11400 vs 10400

In this article, we have taken a closer look at two of Intel’s i5 processors, the 10400 and the highly anticipated 11400.

WePC 10400k VS 11400k
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When choosing a new CPU, Intel is a popular choice and it is clear to see why. Their i5 processors are particularly popular within the gaming community.

Finally, we have been able to take a look at the specifications of the long-awaited 11400 for ourselves to find out whether or not it is worth the hype. In this article, we will be comparing this new CPU with Intel’s i5 CPU, the 10400.

We will be looking at clock speeds, architecture, cores, and threads amongst other specifications to find out which is the better option of the two when it comes to gaming.

Intel/AMD

When you are choosing a core processor, it is important to choose the right company for you. There are many to choose between, but the two main competitors are Intel and AMD. Depending on the type of motherboard you have, you will be limited in which company you can choose.

When looking at the Intel processors, often they have been overlooked slightly for the newer AMD models. However, the Intel processors are great for gaming and are highly regarded.

The newest models of Intel processors are impressive and have some brilliant specifications. What is great about Intel components is that they tend to be less expensive in comparison to AMD. Given this, they are a great choice if you are looking for a CPU with a good performance at a reasonable price.

When it comes to core processing units, both AMD and Intel are at the top of their game. While there are many CPU-producing companies you can choose from the vast majority of gamers will choose from one of the two.

Cores/Threads

Before deciding on a core processor, you will want to ensure that it has enough cores and threads. These specifications are essential when looking for a gaming CPU.

If the CPU you choose does not have enough cores or threads, not only will its multitasking abilities be limited, but this can affect your gaming experience too. For gaming, ideally, a CPU should have at least 4 cores and 8 threads.

With this taken into consideration, both the 11400 and the 10400 have 6 cores and 12 threads. While they do not feature the highest amount of cores and threads, both are optimal for gaming and surpass the minimum requirements.

The cores and threads within the CPU are physical and delegate tasks to other components in the PC. With the above specifications, you should not experience any tearing or stuttering issues during gameplay.

We carried out some benchmarking for the CPUs in regards to the iGPU – FP32 Performance. The 11400 had 518 GFLOPS, whereas the 10400 has 461 GFLOPS. When looking at the Geekbench 5 single-core the 11499 scored 1411 and the 10400 scored 1120. The single-core performance is important when looking at CPUs.

While there is not a huge difference in the performance between the two, the 11400 was slightly better overall. Given that it is the newer model, this is to be expected.

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Clock Speed

In addition to the cores and threads, the clock speeds are equally as important. If a CPU does not have good enough clock speeds, it will not perform efficiently during gameplay. The games will be slow to load and you will likely experience some issues.

Here are the base and clock speeds for both CPUs:

11400

Base Clock – 2.6 GHz
Boost Clock – 4.4 GHz

10400

Base Clock – 2.9 GHz
Boost Clock – 4.3 GHz

While the 11400 has a better boost clock speed, surprisingly, the base clock of the 10400 is better. Given this, the 10400 does seem to be the better option when looking at the raw specification speeds.

However, the single-core thread benchmarking and overall gameplay need to be taken into consideration too.

Architecture

The architecture of a CPU should be explored as this will enable you to learn what components are compatible with the CPU. The architecture covers different specifications such as the chipset, interface, PCIe, cache, and lithography.

The 11400 operates using Rocket Lake architecture. This is currently one of the best created by Intel and it is impressive overall. It allows the CPU to run faster, and it features more transistors in comparison to previous models.

The 10400 operates using Comet Lake architecture. This architecture is still impressive though it is not as future proof in comparison to the newer Rocket Lake. It still provides a good performance overall.

When looking at the lithography, both use 14nm which is perfect for gaming. The memory type of the 11400 is DDR4-3200 and for the 10400 it is DDR4-2666. While they both have the same memory type, the 11400’s has been improved slightly.

The PCIe is where these two CPUs differ. The 11400 uses the newest PCIe 4.0. The 10400 uses the older PCIe 3.0. While this is still commonly used, it is not as future proof. Both CPUs use 16 lanes. They both use an LGA 1200 socket.

When it comes to the L3 cache, they both have 12MB. Overall, it is clear to see that the 11400 does have a better and more futureproof architecture.

Multitasking

Multitasking capabilities are essential. Without a CPU that is capable of multitasking, you will be unable to run any programs alongside gaming. Multitasking is something that people can often overlook, but even if you are only planning to game on your PC it is still important.

You can determine how well a CPU will multitask by looking at the number of cores and threads it has. If the CPU has the minimum amount of cores needed for gaming, it is unlikely to run many programs alongside the game with no issues.

Given this, if you are looking to run things such as streaming, videos, or music, you will benefit from a higher number of cores and threads. When applying this to the two CPUs, they both have 6 cores and 12 threads.

There are more than enough cores available to make multitasking possible. While there are only 12 threads in these CPUs, you will still be able to multitask.

Comparison

When comparing the 11400 and the 10400 side by side, there is not a huge difference between the two. While the 11400 is the better CPU, the 10400 is not far behind.

They are still fairly similar, with the same amount of PCIe lanes, L3 cache, 14nm technology, and 64-bit instruction set. They both require an LGA 1200 socket and have the same Thermal Display Power of 65W.

However, as the 11400 does use PCI3 4.0 in comparison to 3.0 and it did have a better benchmarking score it is the better of the two, though it is more expensive. If you are looking to purchase one of the two, the 11400 is certainly the better option.

If you already own the 10400 there is no real need to splurge on the 11400 as they are not overly different. They are both fantastic for gaming, and will not affect your gameplay negatively.