Core i5-10400F vs Core i5-11260H

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-11260H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11260H across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 15,459).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-11260H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Core i5-11260H

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.0% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-11260H

2021

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-11260H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.0% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11260H across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 15,459).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-11260H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11260H better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-11260H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 7.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 18.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-11260H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 7.0% more average FPS across 7 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11260H is the better fit. You are getting 18.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-11260H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-11260H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 7.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-11260H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-10400F Benchmark Check

Core i5-11260H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11260H
1080p
low	192 FPS	187 FPS
medium	152 FPS	153 FPS
high	123 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	151 FPS
medium	119 FPS	120 FPS
high	97 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	85 FPS
medium	70 FPS	73 FPS
high	55 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11260H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11260H
1080p
low	326 FPS	362 FPS
medium	318 FPS	292 FPS
high	290 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	227 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	327 FPS
medium	292 FPS	268 FPS
high	267 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	211 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	281 FPS
medium	258 FPS	235 FPS
high	235 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	181 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11260H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11260H
1080p
low	326 FPS	386 FPS
medium	326 FPS	386 FPS
high	326 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	386 FPS
medium	326 FPS	386 FPS
high	326 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	386 FPS
medium	326 FPS	373 FPS
high	289 FPS	312 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	246 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11260H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11260H
1080p
low	326 FPS	386 FPS
medium	326 FPS	386 FPS
high	326 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	386 FPS
medium	326 FPS	386 FPS
high	326 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	386 FPS
medium	326 FPS	386 FPS
high	326 FPS	386 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	386 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11260H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-11260H

Core i5-10400F

The Core i5-10400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,029 points. Launch price was $155.

Core i5-11260H

The Core i5-11260H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-H (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1787. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 15,459 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-11260H share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-11260H — a 2.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-11260H (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-11260H uses Tiger Lake-H (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-11260H's 15,459 — a 17.1% lead for the Core i5-11260H. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11260H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.4 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+12%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	10 nm SuperFin-29%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Tiger Lake-H (2021)
PassMark	13,029	15,459+19%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-11260H uses FCBGA1787 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11260H
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1787
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Core i5-11260H). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.