Intel Core i5-10400

The Intel Core i5-10400 is a 6-core, 12-thread desktop processor in the Core 10th Gen series, built on the Comet Lake architecture and manufactured by Intel on a 14 nm process node. It uses Intel Socket 1200, carries a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz, and includes UHD Graphics 630. Released on 2020-04-29, the chip remains in active production. In aggregate benchmarks it reaches an average score of 15144, which puts it at the 74th percentile of all CPUs in the database.

Benchmark Performance

Benchmark results indicate an average score of 15144. The nearest rivals cluster tightly around that figure: the AMD EPYC 7702P scores 15130, the Intel Core i3-1315U scores 15059, the AMD EPYC 74F3 scores 14915, and the Intel Core i7-9750H scores 14877. The corresponding deltaPct values are 0.1%, 0.6%, 1.5%, and 1.8%. The Core i5-10400 leads all four rivals, but the largest lead is 1.8%. In practical terms, the aggregate score does not separate the chip from the closest competitor, the EPYC 7702P, by a meaningful margin.

Thread-scaling data from 3DMark helps explain where this performance comes from. The single-thread score is 688; the 2-thread score is 1350; the 4-thread score is 2567; the 8-thread score is 3922; and the 16-thread score is 4743. The max-thread score is 4715, just under the 16-thread run. This pattern is consistent with a processor that gains most of its throughput from the 6-core/12-thread configuration rather than from unusually high single-core speed.

Cinebench results follow the same shape. The R23 multicore score is 10205 and the R23 single-core score is 1440. In R20, the multicore score is 4286 and the single-core score is 604; in R15, the multicore score is 1028 and the single-core score is 144. The multicore figures are several multiples of the single-core figures, showing that heavily threaded applications can use the full 12-thread capability.

PassMark adds further detail. The multithread score is 12006, while the single-thread score is 2560. Integer math scores 41715, floating-point math scores 26080, and extended instructions score 12501. Data compression scores 187207, random string sorting scores 23206, and data encryption scores 4078. These workload-level results show the processor produces competitive numbers across integer, floating-point, encryption, compression, and sorting tasks.

Platform and Compatibility

The Core i5-10400 is designed for Intel Socket 1200 motherboards. Its architecture is Comet Lake, and the CPU is manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process. The memory controller supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported. The processor brings PCIe Gen 3 to the platform, with 16 lanes available from the CPU only, meaning the primary expansion lanes are provided by the processor itself.

The cache hierarchy is 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The base clock of 2.90 and boost clock of 4.30 are the operating points for the 6-core/12-thread design. The multiplier is locked, so the processor does not natively support unlocked ratio overclocking. The market segment is desktop, and production status is Active, indicating the chip is still a current part in the database.

Upgrade path considerations follow directly from these platform details. A replacement processor must fit Intel Socket 1200, use DDR4 memory support, and match the non-ECC memory arrangement. The integrated UHD Graphics 630 means a discrete graphics card is not mandatory for basic display output, although the 16 PCIe Gen 3 CPU lanes remain available for expansion devices.

Power and Thermals

The processor is listed with a TDP of 65W, which places it in the mainstream desktop thermal class. The 14 nm process node and Comet Lake architecture are the relevant design factors. A 65W TDP-class CPU can be served by a capable air cooler; the data does not imply that a liquid cooler is required. The integrated UHD Graphics 630 is part of the package, so system configurations that use the integrated GPU still operate within the 65W TDP class.

Because the multiplier is locked, users do not have the option of raising the CPU ratio to increase thermals. The 65W TDP therefore represents the expected thermal load for the processor in standard operation.

How It Compares

AMD EPYC 7702P. The Core i5-10400's average score is 15144, against 15130 for the EPYC 7702P. The deltaPct of 0.1% puts the two effectively at parity in aggregate benchmarks. The i5-10400 is nominally ahead, but the score difference is the smallest among the four nearest rivals.

Intel Core i3-1315U. The i5-10400 leads by 0.6%, with 15144 versus 15059. The aggregate gap is narrow, and the two chips occupy nearly the same overall performance band in the database.

AMD EPYC 74F3. The i5-10400 is 1.5% ahead, posting 15144 against 14915. This is a more distinct lead than the first two rival comparisons, though it remains a small margin in absolute terms.

Intel Core i7-9750H. The largest nearest-rival gap belongs here: 1.8%, with the i5-10400 at 15144 and the i7-9750H at 14877. Even this widest comparison shows that the Core i5-10400 sits in a consistent performance cluster with all four nearest rivals.

Who Should Consider It

The Core i5-10400 is best suited to workloads that can use its 6 cores and 12 threads. Cinebench R23 multicore 10205 and PassMark multithread 12006 demonstrate that rendering, encoding, and other parallel tasks can extract meaningful throughput from the chip. The integer math score of 41715 and floating-point math score of 26080 reinforce this profile. Applications that rely on extended instructions may also benefit; the extended instructions score is 12501.

For gaming, the 3DMark thread-scaling scores provide the relevant picture. The single-thread score is 688, the 2-thread score is 1350, the 4-thread score is 2567, and the 8-thread score is 3922. Games that use two to eight threads are served well by this progression. The 16-thread score of 4743 means there is still headroom for games that scale to higher thread counts.

For office and general productivity, the PassMark workload scores are useful. Data compression scores 187207, random string sorting scores 23206, and data encryption scores 4078. The single-thread PassMark score of 2560 indicates good responsiveness for lightly threaded tasks. The presence of UHD Graphics 630 also means a discrete GPU is not strictly necessary for ordinary desktop use. Anyone assembling a desktop system on Intel Socket 1200 with DDR4 memory and the need for a balanced 6-core part is the target audience.

FAQ

Q: What are the core and thread counts for the Intel Core i5-10400?

A: It has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the TDP of the Intel Core i5-10400?

A: The TDP is 65W.

Q: What memory and PCIe support does it offer?

A: It supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU-attached lanes. ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-10400 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes UHD Graphics 630.

Q: What socket does it use?

A: It uses Intel Socket 1200.

Q: How does its average benchmark score compare to its nearest rivals?

A: Its average score is 15144. It is 0.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7702P, which scores 15130; 0.6% ahead of the Intel Core i3-1315U, which scores 15059; 1.5% ahead of the AMD EPYC 74F3, which scores 14915; and 1.8% ahead of the Intel Core i7-9750H, which scores 14877.