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

✅Better for gaming: +19.2% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $266 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Delivers 206.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 26.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-1250U.

Trade-offs

❌584.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9.5W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-1250U moves to FCBGA1781 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-1250U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-1250U

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU), while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,788 vs 8,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 26.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($426 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-1250U

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +19.2% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $266 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Delivers 206.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 26.5 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-1250U.

Why buy it

✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1781 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU), while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌584.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9.5W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-1250U moves to FCBGA1781 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-1250U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (6,788 vs 8,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 26.5 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($426 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Core i7-1250U?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 19.2% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 20.7% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, and 15.2% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 19.2% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10400F is the better fit. You are getting 20.7% 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 i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is $266 cheaper on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $426 MSRP, and it gives you a 19.2% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 206.9% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 26.5 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i7-1250U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FCBGA1781 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. 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 i7-1250U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
1080p
low	192 FPS	187 FPS
medium	152 FPS	156 FPS
high	123 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	151 FPS
medium	119 FPS	120 FPS
high	97 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	85 FPS
medium	70 FPS	73 FPS
high	55 FPS	59 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	46 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-1250U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
1080p
low	326 FPS	219 FPS
medium	318 FPS	182 FPS
high	290 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	144 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	190 FPS
medium	292 FPS	162 FPS
high	267 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	148 FPS
medium	258 FPS	130 FPS
high	235 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-1250U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
1080p
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	326 FPS	283 FPS
high	326 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	283 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	326 FPS	283 FPS
high	326 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	283 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	326 FPS	283 FPS
high	289 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	283 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-1250U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
1080p
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	326 FPS	283 FPS
high	326 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	283 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	326 FPS	283 FPS
high	326 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	283 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	283 FPS
medium	326 FPS	283 FPS
high	326 FPS	283 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	283 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-1250U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-1250U

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 i7-1250U

The Core i7-1250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 11,305 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-1250U offers 10 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-1250U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-1250U — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-1250U (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-1250U uses Alder Lake-U (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-1250U's 11,305 — a 14.2% lead for the Core i5-10400F. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 6,788 (18.7% advantage for the Core i5-10400F). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,600, a 9.6% lead for the Core i7-1250U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 6,500 (11.7% advantage for the Core i7-1250U). Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 12+67%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+164%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Alder Lake-U (2022)
PassMark	13,029+15%	11,305
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191+21%	6,788
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,600+10%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	6,500+12%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-1250U uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-5200 on the Core i7-1250U — the Core i7-1250U 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 20 (Core i7-1250U) — the Core i7-1250U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and SoC (Core i7-1250U).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1781
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-5200+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-1250U). The Core i7-1250U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i7-1250U targets Thin and Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-1250U
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96EU)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Gaming	Thin and Light Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i7-1250U debuted at $426. On MSRP ($160 vs $426), the Core i5-10400F is $266 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 26.5 pts/$ for the Core i7-1250U — making the Core i5-10400F the 101.7% better value option.