Intel Core I5 10400f is one of the best Intel CPUs from the i5 10th gen processors. The reason for that is the price, which isn’t that high for a processor with this much functionality and the performance you get from this CPU.
The second anniversary of the Intel i5 10400f was in April 2022 and as time passes I can easily tell that this CPU is a well-done job from Intel.
Of course, there are some cons as well with this CPU, but I will try to test this CPU as much as possible to provide you with the best information.
Let’s Find out how this CPU performs in modern games!
How good is intel i5 10400f for gaming – Short Topic Answer
Intel Core I5 10400f is a fantastic mid-range processor when it comes to gaming. With 6 cores and 12 threads, the Intel i5 10400f will perform really well in most popular games, especially when paired with a good GPU. You can expect decent results in the most popular games that aren’t CPU-demanding.
To get things easier for you, I tested this processor in some popular games and I have the results below.
Keep reading!
Best Intel I5 10400f Offer At The Moment
If you want to buy the Intel I5 10400f, use the link below. All product that I suggest to people on my blog are safe to buy and every one of them have the majority of positive ratings. I spend a lot of time searching for good but cheaper components, so you don’t have to. Every link is from Amazon.
- 6 cores / 12 threads
- Socket Type LGA 1200
- Up to 4.3 GHz
- Compatible with Intel 400 series chipset based motherboards
- Intel Optane Memory Support
Intel I5 10400f Specifications
| Total Cores | 6 cores |
| Total Threads | 12 threads |
| Base Frequency | 2.90 GHz |
| Turbo Frequency | 4.30 GHz |
| Cache | 12 MB |
| Bus Speed | 8 GT/s |
| TDP | 65 W |
How Good Is Intel Core I5 10400f For Gaming?
In order to show you how good this CPU is in popular games, I paired it with 4 graphics cards. The first one is a low-end GPU that can’t be even considered a gaming GPU – Nvidia GT 1030.
As you might know, the Intel I5 10400f doesn’t have an integrated graphics card, and some people will want to pair the cheapest GPU at the moment and upgrade to a better graphics card when the prices drop to a normal level. That’s the reason for pairing the Intel I5 10400f with Gt 1030 2Gb.
The second GPU that I paired with the Intel i5 10400f is Nvidia Gtx 1650 4Gb, a GPU that is the most common purchase for entry-level budget gaming. Although it’s not the best graphics card youth there, Nvidia Gtx 1650 will give you a great gaming experience in 1080p at reasonable graphics settings.
The third GPU that I paired with the Intel I5 10400f for this testing is Nvidia GTX 1660 Super, which is a great mid-range GPU for 1080p and even light 1440p gaming. This GPU isn’t the best one in its class (the GTX 1660 Ti is the best), but it will definitely be a very good option to pair with the i5 10400f.
As a High-End GPU, I tested RTX 3060 Ti together with Intel I5 10400f to see how well this processor can work in 1440p. Personally, I think the results are great for a processor that is less than $250.
To cut the story, let’s see the tables with games and performances.
How Good Is Intel Core I5 10400f For Gaming When Paired With a Low-End GPU?
For a Low-End GPU, I chose GT 1030 2Gb
If you don’t want to spend a big amount of your hard-earned money on an overpriced graphics card at the moment, and you need a GPU just to get the system running since the Intel I5 10400f doesn’t have an integrated GPU itself, GT 1030 can be a decent option but there are some much better deals.
As you can see in the table below, this GPU works great in 720p with Intel I5 10400f. Although the game won’t look good as in 1080p, I always chose the fps over the graphics details in games, especially on a GPU this old.
Games like CSGO would definitely average above 60 fps even on 1080p High settings, while you would need to play in 720p in order to run more demanding above 30 fps.
| specs: Intel I5 10400f, GT 1030 2Gb, 16Gb DDR4, 1TB SSD - res: 720p/1080p | AVERAGE FPS | 1% LOW FPS | CPU USAGE (%) | CPU TEMP (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex Legends (Medium settings - 720p) | 61 fps | 42 fps | 31 % | 55 °C |
| CSGO (Medium settings - 720p) | 139 fps | 94 fps | 69 % | 56 °C |
| Grand Theft Auto V (Medium settings - 1080p) | 52 fps | 41 fps | 44 % | 60 °C |
| Need for Speed Heat (Low settings - 720p) | 51 fps | 38 fps | 56 % | 59 °C |
| The Witcher 3 (Low settings - 720p) | 56 fps | 30 fps | 40 % | 52 °C |
How Good Is Intel Core I5 10400f For Gaming When Paired With an Entry-Level GPU?
The second test is done with a budget entry-level 1080 GPU, Nvidia Gtx 1650. This GPU will do a great job in 1080p when paired with Intel I5 10400f even in some more demanding games.
This GPU-CPU combo will easily play Valorant on competitive fps, while more demanding games will average around 60 fps.
