Intel Core i5-10400F vs Intel Core i7-11700K vs Intel Core i5-11600K

Intel Core i5-10400F

The Intel Core i5-10400F is a mid-range processor for desktops with six cores based on the Comet Lake architecture (CML-S, 4th generation of Skylake). The processor clocks at between 2.9 and 4.3 GHz and can execute up to 12 threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading.

The processor is still manufactured on the old 14nm (14nm++) process.

The Comet Lake architecture is similar to Coffee Lake and offers the same features and is made with the same 14 nm process. Other than the improved clock rates, the memory controller now also supports faster DDR4-2666 RAM. More information on Comet Lake and all the models and articles on it can be found here.

Performance

The average 10400F in our database matches the Ryzen 7 4800U and also the Core i7-9700K in multi-thread performance to be a more than decent mid-range option for your gaming rig, as of early 2022.

Graphics

The CPUs with an "F" suffix do not feature an integrated graphics adapter. The Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is deactivated.

Power consumption

This Core i5 has a default TDP (also known as the long-term power limit) of 65 W which is in line with most desktop chips.

The i5-10400F is built with one of the old 14 nm Intel processes for poor, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i7-11700K

The Intel Core i7-11700K is a high-end desktop CPU based on the Rocket Lake architecture. The CPU offers 8 cores and 16 threads clocked at 3.6 - 4.9 GHz. The TDP is rated at 125 Watt (PL1, power limit sustained load) but the PL2 is set to around 250 Watt for short term boosts (up to 56 seconds). 

The Sunny Cove processor cores (known from the Ice Lake mobile CPUs) offer larger caches and an improved IPC (up to 19%). Furthermore, the chip also includes (partly) integrated WiFi 6E and Thunderbolt 4. The platform supports PCIe 4.0 and Intel DL Boost for AI acceleration.

The faster Rocket Lake-S CPUs also integrate a new Intel UHD Graphics 750 that is based on the current Intel Xe architecture (e.g. mobile Tiger Lake).

The CPU is manufactured on an old 14 nm process like the Comet Lake predecessors.

Intel Core i5-11600K

The Intel Core i5-11600K is a high-end desktop CPU based on the Rocket Lake architecture. The CPU offers 6 cores and 12 threads clocked at 3.9 - 4.9 GHz (Turbo Boost 2.0 only). Using all cores, the CPU can clock up to 4.6 GHz.  

The TDP is rated at 125 Watt (PL1, power limit sustained load) but the PL2 is set to around 250 Watt for short term boosts (up to 56 seconds). 

The Sunny Cove processor cores (known from the Ice Lake mobile CPUs) offer larger caches and an improved IPC (up to 19%). Furthermore, the chip also includes (partly) integrated WiFi 6E and Thunderbolt 4. The platform supports PCIe 4.0 and Intel DL Boost for AI acceleration.

Thanks to the faster core architecture, the 11600K can beat the old i5-10600K by around 20 percent. Therefore, the i5-11600K is a good mid range choice for gaming.

The faster Rocket Lake-S CPUs also integrate a new Intel UHD Graphics 750 that is based on the current Intel Xe architecture (e.g. mobile Tiger Lake) and offers 32 EUs. In the 11600K, the GPU is clocked from 350 - 1300 MHz.

The CPU is manufactured on the old 14nm process like the Comet Lake predecessors. The power consumption is not as high, as the Core i9-11900K, but can't come close to the power efficient Ryzen 5 5600X.