Core i5-10500T vs Core i7-8850H

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.

Core i5-10500T vs Core i7-8850H FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-10500T vs Core i7-8850H: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-10500T

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-8850H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $226 MSRP, while Core i7-8850H mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i7-8850H

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,074 vs 10,140).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10500T better than Core i7-8850H?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-8850H is ahead with a 12.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10500T pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-10500T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-10500T is the better buy right now. Core i5-10500T comes in at an unclear MSRP at $226 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-8850H is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 12.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (44.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-10500T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-10500T vs Core i7-8850H Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-10500T

The Core i5-10500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2020 (5 years ago). It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 10,140 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-8850H

The Core i7-8850H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 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: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,074 points. Launch price was $395.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-10500T and Core i7-8850H share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-10500T versus 4.3 GHz on the Core i7-8850H — a 12.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-8850H (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-8850H is built on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-10500T scores 10,140 against the Core i7-8850H's 10,074 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-10500T. L3 cache: 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Core i5-10500T vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-8850H.

Feature	Core i5-10500T	Core i7-8850H
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.3 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.6 GHz+13%
L3 Cache	12 MB Intel® Smart Cache	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	—	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)
PassMark	10,140	10,074

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10500T uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-8850H uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.