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 i5-12600HE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600HE across 11 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 22,827).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-12600HE mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i5-12600HE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +30.8% higher average FPS across 11 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i5-12600HE

2022

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-12600HE.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +30.8% higher average FPS across 11 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-12600HE across 11 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 22,827).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 18 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i5-12600HE mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-12600HE better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i5-12600HE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 30.8% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data, 75.2% 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 i5-12600HE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 30.8% more average FPS across 11 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-12600HE is the better fit. You are getting 75.2% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i5-12600HE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i5-12600HE is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 30.8% average FPS lead across 11 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-12600HE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 50% larger total L3 cache (18 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 16 threads instead of 6/12. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i5-12600HE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12600HE
1080p
low	192 FPS	168 FPS
medium	152 FPS	152 FPS
high	123 FPS	125 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	140 FPS
medium	119 FPS	120 FPS
high	97 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	77 FPS
medium	70 FPS	71 FPS
high	55 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	44 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12600HE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12600HE
1080p
low	326 FPS	571 FPS
medium	318 FPS	502 FPS
high	290 FPS	420 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	380 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	502 FPS
medium	292 FPS	442 FPS
high	267 FPS	379 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	327 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	307 FPS
medium	258 FPS	273 FPS
high	235 FPS	255 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	223 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12600HE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12600HE
1080p
low	326 FPS	571 FPS
medium	326 FPS	571 FPS
high	326 FPS	533 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	571 FPS
medium	326 FPS	509 FPS
high	326 FPS	456 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	396 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	460 FPS
medium	326 FPS	371 FPS
high	289 FPS	330 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	271 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12600HE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12600HE
1080p
low	326 FPS	571 FPS
medium	326 FPS	571 FPS
high	326 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	571 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	571 FPS
medium	326 FPS	571 FPS
high	326 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	513 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	522 FPS
medium	326 FPS	478 FPS
high	326 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	376 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i5-12600HE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i5-12600HE

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 i5-12600HE

The Core i5-12600HE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Janeiro 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-H (2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 18 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,827 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i5-12600HE offers 12 cores / 16 threads — the Core i5-12600HE has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-12600HE — a 4.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-12600HE (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-12600HE uses Alder Lake-H (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i5-12600HE's 22,827 — a 54.7% lead for the Core i5-12600HE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 2,200, a 40.8% lead for the Core i5-12600HE that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 18 MB (total) on the Core i5-12600HE.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12600HE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	12 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.5 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+16%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	18 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	10 nm-29%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Alder Lake-H (2022)
PassMark	13,029	22,827+75%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	2,200+51%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-12600HE uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus LPDDR5-5200 on the Core i5-12600HE — the Core i5-12600HE supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-10400F supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-10400F) vs 28 (Core i5-12600HE) — the Core i5-12600HE offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i5-12600HE
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	LPDDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	28+75%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-12600HE). The Core i5-12600HE includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i5-12600HE targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600; Core i5-12600HE rivals Ryzen Embedded V3000.