While Intel has finally lifted the embargo on the 10th generation Comet Lake-S desktop processors, the same can’t be said for the official performance figures. Of course, plenty of speculations and rumors are flying about. A recent leak was spotted by hardware leaker @momomo_us on the Chinese video website, Bilibili.
In the leaked benchmarks, performance figures for the new Intel Core i5-10400 were spotted and compared with two other processors – the Core i5-9400F and the Core i7-9700F.
The processors were tested with a number of different games including Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Grand Theft Auto 5. They were also put through the usual rounds of tests with 3DMark Time Spy, wPrime 2.1, PCMark 10, CineBench R15, and more.
What Do The Benchmarks Show?
The benchmarks show some interesting results. The Core i7-9700F unsurprisingly outpaces the Core i5-10400 in heavily-threaded applications. However, the Core i5 almost matches the i7 when it comes to gaming.
This isn’t a total shock, given that most games aren’t heavily threaded. They typically rely on the strong performance of individual cores. But, the Core i5-10400 doesn’t actually have more cores than the 9th generation Core i5-9400F that it’s replacing.
So, where has the performance boost come from that makes it come close to rivaling the new Core i7?
How Is The Core i5-10400 So Powerful?
The main difference we can see from the 9th generation chip is that the new Core i5 processor benefits from a 200 MHz max turbo clock boost. There’s also a boost from 9 MB of cache to 12 MB and the addition of hyperthreading. This means the processor can handle 12 threads simultaneously (which is an increase from the six threads offered by the Core i5-9400F).
You can see the leaked specs comparison of the three chips below.
| Core i5-9400F | Core i5-10400 | Core i7-9700F | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cores/threads | 6/6 | 6/12 | 8/8 |
| Base Clock | 2.9 GHz | 2.9 GHz | 3.0 GHz |
| Max Turbo Clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.3 GHz | 4.7 GHz |
| Cache | 9 MB | 12 MB | 12 MB |
| iGPU | No | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | No |
| TDP | 65 W | 65 W | 65 W |
As this is all unconfirmed at the moment, nothing is set in stone. However, if these figures prove to be accurate, it could make some people rethink needing a Core i7 for their system.
With the 10th generation Core i5 being such a strong performer for gaming, it definitely makes it seem a more attractive option for those looking to save a bit of money.
If we hear any more details about the new Comet Lake-S processors, particularly regarding the performance figures, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.