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 $1,173 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Delivers 282.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 21.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-2191B.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Xeon W-2191B across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 28,362).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-2191B, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Xeon W-2191B

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 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 21.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($1,333 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Xeon W-2191B

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,173 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Delivers 282.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 21.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $1,333 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 140W, a 75W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon W-2191B.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +22.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 18 cores / 36 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 W-2191B across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 28,362).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon W-2191B, which brings 18 cores / 36 threads and 48 PCIe lanes.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 21.3 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($1,333 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌115.4% higher power demand at 140W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon W-2191B better than Core i5-10400F?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Xeon W-2191B 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-2191B is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 22.0% 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 W-2191B is the better fit. You are getting 117.7% better PassMark, backed by 18 cores and 36 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 106.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Xeon W-2191B is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Xeon W-2191B is 733.1% more expensive on MSRP at $1,333 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 22.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 282.7% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 21.3 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

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

Core i5-10400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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-2191B Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
1080p
low	192 FPS	168 FPS
medium	152 FPS	147 FPS
high	123 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	140 FPS
medium	119 FPS	119 FPS
high	97 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	79 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	74 FPS
medium	70 FPS	67 FPS
high	55 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	41 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-2191B

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
1080p
low	326 FPS	430 FPS
medium	318 FPS	380 FPS
high	290 FPS	331 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	301 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	378 FPS
medium	292 FPS	339 FPS
high	267 FPS	297 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	260 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	247 FPS
medium	258 FPS	220 FPS
high	235 FPS	207 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	181 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-2191B

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
1080p
low	326 FPS	709 FPS
medium	326 FPS	709 FPS
high	326 FPS	709 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	658 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	709 FPS
medium	326 FPS	693 FPS
high	326 FPS	641 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	567 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	511 FPS
medium	326 FPS	426 FPS
high	289 FPS	383 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	318 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-2191B

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
1080p
low	326 FPS	709 FPS
medium	326 FPS	709 FPS
high	326 FPS	709 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	675 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	709 FPS
medium	326 FPS	709 FPS
high	326 FPS	654 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	553 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	615 FPS
medium	326 FPS	549 FPS
high	326 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	407 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Xeon W-2191B

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Xeon W-2191B

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-2191B

The Xeon W-2191B is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 18 cores and 36 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 24.75 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 28,362 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Xeon W-2191B offers 18 cores / 36 threads — the Xeon W-2191B has 12 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.3 GHz on the Xeon W-2191B — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Xeon W-2191B uses Skylake (server) (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Xeon W-2191B's 28,362 — a 74.1% lead for the Xeon W-2191B. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 24.75 MB (total) on the Xeon W-2191B.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	18 / 36+200%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+26%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24.75 MB (total)+106%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)
PassMark	13,029	28,362+118%
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 W-2191B uses LGA2066 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Xeon W-2191B supports up to 512 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-10400F) vs 4 (Xeon W-2191B). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 48 (Xeon W-2191B) — the Xeon W-2191B offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
Socket	LGA1200	LGA2066
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	512 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	48+200%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Xeon W-2191B supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Xeon W-2191B targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Xeon W-2191B
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
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-2191B debuted at $1333. On MSRP ($160 vs $1333), the Core i5-10400F is $1173 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 21.3 pts/$ for the Xeon W-2191B — making the Core i5-10400F the 117.1% better value option.