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

✅Costs $297 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).
✅Delivers 71.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 47.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-12650H.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12650H across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 13,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12650H moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Core i7-12650H

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +47.3% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 64EU, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($457 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-12650H

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $297 less on MSRP ($160 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).
✅Delivers 71.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 81.4 vs 47.6 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $457 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-12650H.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +47.3% higher average FPS across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 64EU, while Core i5-10400F needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12650H across 6 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (8,191 vs 13,500).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-12650H moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 47.6 vs 81.4 PassMark/$ ($457 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12650H better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i7-12650H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 47.3% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data, 64.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, 66.9% 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 i7-12650H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 47.3% more average FPS across 6 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-12650H is the better fit. You are getting 64.8% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-12650H is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12650H is 185.6% more expensive on MSRP at $457 MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 47.3% average FPS lead across 6 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 71.2% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 47.6 PassMark/$), 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 i7-12650H 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, 100% larger total L3 cache (24 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 10 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 i7-12650H Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	192 FPS	176 FPS
medium	152 FPS	163 FPS
high	123 FPS	136 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	116 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	147 FPS
medium	119 FPS	127 FPS
high	97 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	87 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	84 FPS
medium	70 FPS	77 FPS
high	55 FPS	62 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	48 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12650H

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	326 FPS	544 FPS
medium	318 FPS	483 FPS
high	290 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	372 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	478 FPS
medium	292 FPS	420 FPS
high	267 FPS	365 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	318 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	293 FPS
medium	258 FPS	260 FPS
high	235 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	216 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12650H

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	326 FPS	544 FPS
medium	326 FPS	544 FPS
high	326 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	544 FPS
medium	326 FPS	544 FPS
high	326 FPS	483 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	415 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	498 FPS
medium	326 FPS	416 FPS
high	289 FPS	373 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	314 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12650H

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
1080p
low	326 FPS	544 FPS
medium	326 FPS	544 FPS
high	326 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	544 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	544 FPS
medium	326 FPS	544 FPS
high	326 FPS	544 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	496 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	520 FPS
medium	326 FPS	474 FPS
high	326 FPS	421 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	366 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12650H

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-12650H

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 i7-12650H

The Core i7-12650H 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 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 24 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 21,742 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12650H offers 10 cores / 16 threads — the Core i7-12650H has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-12650H — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-12650H (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-12650H uses Alder Lake-H (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-12650H's 21,742 — a 50.1% lead for the Core i7-12650H. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 8,191 vs 13,500 (49% advantage for the Core i7-12650H). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,780, a 20.2% lead for the Core i7-12650H that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 10,920 (61.5% advantage for the Core i7-12650H). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-12650H.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 16+67%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.7 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+26%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+100%
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-H (2022)
PassMark	13,029	21,742+67%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	13,500+65%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,780+22%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	10,920+89%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-12650H uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-4800 on the Core i7-12650H — the Core i7-12650H 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. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Alder Lake H (Core i7-12650H).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i7-12650H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12650H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 64EU), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12650H
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	UHD Graphics 64EU
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-10400F launched at $160 MSRP, while the Core i7-12650H debuted at $457. On MSRP ($160 vs $457), the Core i5-10400F is $297 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-10400F delivers 81.4 pts/$ vs 47.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-12650H — making the Core i5-10400F the 52.5% better value option.