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

✅+133.4% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $392 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅Delivers 209.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 26.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-1290TE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-1290TE across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290TE, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Xeon W-1290TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Xeon W-1290TE

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 5 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.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics P630, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (2,478 vs 5,783).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 26.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($552 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Xeon W-1290TE

2020

Why buy it

✅+133.4% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $392 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅Delivers 209.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 26.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $552 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-1290TE.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.1% higher average FPS across 5 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.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics P630, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-1290TE across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 20 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-1290TE, which brings 10 cores / 20 threads.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Xeon W-1290TE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (2,478 vs 5,783).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 26.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($552 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

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

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-1290TE 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, Core i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 133.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Xeon W-1290TE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-1290TE is 245.0% more expensive on MSRP at $552 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 11.1% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i5-10400F is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 133.4% better Geekbench multi-core. Core i5-10400F is also 209.9% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 26.3 PassMark/$), 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 W-1290TE is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

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-1290TE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	192 FPS	163 FPS
medium	152 FPS	144 FPS
high	123 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	138 FPS
medium	119 FPS	118 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	75 FPS
medium	70 FPS	69 FPS
high	55 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	43 FPS

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

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	267 FPS
medium	318 FPS	230 FPS
high	290 FPS	198 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	230 FPS
medium	292 FPS	203 FPS
high	267 FPS	176 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	153 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	143 FPS
medium	258 FPS	126 FPS
high	235 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	104 FPS

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

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	363 FPS
medium	326 FPS	363 FPS
high	326 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	363 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	363 FPS
medium	326 FPS	363 FPS
high	326 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	363 FPS
medium	326 FPS	345 FPS
high	289 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	254 FPS

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

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
1080p
low	326 FPS	363 FPS
medium	326 FPS	363 FPS
high	326 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	363 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	363 FPS
medium	326 FPS	363 FPS
high	326 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	363 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	363 FPS
medium	326 FPS	363 FPS
high	326 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	363 FPS

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

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

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

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-1290TE

The Xeon W-1290TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 13 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,505 points. Launch price was $552.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-1290TE offers 10 cores / 20 threads — the Xeon W-1290TE has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Xeon W-1290TE — a 4.5% clock advantage for the Xeon W-1290TE (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). Both are built on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Xeon W-1290TE's 14,505 — a 10.7% lead for the Xeon W-1290TE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,507, a 53.2% lead for the Xeon W-1290TE that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 2,478 (80% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 20 MB (total) on the Xeon W-1290TE.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 20+67%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.5 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+61%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	20 MB (total)+67%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	13,029	14,505+11%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,507+72%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783+133%	2,478

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the LGA1200 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and W480 (Xeon W-1290TE).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Xeon W-1290TE includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics P630), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Xeon W-1290TE targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-1290TE
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel UHD Graphics P630
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	Workstation

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Xeon W-1290TE debuted at $552. On MSRP ($160 vs $552), the Core i5-10400F is $392 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 26.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-1290TE — making the Core i5-10400F the 102.4% better value option.