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

✅Costs $408 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 48.9 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 80W, a 15W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E-2478.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E-2478 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 27,776).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2478, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 20 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Xeon E-2478 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Xeon E-2478

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 20 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 48.9 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($568 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌23.1% higher power demand at 80W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Xeon E-2478

2023

Why buy it

✅Costs $408 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
✅Delivers 66.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 48.9 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $568 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 80W, a 15W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon E-2478.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +21.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 8 cores / 16 threads, plus 20 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on LGA1700 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon E-2478 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 27,776).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E-2478, which brings 8 cores / 16 threads and 20 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Xeon E-2478 moves to LGA1700 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 48.9 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($568 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌23.1% higher power demand at 80W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E-2478 better than Core i5-10400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon E-2478 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 gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E-2478 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 21.3% 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, Xeon E-2478 is the better fit. You are getting 113.2% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon E-2478 is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon E-2478 is 255.0% more expensive on MSRP at $568 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 21.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 66.5% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 48.9 PassMark/$), 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 E-2478 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with LGA1700 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. 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

Xeon E-2478 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	192 FPS	257 FPS
medium	152 FPS	246 FPS
high	123 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	176 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	222 FPS
medium	119 FPS	190 FPS
high	97 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	153 FPS
medium	70 FPS	130 FPS
high	55 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon E-2478

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	326 FPS	616 FPS
medium	318 FPS	522 FPS
high	290 FPS	443 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	533 FPS
medium	292 FPS	467 FPS
high	267 FPS	398 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	342 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	313 FPS
medium	258 FPS	280 FPS
high	235 FPS	267 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	232 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon E-2478

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	326 FPS	646 FPS
medium	326 FPS	529 FPS
high	326 FPS	466 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	588 FPS
medium	326 FPS	489 FPS
high	326 FPS	425 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	369 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	424 FPS
medium	326 FPS	369 FPS
high	289 FPS	335 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	285 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon E-2478

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
1080p
low	326 FPS	694 FPS
medium	326 FPS	694 FPS
high	326 FPS	694 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	652 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	694 FPS
medium	326 FPS	694 FPS
high	326 FPS	608 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	535 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	536 FPS
medium	326 FPS	490 FPS
high	326 FPS	438 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	382 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon E-2478

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Xeon E-2478

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 E-2478

The Xeon E-2478 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 December 2023 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 27,776 points. Launch price was $568.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon E-2478 offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Xeon E-2478 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 5.2 GHz on the Xeon E-2478 — a 18.9% clock advantage for the Xeon E-2478 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon E-2478 uses Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Xeon E-2478's 27,776 — a 72.3% lead for the Xeon E-2478. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Xeon E-2478.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	5.2 GHz+21%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+4%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+700%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Raptor Lake-S (2023−2024)
PassMark	13,029	27,776+113%
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 Xeon E-2478 uses LGA1700 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon E-2478 — the Xeon E-2478 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Xeon E-2478) — the Xeon E-2478 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1700
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Xeon E-2478 targets Server. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon E-2478
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Xeon E-2478 debuted at $568. On MSRP ($160 vs $568), the Core i5-10400F is $408 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 48.9 pts/$ for the Xeon E-2478 — making the Core i5-10400F the 49.9% better value option.