Building a Gaming PC is not an easy task. There are so many moving parts that go into building a PC, and it’s not like all those parts and pieces come cheaply.
Some of us are on budgets, and we have to work within those budgets; it just so happens that we also love gaming. So when you decide to build your first PC or even your next one, there are a lot of things you would have to keep in mind.
Stuff like what kind of CPU should you get or how it would match up with your GPU all make a big difference on how much you are going to spend and what other parts you can get. One thing that comes up a lot when building a PC is what kind of CPU should I get on a budget.
Now one CPU that comes up a lot on group chats, forums, and Reddit is the tenth gen core i5. It feels like there is a general consensus the 10th gen core i5 is the best CPU available on a budget, so, in this article, I will be figuring out if the 10th gen core i5 is good for gaming.
- What is a 10th Gen Core i5?
- What Are Its Main Features?
- How Does It Compare to Other processors?
- How Much Does a 10th Gen Core i5 Cost?
- What are their Clock Speeds?
- What is its Turbo Boost Frequency?
- How Many Cores and Threads Do They Have?
- What is its Cache Size?
- What is its Lithography?
- What is its Maximum Memory Size?
- Conclusion
What is a 10th Gen Core i5?
A 10th Generation Core i5 is a processor that is manufactured and developed by Intel, and it is a computer processor available as a dual-core or a quad-core. It can be primarily found in both desktops and laptops and is a member of the four types of processors in the Intel Core series of “I” processors. It was made available for mass consumption in September of 2009.
What Are Its Main Features?
- Large cache storage between; 6-12MB of cache
- Multiple Cores over multiple threads, which vary from about; 4-6 cores and 8-12 threads
- Improved clocks speeds ranging over; 3.5-4.6GHz
- Improved RAM compatibility; maxing out at 128GB of RAM
How Does It Compare to Other processors?
The 10th gen core i5s can be compared to other processors based on their price, power and system design. They can also hold better frame rates than AMDs RYZEN 3600 series of processors.
It managed to clock over 70fps on Call of Duty Cold War while the RYZEN series could only manage 60fps on average, while on Shadow of the Tomb Raider, we were able to get over 90fps on the Intel model while we could get over a 100 on the RYZEN model. We were also able to get 150fps on average on Fortnite on the 10th gen core i5, while we could only get 120 on the RYZEN model.
However, there are several models of the 10th Gen core i5, and we weren’t able to test them all out, but on average, we found that the 10th Gen was able to outperform its RYZEN competitor more times than not on most competitive shooter games.
While on more graphical intensive AAA games, we, the RYZEN, managed to shade it. To be clear, all our tests were carried out using a GTX 2060 graphics card at 1080p max graphics settings. Our Intel Cores of choice were the i5 10400F and the 10500H, while our AMD cards of choice were the RYZEN 3600 and 3300X.
How Much Does a 10th Gen Core i5 Cost?
The average price range of a 10th generation Core i5 is within $120 for the lower-end models and $350 for the higher-end models. The 10400F version is available on Amazon for about $130, while the 10500H costs about $240 also on Amazon.
What are their Clock Speeds?
The 10th generation Core i5 clock speeds vary greatly from processor to processor as they are within the range of 3.4GHz to 4.60GHz. The 10400F model we tested clocked in at about 4.30 max with a base speed of 2.90GHz, and the 10500H model clocked in at 4.60 max with a base speed of 2.50GHz.
What is its Turbo Boost Frequency?
The 10th generation Core i5 varies greatly depending on the model you buy as it ranges from about 3.50GHz to 4.60GHz. On the 10400F series we tested, we got a turbo boost of 4.30GHz, and on the 10500H model, we clocked in at 4.60GHz.
How Many Cores and Threads Do They Have?
The 10th generation Core i5 varies from model to model, and they range from 4 cores to 12 threads. The 10400F model we tested out had 6 cores and 12 threads, while the 10500H has 6 cores and 12 threads.
What is its Cache Size?
The 10th generation Core i5 Cache size also varies greatly depending on the model you buy as it ranges from about 6MB-12MB. The 10400F model we tested has a 12MB cache, and so does the 10500H.
What is its Lithography?
The lithography on the 10th generation Core i5 varies greatly depending on the model you buy, as it ranges from about 10-14nm, and both models we tested out are set to 14nm.
What is its Maximum Memory Size?
The max memory size for a 10th generation Core i5 ranges from 32GB to 128GB; however, both models we tested out max out at 128GB of RAM space.
Conclusion
The 10th Gen core i5 is still a very good model of CPU, and under all our stress tests, it performed admirably. However, there are various models, each with its own design and all made to produce different levels of output. However, I can still recommend these 10th Gen core i5s as very solid processors.
