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Intel Core i5-10400

Intel Core i5-10400: Comprehensive Review of the Budget Processor of 2025

April 2025

1. Key Specifications: Architecture, Performance, and Key Features

Codename and Manufacturing Process

The Intel Core i5-10400 processor, released in 2020, is based on the Comet Lake architecture and manufactured using a 14nm process. Although by 2025 this process is considered outdated (new chips are using 7-10nm), the i5-10400 remains relevant due to its low price and balanced performance.

Cores, Threads, and Cache

- 6 cores and 12 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading.

- Base frequency: 2.9 GHz, max turbo frequency: 4.3 GHz.

- L3 cache: 12 MB — sufficient for handling moderate workloads.

Power Consumption and Graphics

- TDP 65W: low power consumption, suitable for compact builds.

- Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630: handles office tasks, 4K video playback, and less demanding games (e.g., CS:GO on low settings).

Performance

- Geekbench 6: 1422 (Single-Core), 5460 (Multi-Core).

- In tests from 2025, the processor demonstrates:

- Smooth browsing with 20+ tabs open.

- Video rendering in 1080p (Premiere Pro) in an acceptable time (15-20 minutes for a 10-minute clip).

- Gaming on medium settings with a discrete graphics card (e.g., GTX 1660 Super).

Key Features

- Support for Intel Optane Memory to accelerate HDD performance.

- Turbo Boost 2.0 and Hyper-Threading technologies.

2. Compatible Motherboards: Sockets and Chipsets

LGA 1200 Socket

The processor requires motherboards with the LGA 1200 socket. Popular chipsets include:

- H410 / B460: budget options without overclocking (prices in 2025: $70-100).

- H470 / Z490: support for PCIe 3.0, more lanes for peripherals (Z490 allows overclocking for CPUs with the “K” index).

Selection Recommendations

- For office PCs: H410 (e.g., ASRock H410M-HDV).

- For home systems: B460 (MSI B460M-A Pro) — a balance of price and functionality.

- For upgrades: Z490 (Gigabyte Z490 UD) — a future-proof option if planning to install a more powerful CPU (e.g., i9-10900K).

Features

- On H410/B460 chipsets, memory frequency is limited to 2666 MHz.

- No support for PCIe 4.0 — this is critical only for high-end graphics cards (e.g., RTX 4080+).

3. Supported Memory Types

- DDR4-2666 MHz (on H410/B460) or DDR4-2933 MHz (on Z490).

- Maximum Capacity: 128 GB.

Recommendations

- Basic option: 16 GB (2x8 GB) DDR4-2666 — sufficient for gaming and multitasking.

- For work tasks: 32 GB DDR4-2666 (rendering, virtualization).

Limitations

- DDR5 not supported — keep this in mind when building a “future-proof” PC.

4. Power Supplies: Power Calculation

- Processor TDP: 65W.

- Recommended PSU wattages:

- Without a discrete graphics card: 300-400W.

- With a graphics card at the level of RTX 3060: 500-600W.

- For RTX 4070 and above: 650+W.

PSU Examples

- For budget builds: EVGA 500 BR (500W, 80+ Bronze, $50).

- For gaming PCs: Corsair CX650M (650W, 80+ Bronze, $80).

Tip: Don’t skimp on the PSU — low-quality models may cause system instability.

5. Pros and Cons of the Processor

Pros:

- Low price ($120-150 in 2025).

- Energy efficiency (suitable for compact cases).

- Good multi-threaded performance.

Cons:

- Outdated 14nm process.

- No support for PCIe 4.0 and DDR5.

- Overclocking limitations (only for “K” series models).

6. Use Cases

- Office Tasks: Working with documents, video conferencing, multitasking.

- Multimedia: 4K video streaming, editing home videos.

- Gaming: Comfortable performance with GTX 1660 Super or RX 6600 (60 FPS in Full HD in Cyberpunk 2077 on medium settings).

- Work Tasks: Programming, 3D modeling (Blender), rendering in resolutions up to 1080p.

Limitations: Not suitable for 4K gaming, professional 8K video editing, or neural network tasks.

7. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 ($130-150):

- Pros: 7nm process, larger cache (32MB), PCIe 4.0 support.

- Cons: Higher TDP (65W vs 95W), weaker in single-threaded tasks.

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G ($140-160):

- Pros: Integrated Vega 7 graphics (stronger than UHD 630), PCIe 4.0.

- Cons: Lower frequency in multi-threaded scenarios.

Conclusion: The i5-10400 excels in the budget segment if PCIe 4.0 is not required.

8. Practical Assembly Tips

- Cooling: The boxed cooler is sufficiently effective, but for quieter operation, consider the DeepCool GAMMAXX 400 ($25).

- Storage: Always use an SSD (e.g., Kingston A2000 500GB, $45) for the OS.

- Upgrade: The maximum CPU for LGA 1200 is the i9-10900K (10 cores).

- BIOS: Update the motherboard firmware for compatibility.

9. Final Thoughts: Who is the i5-10400 for?

This processor is an ideal choice for:

- Budget Builds: If the goal is to save money without sacrificing performance.

- Office and Home PCs: For work, study, and multimedia.

- Beginner Gamers: In conjunction with a graphics card like the RTX 3060.

Why in 2025? Despite its age, the i5-10400 remains a cost-effective option thanks to its low price and sufficient power for everyday tasks. However, for resource-intensive projects (AI, 4K rendering), it is better to choose more modern models.

Prices are current as of April 2025. All mentioned brands are registered trademarks.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

April 2020

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i5-10400

Code Name

Comet Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

2.90 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

4.30 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

4.30 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0

Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 identifies the best performing core(s) on a processor and provides increased performance on those cores through increasing frequency as needed by taking advantage of power and thermal headroom.

L3 Cache

12 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1200

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

65 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2666

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

128 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

41.6 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.10 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2160@30Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

12 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1422

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

5460

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1098

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

5194

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2551

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

12214

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Pentium Gold G7400T

1529 +7.5%

Core i5-9500

1472 +3.5%

Core i5-10400

1422

EPYC 7262

1375 -3.3%

EPYC 7H12

1342 -5.6%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Ryzen 7 5700GE

6220 +13.9%

Xeon E5-4669 v4

5771 +5.7%

Core i5-10400

5460

Xeon D-2166NT

5157 -5.5%

Ryzen 7 4750U

4858 -11%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Ryzen Embedded V2718

1142 +4%

Xeon W-2235

1117 +1.7%

Core i5-10400

1098

Ryzen 7 4750U

1075 -2.1%

Core i7-7820X X-series

1056 -3.8%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon W-1250P

5785 +11.4%

Xeon Gold 5222

5495 +5.8%

Core i5-10400

5194

Ryzen 5 7530U

4939 -4.9%

Opteron 6276

4717 -9.2%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Ryzen 7 4800H

2623 +2.8%

Xeon E3-1285 v6

2579 +1.1%

Core i5-10400

2551

Core i7-6700

2508 -1.7%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

2463 -3.4%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Xeon E5-2658 v3

13487 +10.4%

Xeon E5-2685 v3

12944 +6%

Core i5-10400

12214

Xeon E5-1650 v4

11454 -6.2%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350GE

10958 -10.3%