Intel's Core i5-10400 ($182) is not the company's flagship six-core desktop CPU in its 10th Generation stack. (That honor goes to the unlocked Core i5-10600K, which we reviewed at launch last year.) But what the Core i5-10400 lacks in overclockability, it makes up for in tenacity. The chip stays in the race against AMD's onslaught of Editors' Choice-winning powerhouse six-core CPUs, like the Ryzen 5 5600X and last-generation 3600X. The Core is a solid value pick for those who already own an LGA 1200 motherboard and are looking to game with a discrete GPU. But strictly as a midrange upgrade, AMD's Ryzen 5 chips make more sense in both cost-per-core and overall performance— you can get one near list price. As a rare Intel value play, the Core i5-10400 is a decent bet for PC gamers and mainstream users if AMD Ryzen 3000 and 5000 chips stay hard to get and/or inflated in price.Intel Core i5-10400 Specs: In the Middle With You To elaborate on our introduction, Intel's move to the LGA 1...
Upgrading to any "Comet Lake" CPU (and its new platform) has its budget implications, but for a six-core chip with gaming chops, the Core i5-10400 is as good as it gets in Intel's 10th Generation stack.
Decent frame rates for a midrange CPU in gaming runs; Low TDP; Workable bundled cooler
Slower than comparatively priced AMD options in nearly every CPU-centric test; LGA 1200 adoption is mandatory; Integrated graphics are there, but still Intel UHD Graphics