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 $2,452 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $2,612 MSRP).
✅Delivers 512.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 13.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $2,612 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon Gold 6238R.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6238R across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 21,433).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 39 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6238R, which brings 28 cores / 56 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Xeon Gold 6238R

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+220.8% larger total L3 cache (39 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 28 cores / 56 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅200% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($2,612 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Xeon Gold 6238R

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,452 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $2,612 MSRP).
✅Delivers 512.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 13.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $2,612 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 165W, a 100W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon Gold 6238R.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+220.8% larger total L3 cache (39 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 28 cores / 56 threads, plus 48 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅200% more PCIe lanes (48 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon Gold 6238R across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 21,433).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 39 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon Gold 6238R, which brings 28 cores / 56 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($2,612 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌153.8% higher power demand at 165W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon Gold 6238R better than Core i5-10400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon Gold 6238R 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 Gold 6238R is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.5% 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 Gold 6238R is the better fit. You are getting 270.6% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 28 cores and 56 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 220.8% larger total L3 cache (39 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon Gold 6238R is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon Gold 6238R is 1532.5% more expensive on MSRP at $2,612 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 512.1% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 13.3 PassMark/$), 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 Gold 6238R is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 220.8% larger total L3 cache (39 MB vs 12 MB), more multi-core headroom with 28 cores / 56 threads instead of 6/12, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. 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 Gold 6238R Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	192 FPS	196 FPS
medium	152 FPS	158 FPS
high	123 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	157 FPS
medium	119 FPS	123 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	72 FPS
medium	70 FPS	60 FPS
high	55 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	38 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon Gold 6238R

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	326 FPS	233 FPS
medium	318 FPS	207 FPS
high	290 FPS	174 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	145 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	200 FPS
medium	292 FPS	180 FPS
high	267 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	123 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	125 FPS
medium	258 FPS	114 FPS
high	235 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	86 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon Gold 6238R

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	326 FPS	869 FPS
medium	326 FPS	869 FPS
high	326 FPS	833 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	753 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	761 FPS
medium	326 FPS	676 FPS
high	326 FPS	635 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	569 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	492 FPS
medium	326 FPS	406 FPS
high	289 FPS	357 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	292 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon Gold 6238R

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
1080p
low	326 FPS	869 FPS
medium	326 FPS	816 FPS
high	326 FPS	703 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	613 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	716 FPS
medium	326 FPS	628 FPS
high	326 FPS	539 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	466 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	521 FPS
medium	326 FPS	465 FPS
high	326 FPS	408 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	351 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon Gold 6238R

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Xeon Gold 6238R

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 Gold 6238R

The Xeon Gold 6238R is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Cascade Lake (2019−2020) architecture. It features 28 cores and 56 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 38.5 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA3647. Thermal design power (TDP): 165 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 34,751 points. Launch price was $2,612.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon Gold 6238R offers 28 cores / 56 threads — the Xeon Gold 6238R has 22 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4 GHz on the Xeon Gold 6238R — a 7.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon Gold 6238R uses Cascade Lake (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Xeon Gold 6238R's 34,751 — a 90.9% lead for the Xeon Gold 6238R. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 21,433 (115% advantage for the Xeon Gold 6238R). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 38.5 MB on the Xeon Gold 6238R.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	28 / 56+367%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+7%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+32%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	38.5 MB+221%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	28 MB+11100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Cascade Lake (2019−2020)
PassMark	13,029	34,751+167%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	21,433+271%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Xeon Gold 6238R uses LGA3647 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 196.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 6 (Xeon Gold 6238R). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 48 (Xeon Gold 6238R) — the Xeon Gold 6238R offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and C621,C622,C624,C627,C628 (Xeon Gold 6238R).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
Socket	LGA1200	LGA3647
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	1 TB+700%
RAM Channels	2	6+200%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	48+200%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon Gold 6238R supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Xeon Gold 6238R). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Xeon Gold 6238R targets Server. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Xeon Gold 6238R rivals Xeon Gold 6248R.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon Gold 6238R
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Xeon Gold 6238R debuted at $2612. On MSRP ($160 vs $2612), the Core i5-10400F is $2452 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 13.3 pts/$ for the Xeon Gold 6238R — making the Core i5-10400F the 143.8% better value option.