Intel Core i3-10105 vs Intel Core i5-9400F Comparison

The Intel Core i5-9400F and Intel Core i3-10105 are both 14 nm desktop parts from Intel, but they target different positions in the lineup. The i5-9400F offers six physical cores without hyperthreading, while the i3-10105 provides four cores with eight threads. The i5 has a larger shared L3 cache (9 MB versus 6 MB), but the i3 runs at higher base and boost clocks (3.70 GHz and 4.40 GHz versus 2.90 GHz and 4.10 GHz). The recorded benchmark data shows the i5-9400F wins 16 of the 19 head-to-head tests, with an average benchmark score of 13041 against 12316 for the i3-10105. The i5 also holds a slightly higher percentile ranking (68th versus 67th). These results indicate that the i5 generally outperforms the i3 in most workloads, though the i3 has a few specific strengths.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i5-9400F dominates the multi-threaded and compute-heavy tests. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5 scores 810 against 708 for the i3, a 14.4% advantage. The same delta appears in Cinebench R20 multicore (3376 versus 2952) and Cinebench R23 multicore (8040 versus 7029). Single-core Cinebench results also favor the i5: R15 singlecore shows 114 versus 99 (15.2% ahead), and R20 and R23 singlecore both show a 14.4% lead (476 versus 416, and 1135 versus 992). Geekbench multicore gives the i5 a larger margin, 5106 versus 4325, an 18.1% difference, while Geekbench singlecore is close at 1344 versus 1319, only 1.9% apart.

The i5’s biggest wins come in Passmark tests. In passmark_find_prime_numbers, the i5 scores 38 versus 20, a 90% advantage. Passmark_physics shows 653 versus 467, a 39.8% lead. Passmark_extended_instructions yields 11684 versus 8648, a 35.1% gap. Passmark_floating_point_math is 22465 versus 17949, a 25.2% difference. Passmark_multithread gives 9455 versus 8241, a 14.7% edge. Even in data compression and encryption, the i5 leads by 3.4% (132877 versus 128464) and 6.6% (2902 versus 2723) respectively. Random string sorting is close, 16298 versus 15899, a 2.5% margin.

The i3-10105 wins three tests. Passmark_integer_math shows 28577 for the i3 against 26155 for the i5, meaning the i5 is 8.5% behind. Passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread both record 2589 for the i3 versus 2428 for the i5, a 6.2% deficit for the i5. These are the only tests where the i3 comes out ahead. The i5’s overall win count of 16 out of 19, combined with its higher average score, makes it the stronger performer in the majority of measured workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400F has 6 cores, while the Intel Core i3-10105 has 4 cores. The i3 compensates with hyperthreading, giving it 8 threads versus 6 for the i5.

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The i3-10105 has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, higher than the i5-9400F’s 4.10 GHz. The i3 also has a higher base clock at 3.70 GHz versus 2.90 GHz.

Q: Which CPU performs better in single-threaded tests?

A: The data is mixed. The i5-9400F wins all Cinebench single-core tests (R15, R20, R23) with a 14.4% to 15.2% margin. However, the i3-10105 wins Passmark single-thread tests, scoring 2589 versus 2428, a 6.2% advantage. Geekbench singlecore is nearly tied, with the i5 ahead by only 1.9%.

Q: Does either CPU include integrated graphics?

A: The i3-10105 includes UHD Graphics 630. The i5-9400F has no integrated graphics, as indicated by the null value in the database.

Q: Which CPU has a larger L3 cache?

A: The i5-9400F has 9 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-10105 has 6 MB. Both have the same per-core L1 (64 KB) and L2 (256 KB) caches.

Q: What is the production status of each CPU?

A: The i5-9400F is marked as end-of-life, while the i3-10105 is active. The i3 also has a launch MSRP of $122, though the i5 has no recorded launch MSRP.

The Verdict

The benchmark data clearly favors the Intel Core i5-9400F for most use cases. It wins 16 of 19 head-to-head tests, including all Cinebench versions, Geekbench multicore, and the majority of Passmark workloads. Its advantages are particularly large in prime number finding (90% ahead), physics (39.8%), extended instructions (35.1%), and floating-point math (25.2%). For users running multi-threaded applications, rendering, or scientific workloads, the i5-9400F is the stronger choice based on the recorded scores.

The i3-10105, however, has its own merits. It wins in integer math and Passmark single-thread tests, and it includes integrated graphics, which the i5 lacks. The i3 also has a higher clock speed and a newer socket (Intel Socket 1200 versus 1151). For a system that requires integrated graphics or relies on the specific workloads where the i3 excels, the i3-10105 could be the better fit. But for overall performance across the measured benchmarks, the i5-9400F is the superior processor.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specifications. The i5-9400F has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the i3-10105 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 2.90 GHz for the i5 and 3.70 GHz for the i3; boost clocks are 4.10 GHz and 4.40 GHz respectively. The i5 uses Intel Socket 1151, the i3 uses Intel Socket 1200. The i5’s architecture is Coffee Lake, the i3’s is Comet Lake. The i5 has 9 MB of shared L3 cache, the i3 has 6 MB. The i5 has no integrated graphics, while the i3 includes UHD Graphics 630. Production status differs: the i5 is end-of-life, the i3 is active. Release dates are 2019-01-07 for the i5 and 2021-03-15 for the i3. The i3 has a launch MSRP of $122; the i5 has no recorded launch MSRP. Both have the same TDP (65 W), memory support (DDR4, dual-channel, 42.7 GB/s bandwidth), PCIe configuration (Gen 3, 16 lanes), and lack ECC support. Neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s 14 nm process node and use the same foundry. The core counts differ: the i5-9400F has six physical cores without hyperthreading, while the i3-10105 has four physical cores with hyperthreading, resulting in eight threads. The L1 and L2 caches are identical per core (64 KB and 256 KB), but the shared L3 cache is larger on the i5 (9 MB versus 6 MB). The i5 is based on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, while the i3 uses Comet Lake, specifically Comet Lake-R. The i5 has no integrated graphics, whereas the i3 includes UHD Graphics 630. The socket difference (1151 versus 1200) reflects the platform generation change. The i5 is end-of-life, while the i3 remains active. These architectural differences explain the benchmark results: the i5’s extra physical cores and larger cache give it an edge in multi-threaded and cache-sensitive workloads, while the i3’s higher clocks and hyperthreading help in certain integer and single-thread tasks.