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 $386 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $546 MSRP).
✅Delivers 141.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 33.7 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $546 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-1290T.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-1290T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 18,409).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290T, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Xeon W-1290T

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 33.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($546 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Xeon W-1290T

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $386 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $546 MSRP).
✅Delivers 141.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 33.7 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $546 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-1290T.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +20.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 10 cores / 20 threads.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-1290T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 18,409).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290T, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 33.7 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($546 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-1290T better than Core i5-10400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-1290T 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 W-1290T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 20.0% 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, Xeon W-1290T is the better fit. You are getting 41.3% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 20 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon W-1290T is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-1290T is 241.3% more expensive on MSRP at $546 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 20.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 141.5% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 33.7 PassMark/$), 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 W-1290T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 66.7% larger total L3 cache (20 MB vs 12 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 10 cores / 20 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 W-1290T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
1080p
low	192 FPS	183 FPS
medium	152 FPS	149 FPS
high	123 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	100 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	149 FPS
medium	119 FPS	118 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	83 FPS
medium	70 FPS	72 FPS
high	55 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-1290T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
1080p
low	326 FPS	290 FPS
medium	318 FPS	242 FPS
high	290 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	250 FPS
medium	292 FPS	215 FPS
high	267 FPS	185 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	159 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	155 FPS
medium	258 FPS	133 FPS
high	235 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	110 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-1290T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
1080p
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	460 FPS
high	326 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	460 FPS
high	326 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	454 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	456 FPS
high	289 FPS	406 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	339 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-1290T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
1080p
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	460 FPS
high	326 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	460 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	460 FPS
high	326 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	460 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	460 FPS
high	326 FPS	460 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	422 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-1290T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Xeon W-1290T

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 W-1290T

The Xeon W-1290T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 18,409 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-1290T offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon W-1290T has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Xeon W-1290T — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290T (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.9 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 W-1290T's 18,409 — a 34.2% lead for the Xeon W-1290T. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 20 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Xeon W-1290T.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+53%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB Intel® Smart Cache+67%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	—
PassMark	13,029	18,409+41%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1200 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Xeon W-1290T). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290T
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	—
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Xeon W-1290T debuted at $546. On MSRP ($160 vs $546), the Core i5-10400F is $386 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 33.7 pts/$ for the Xeon W-1290T — making the Core i5-10400F the 82.9% better value option.