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 i7-12800HE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12800HE across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 12,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-12800HE mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Core i7-12800HE

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +52.0% higher average FPS across 7 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.
✅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 i7-12800HE

2022

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-12800HE.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +52.0% higher average FPS across 7 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.
✅75% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12800HE across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (5,783 vs 12,200).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 24 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-12800HE 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 i7-12800HE better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i7-12800HE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 52.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 111% better Geekbench multi-core, 100.3% 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 i7-12800HE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 52.0% 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 i7-12800HE is the better fit. You are getting 111% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 14 cores and 20 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 i7-12800HE is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12800HE is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 52.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-12800HE 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 14 cores / 20 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 i7-12800HE Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12800HE
1080p
low	192 FPS	170 FPS
medium	152 FPS	154 FPS
high	123 FPS	129 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	141 FPS
medium	119 FPS	121 FPS
high	97 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	83 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	77 FPS
medium	70 FPS	71 FPS
high	55 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	45 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12800HE

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12800HE
1080p
low	326 FPS	591 FPS
medium	318 FPS	505 FPS
high	290 FPS	426 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	386 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	506 FPS
medium	292 FPS	445 FPS
high	267 FPS	387 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	334 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	312 FPS
medium	258 FPS	277 FPS
high	235 FPS	261 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	228 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12800HE

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12800HE
1080p
low	326 FPS	652 FPS
medium	326 FPS	582 FPS
high	326 FPS	533 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	458 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	615 FPS
medium	326 FPS	511 FPS
high	326 FPS	458 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	397 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 i7-12800HE

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12800HE
1080p
low	326 FPS	652 FPS
medium	326 FPS	652 FPS
high	326 FPS	652 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	625 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	652 FPS
medium	326 FPS	652 FPS
high	326 FPS	583 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	512 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	522 FPS
medium	326 FPS	478 FPS
high	326 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	375 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12800HE

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-12800HE

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 i7-12800HE

The Core i7-12800HE 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 14 cores and 20 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 24 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: 26,096 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12800HE offers 14 cores / 20 threads — the Core i7-12800HE has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-12800HE — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-12800HE (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-12800HE uses Alder Lake-H (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-12800HE's 26,096 — a 66.8% lead for the Core i7-12800HE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,454 vs 1,750, a 18.5% lead for the Core i7-12800HE that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 5,783 vs 12,200 (71.4% advantage for the Core i7-12800HE). L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 24 MB (total) on the Core i7-12800HE.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12800HE
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	14 / 20+133%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.6 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+21%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	24 MB (total)+100%
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	26,096+100%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	1,750+20%
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	12,200+111%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-12800HE uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-10400F versus DDR5-4800 on the Core i7-12800HE — the Core i7-12800HE 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 i7-12800HE) — the Core i7-12800HE offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Z590 (Core i5-10400F) and Alder Lake-H (Core i7-12800HE).

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12800HE
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
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	28+75%

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12800HE includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i7-12800HE targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.