To get past 60 fps, you will need to reduce a few graphics details, but that is totally achievable with these two paired together.
| specs: Intel I5 10400f, GTX 1650 4Gb, 16Gb DDR4, 1TB SSD - res: 1080p | AVERAGE FPS | 1% LOW FPS | CPU USAGE (%) | CPU TEMP (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valorant (Mixed- Competitive settings) | 217 fps | 140 fps | 41 % | 63 °C |
| Watch Dogs: Legion (Medium settings) | 56 fps | 45 fps | 47 % | 61 °C |
| Fortnite (Epic settings) | 52 fps | 36 fps | 40 % | 55 °C |
| Dirt 5 (Medium settings) | 58 fps | 46 fps | 41 % | 54 °C |
| Doom Eternal (High settings) | 65 fps | 51 fps | 50 % | 59 °C |
How Good Is Intel Core I5 10400f For Gaming When Paired With a Mid-Range GPU?
For the Best Mid-Range GPU to test with Intel I5 10400f, I chose Gtx 1660 Super.
Although the Average fps didn’t cross 60 fps in every game, you need to have in mind that reducing the settings from Ultra to High or Medium will significantly increase the fps that you get in these games.
As you can see in the table below, the fps in Modern Warfare is over 90 even on Very High settings, while Red Dead Redemption 2 and ARK require some graphics settings adjustment.
| specs: Intel I5 10400f, GTX 1660 Super, 16Gb DDR4, 1TB SSD - res: 1080p | AVERAGE FPS | 1% LOW FPS | CPU USAGE (%) | CPU TEMP (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mafia: Definitive Edition (High settings) | 73 fps | 52 fps | 43 % | 58 °C |
| Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Very High settings) | 95 fps | 64 fps | 64 % | 60 °C |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (Ultra settings) | 52 fps | 41 fps | 45 % | 54 °C |
| ARK: Survival Evolved (High settings) | 58 fps | 45 fps | 46 % | 53 °C |
| Destiny 2 (Highest settings) | 100 fps | 72 fps | 50 % | 55 °C |
How Good Is Intel Core I5 10400f For Gaming When Paired With a High-End GPU?
In order to test this CPU in a resolution higher than 1080p, I paired it with Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti. As I expected, even in 1440p results are very good.
Even in Cyberpunk 2077, which is one of the most unoptimized games right now, this GPU-CPU combo managed to get around 60 fps on Average.
While the games like AC Valhalla and Shadow of The Tomb Rider are still demanding games, these two together did a great job in both of them even on Ultra settings.
| specs: Intel I5 10400f, RTX 3060 Ti, 16Gb DDR4, 1TB SSD - res: 1440p | AVERAGE FPS | 1% LOW FPS | CPU USAGE (%) | CPU TEMP (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (Ray Tracing Medium settings) | 57 fps | 41 fps | 65 % | 61 °C |
| COD: Black Ops Cold War (High settings + RTX On) | 99 fps | 64 fps | 57 % | 59 °C |
| Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Ultra settings & RTX On) | 75 fps | 51 fps | 46 % | 51 °C |
| Battlefield V (Ultra settings) | 94 fps | 61 fps | 78 % | 65 °C |
| Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Ultra High settings) | 66 fps | 44 fps | 52 % | 60 °C |
Gaming Comparison Between Intel Core I5 10400f and AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Ryzen 5 3600 is the biggest Intel I5 10400f competition. Both of these CPUs have 6 cores and 12 threads, but this time Intel did a better job, which isn’t that common.
As you can see in the table below, the Intel I5 10400f has better fps in any game that I tested although the Ryzen 5 3600 is more expensive at the moment.
In most games, the fps difference is around 5-10 fps which isn’t that much, but considering that the Intel Core I5 10400f is 40-50 dollars cheaper that gives us a clue of how good the Intel I5 10400f actually is.
The main problem with Intel I5 10400f is the motherboard shortage and compatibility.
Let’s see the results!
| specs: Intel I5 10400f, RTX 2080 OC 8GB, 16Gb DDR4, 1TB SSD res:1080p | AVERAGE FPS I5 10400f | CPU USAGE I5 10400f | CPU TEMP i5 10400f | AVERAGE FPS Ryzen 5 3600 | CPU USAGE Ryzen 5 3600 | CPU TEMP Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battlefield V (Ultra settings) | 150 fps | 88 % | 55 °C | 145 fps | 81 % | 59 °C |
| PUBG (Ultra settings) | 135 fps | 44 % | 49 °C | 129 fps | 39 % | 52 °C |
| Assassin's Creed Odyssey (High & Very High settings) | 99 fps | 68 % | 54 °C | 95 fps | 74 % | 52 °C |
| The Witcher 3 (Ultra settings) | 139 fps | 57 % | 50 °C | 135 fps | 60 % | 54 °C |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 (Mixed settings) | 109 fps | 72 % | 51 °C | 101 fps | 75 % | 55 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Intel I5 10400f Future-Proof?
Intel I5 10400f is definitely a future-proof processor for at least 2 to 3 more years. Since this CPU is released in 2021 and it has a decent amount of cores and threads, you won’t face any problems in the next few years.
Can Intel i5 10400f Work Without A GPU?
Although the Intel Core I5 10400f is already more than 2 years old, we can still say that this processor is more than good for the majority of tasks and even gaming. If you pair it with a good graphics card, you can expect good results from this processor for at least 3-4 more years.
Is Intel I5 10400f good in 202e?
Intel Core I5 10400f is amazing even in 2023. If you pair it with good components and a graphic card, you can run any new game at high framerates on increased graphics settings. Although some graphics cards will bottleneck this CPU, you shouldn’t have any problems most of the time.
Last update on 2024-11-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
