Core i5-10600K vs Core i7-1355U

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 i5-10600K

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-1355U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $262 MSRP, while Core i7-1355U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-1355U moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Core i7-1355U

2023

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,116 vs 14,247).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-10600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-10600K

2020

Core i7-1355U

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Core i7-1355U needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of LGA1200 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $262 MSRP, while Core i7-1355U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA1200 with DDR4, while Core i7-1355U moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10600K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (14,116 vs 14,247).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-10600K can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-10600K better than Core i7-1355U?

Yes. Core i5-10600K is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 14.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-10600K is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.0% 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 i5-10600K is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i5-10600K is the smarter buy today. Core i5-10600K is at an unclear MSRP at $262 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 14.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (54.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-1355U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020) and a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of LGA1200. 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 i5-10600K Benchmark Check

Core i7-1355U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Core i7-1355U
1080p
low	301 FPS	280 FPS
medium	263 FPS	250 FPS
high	221 FPS	212 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	182 FPS
1440p
low	247 FPS	234 FPS
medium	195 FPS	188 FPS
high	160 FPS	155 FPS
ultra	140 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	170 FPS	164 FPS
medium	136 FPS	133 FPS
high	105 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	90 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Core i7-1355U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Core i7-1355U
1080p
low	356 FPS	241 FPS
medium	356 FPS	201 FPS
high	338 FPS	182 FPS
ultra	295 FPS	161 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	215 FPS
medium	332 FPS	187 FPS
high	301 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	262 FPS	144 FPS
4K
low	343 FPS	162 FPS
medium	279 FPS	146 FPS
high	254 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	214 FPS	119 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Core i7-1355U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Core i7-1355U
1080p
low	356 FPS	353 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	353 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	353 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	353 FPS
4K
low	356 FPS	353 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	347 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Core i7-1355U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-10600K	Core i7-1355U
1080p
low	356 FPS	353 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	353 FPS
1440p
low	356 FPS	353 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	353 FPS
4K
low	356 FPS	353 FPS
medium	356 FPS	353 FPS
high	356 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	356 FPS	353 FPS

Open Core i5-10600K Open Core i7-1355U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10600K and Core i7-1355U

Core i5-10600K

The Core i5-10600K 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 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,247 points. Launch price was $262.

Core i7-1355U

The Core i7-1355U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U (2023) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 14,116 points. Launch price was $469.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-10600K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-1355U offers 10 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-1355U has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i5-10600K versus 5 GHz on the Core i7-1355U — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-1355U (base: 4.1 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i5-10600K uses the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-1355U uses Raptor Lake-U (2023) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10600K scores 14,247 against the Core i7-1355U's 14,116 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-10600K. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-10600K	Core i7-1355U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	10 / 12+67%
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5 GHz+4%
Base Clock	4.1 GHz+141%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1.25 MB (per core)+400%
Process	14 nm	Intel 7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake (2020−2025)	Raptor Lake-U (2023)
PassMark	14,247	14,116

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-10600K uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-1355U uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-10600K	Core i7-1355U
Socket	LGA1200	FCBGA1744
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 5.0+67%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—