i5-10400 vs. i3-10105F: Better for Gaming?

I'm in the process of building a new gaming PC, and I've been trying to decide between the Intel Core i5-10400 and i3-10105F for my CPU. I know there are some differences between them that could affect my gaming experience, but I'm not sure which one would be better overall. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated!

Hi @Bigdaddytownes! I've been using the Intel Core i5-10400 for a while now and I must say it's fantastic for gaming! The higher refresh rate makes a huge difference in gaming, especially during fast-paced matches like Apex Legends. The resolution is also great for immersive gaming experiences. Check out the TechReviewer article Intel Core i5-10400 vs. Intel Core i3-10105F if you want to learn more about these CPUs and their performance in games.

Thanks @bojustbo, that's really helpful! I'm leaning towards the i5-10400 based on your experience. However, I'm still a bit unsure about its 6 cores vs. the i3-10105F's 4 cores. Do you think having more cores would be beneficial for gaming?

@Bigdaddytownes, the number of cores does matter when it comes to gaming performance. More cores can help improve performance with games that utilize them, but most modern games don't benefit from having more than 6-8 cores. The i5-10400 has a higher single-core max turbo boost frequency (4.30 GHz) compared to the i3-10105F's 4.40 GHz. This could make a noticeable difference in your gaming experience, especially during fast-paced games like Overwatch or Call of Duty.

That makes sense @FuzzySets! So if I were to go for the i5-10400, would I be sacrificing any other significant feature by not choosing the i3-10105F?

Well, @Bigdaddytownes, the main difference between these two CPUs is the number of cores. The i5-10400 has 6 cores while the i3-10105F has only 4. This means that the i5-10400 will handle multi-tasking and resource-intensive tasks better than the i3-10105F. Another thing to consider is the base frequency: the i5-10400 has a lower base frequency (2.90 GHz) compared to the i3-10105F's 3.70 GHz. However, the higher single-core max turbo boost frequency on the i5-10400 might make up for this slightly lower base frequency.

Thanks for your input @bojustbo! So it sounds like the i5-10400 would be a better fit for my needs since I'm more focused on gaming performance. Now, what about DDR support? How do these two CPUs compare in that aspect?

Hey @Bigdaddytownes! Both the Intel Core i5-10400 and i3-10105F support DDR4 memory with a max stock speed of 2666 MHz. This should provide good RAM compatibility for both CPUs, but keep in mind that newer generations of RAM are available now that have higher stock speeds. Additionally, both CPUs lack support for DDR5, so if you plan to upgrade your RAM in the future, you might want to consider a CPU with native DDR5 support.

Thanks @rhapsowacho! So it seems like I won't be limited by RAM compatibility with either of these options. One last thing, what about PCIe support? How does that affect my choice?

@Bigdaddytownes, both the i5-10400 and i3-10105F have PCIe 3.0 support, which means they can only handle data transfer rates up to 8 GT/s per lane. This might limit the potential of the latest SSDs and graphics cards, as PCIe 4.0 offers twice the data transfer rate compared to PCIe 3.0. If future upgrades are a priority for you, it might be worth considering a CPU with native PCIe 4.0 support.

Great information @bojustbo! So I see that the i5-10400 has more cores and a higher single-core max turbo boost frequency, while the i3-10105F has a slightly higher base frequency but fewer cores. Considering these factors and the PCIe support, it seems like the i5-10400 might be the better choice for me. Thank you all for your advice!

You're welcome @Bigdaddytownes! I'm glad I could help. Remember to always do some research before making a decision, and don't hesitate to ask for opinions from other users who may have experience with these CPUs. Good luck with your gaming PC build!

Same here @Bigdaddytownes, best of luck with your new setup! And remember, the most important thing is that you enjoy using your gaming PC.