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

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-11500H.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,454 vs 1,801).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 9,532).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-11500H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11500H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-11500H

2021

Why buy it

✅+23.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 750 (32 EU), while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-11500H

2021

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-11500H.

Why buy it

✅+23.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 750 (32 EU), while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (1,454 vs 1,801).
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 9,532).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-11500H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11500H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11500H better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-11500H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.9% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 16.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 20.3% higher 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 i5-11500H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.9% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11500H is the better fit. You are getting 16.4% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-11500H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-11500H is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.9% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-11500H 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 i5-11500H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500H
1080p
low	192 FPS	191 FPS
medium	152 FPS	157 FPS
high	123 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	155 FPS
medium	119 FPS	122 FPS
high	97 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	86 FPS
medium	70 FPS	74 FPS
high	55 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500H
1080p
low	326 FPS	384 FPS
medium	318 FPS	310 FPS
high	290 FPS	275 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	237 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	341 FPS
medium	292 FPS	279 FPS
high	267 FPS	254 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	218 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	282 FPS
medium	258 FPS	236 FPS
high	235 FPS	216 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	182 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500H
1080p
low	326 FPS	392 FPS
medium	326 FPS	392 FPS
high	326 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	392 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	392 FPS
medium	326 FPS	392 FPS
high	326 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	392 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	392 FPS
medium	326 FPS	378 FPS
high	289 FPS	325 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	256 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500H
1080p
low	326 FPS	392 FPS
medium	326 FPS	392 FPS
high	326 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	392 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	392 FPS
medium	326 FPS	392 FPS
high	326 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	392 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	392 FPS
medium	326 FPS	392 FPS
high	326 FPS	392 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	392 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-11500H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-11500H

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 i5-11500H

The Core i5-11500H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 May 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake H45 (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 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: 15,669 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10400F and Core i5-11500H share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-11500H — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-11500H (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-11500H uses Tiger Lake H45 (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-11500H's 15,669 — a 18.4% lead for the Core i5-11500H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 9,532 (15.1% advantage for the Core i5-11500H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,801, a 21.3% lead for the Core i5-11500H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 6,248 (7.7% advantage for the Core i5-11500H). Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	2.9 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 H45 (2021)
PassMark	13,029	15,669+20%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	9,532+16%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,801+24%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	6,248+8%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-11500H uses FCBGA1787 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 20 (Core i5-11500H) — the Core i5-11500H offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and HM570,QM580,WM590 (Core i5-11500H).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-11500H
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1787
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i5-11500H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-11500H). The Core i5-11500H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 750 (32 EU)), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-11500H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i5-11500H rivals Ryzen 5 5600H.