Core i5-10400F vs Core i7-4860HQ

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: +97.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-4860HQ.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-4860HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌38.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 47W.

Core i7-4860HQ

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 47W instead of 65W, a 18W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,204 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Core i5-10400F

2020

Core i7-4860HQ

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +97.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-4860HQ.

Why buy it

✅Draws 47W instead of 65W, a 18W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $160 MSRP, while Core i7-4860HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌38.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 47W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10400F across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,204 vs 13,029).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-10400F.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10400F better than Core i7-4860HQ?

Yes. Core i5-10400F is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 97.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 110% 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 i5-10400F is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 97.8% more average FPS across 4 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 110% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

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

Core i5-10400F is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10400F is at an unclear MSRP at $160 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 97.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (81.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-10400F is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2014), 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i7-4860HQ Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-4860HQ
1080p
low	192 FPS	155 FPS
medium	152 FPS	142 FPS
high	123 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	153 FPS	139 FPS
medium	119 FPS	118 FPS
high	97 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	79 FPS	75 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	66 FPS
medium	70 FPS	59 FPS
high	55 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-4860HQ

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-4860HQ
1080p
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	318 FPS	145 FPS
high	290 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	253 FPS	107 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	143 FPS
medium	292 FPS	124 FPS
high	267 FPS	116 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	95 FPS
4K
low	309 FPS	111 FPS
medium	258 FPS	98 FPS
high	235 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	199 FPS	55 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-4860HQ

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-4860HQ
1080p
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	326 FPS	155 FPS
high	326 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	155 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	326 FPS	155 FPS
high	326 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	326 FPS	155 FPS
high	289 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	229 FPS	155 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-4860HQ

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-4860HQ
1080p
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	326 FPS	155 FPS
high	326 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	155 FPS
1440p
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	326 FPS	155 FPS
high	326 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	155 FPS
4K
low	326 FPS	155 FPS
medium	326 FPS	155 FPS
high	326 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	326 FPS	155 FPS

Open Core i5-10400F Open Core i7-4860HQ

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10400F and Core i7-4860HQ

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 i7-4860HQ

The Core i7-4860HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,204 points. Launch price was $434.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10400F packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-4860HQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-4860HQ — a 17.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-10400F uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-4860HQ uses Crystalwell (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10400F scores 13,029 against the Core i7-4860HQ's 6,204 — a 71% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4860HQ.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-4860HQ
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+19%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+21%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Crystalwell (2013−2014)
PassMark	13,029+110%	6,204
Cinebench R23 Multi	8,191	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,454	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,783	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10400F uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4860HQ uses BGA1364 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10400F	Core i7-4860HQ
Socket	LGA1200	BGA1364
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F) / not specified (Core i7-4860HQ). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.