better than Core i5-10400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon D-1736NT makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-10400F is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon D-1736NT is the better fit. You are getting 36.8% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon D-1736NT is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon D-1736NT is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you 36.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-10400F is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.5% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon D-1736NT is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), 25% larger total L3 cache (15 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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

Xeon D-1736NT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon D-1736NT
1080p
low	192 FPS	179 FPS
medium	152 FPS	147 FPS
high	123 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	96 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	145 FPS
medium	119 FPS	116 FPS
high	97 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	68 FPS
medium	70 FPS	58 FPS
high	55 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon D-1736NT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon D-1736NT
1080p
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	318 FPS	243 FPS
high	290 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	168 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	249 FPS
medium	292 FPS	220 FPS
high	267 FPS	194 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	153 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	179 FPS
medium	258 FPS	164 FPS
high	235 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	109 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon D-1736NT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon D-1736NT
1080p
low	326 FPS	446 FPS
medium	326 FPS	446 FPS
high	326 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	446 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	446 FPS
medium	326 FPS	446 FPS
high	326 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	370 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	424 FPS
medium	326 FPS	330 FPS
high	289 FPS	294 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	236 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon D-1736NT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon D-1736NT
1080p
low	326 FPS	446 FPS
medium	326 FPS	446 FPS
high	326 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	446 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	446 FPS
medium	326 FPS	446 FPS
high	326 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	443 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	446 FPS
medium	326 FPS	417 FPS
high	326 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	326 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon D-1736NT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Xeon D-1736NT

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.

Xeon D-1736NT

The Xeon D-1736NT is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA2227. Thermal design power (TDP): 67 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 17,826 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon D-1736NT offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon D-1736NT has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon D-1736NT — a 20.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-10400F is built on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Xeon D-1736NT's 17,826 — a 31.1% lead for the Xeon D-1736NT. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 15 MB on the Xeon D-1736NT.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon D-1736NT
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+23%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+7%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	15 MB+25%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	—
PassMark	13,029	17,826+37%
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 Xeon D-1736NT uses FCBGA2227 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon D-1736NT
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA2227
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 (Xeon D-1736NT). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.