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 i7-12850HX.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12850HX across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 30,596).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-12850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Core i7-12850HX

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.0% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

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

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-12850HX

2022

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-12850HX.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +42.0% higher average FPS across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).
✅Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1964 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-12850HX across 7 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (13,029 vs 30,596).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 25 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-12850HX mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-12850HX better than Core i5-10400F?

Yes. Core i7-12850HX is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 42.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data, 134.8% 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 i7-12850HX is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 42.0% 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 i7-12850HX is the better fit. You are getting 134.8% better PassMark, backed by 16 cores and 24 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB).

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

Core i7-12850HX is still the faster CPU overall, but Core i5-10400F makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Core i7-12850HX is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $160 MSRP, and it gives you a 42.0% average FPS lead across 7 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-10400F is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-12850HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1964 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200, 108.3% larger total L3 cache (25 MB vs 12 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 16 cores / 24 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 i7-12850HX Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	192 FPS	269 FPS
medium	152 FPS	259 FPS
high	123 FPS	214 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	184 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	230 FPS
medium	119 FPS	198 FPS
high	97 FPS	159 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	140 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	159 FPS
medium	70 FPS	136 FPS
high	55 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	93 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12850HX

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	313 FPS
medium	318 FPS	265 FPS
high	290 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	258 FPS
medium	292 FPS	228 FPS
high	267 FPS	199 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	173 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	159 FPS
medium	258 FPS	142 FPS
high	235 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	120 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12850HX

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	765 FPS
medium	326 FPS	616 FPS
high	326 FPS	545 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	462 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	692 FPS
medium	326 FPS	554 FPS
high	326 FPS	485 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	416 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 i7-12850HX

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12850HX
1080p
low	326 FPS	765 FPS
medium	326 FPS	765 FPS
high	326 FPS	672 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	597 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	742 FPS
medium	326 FPS	658 FPS
high	326 FPS	566 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	493 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	522 FPS
medium	326 FPS	473 FPS
high	326 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	364 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-12850HX

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-12850HX

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 i7-12850HX

The Core i7-12850HX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 May 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-HX (2022) architecture. It features 16 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1964. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 30,596 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-12850HX offers 16 cores / 24 threads — the Core i7-12850HX has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-12850HX — a 11% clock advantage for the Core i7-12850HX (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-12850HX uses Alder Lake-HX (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-12850HX's 30,596 — a 80.5% lead for the Core i7-12850HX. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 25 MB (total) on the Core i7-12850HX.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12850HX
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	16 / 24+167%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz	4.8 GHz+12%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+38%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	25 MB (total)+108%
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-HX (2022)
PassMark	13,029	30,596+135%
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-12850HX uses FCBGA1964 (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 i7-12850HX — the Core i7-12850HX supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. 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 i7-12850HX) — the Core i7-12850HX offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-12850HX
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1964
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	128 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	20+25%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-12850HX has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-12850HX supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. The Core i7-12850HX includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 770), while the Core i5-10400F requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming, Core i7-12850HX targets Mobile Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.