M1 vs Core i5-10400H

CPU

GPU

M1

8 Cores8 Thrd−WMax: 3.2 GHz2020

Core i5-10400H

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2020

Performance Spectrum - CPU

8 / 8

8,207

0.0%

Core i5-10400H

4 / 8

8,246

+0.5%

About PassMark

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The M1 is positioned at rank 1004 and the Core i5-10400H is on rank 652, so the Core i5-10400H offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M1

#992

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2145%

#993

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2113%

#994

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1940%

#995

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1931%

#996

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1914%

#998

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1848%

#999

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1772%

#1000

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1769%

#1001

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1721%

#1004

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1005

Pentium P6000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

100%

#1007

Core i7-3630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1008

Core i7-3610QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1009

Core i3-1115GRE

MSRP: $338|Avg: $480

99%

#1010

Pentium A1020

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

99%

#1011

Core i7-4702MQ

MSRP: $383|Avg: $50

99%

#1012

Pentium N4200

MSRP: $161|Avg: $30.89

98%

#1013

Pentium J2900

MSRP: $94|Avg: $20

98%

#1014

Celeron T1700

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

97%

#1015

Celeron T3500

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

96%

#1016

A12-9720P

MSRP: $200|Avg: $25

96%

#1017

Core i5-4300M

MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A

95%

#1018

Celeron 1005M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

95%

#1019

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-10400H

#640

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

890%

#641

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

877%

#642

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

805%

#643

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

801%

#644

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

794%

#646

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

767%

#647

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

735%

#648

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

734%

#649

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

714%

#652

Core i5-10400H

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#662

Athlon II P360

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

98%

#665

Athlon X2 QL-64

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

#666

Core 3 N350

MSRP: $225|Avg: $220

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-10400H delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the M1 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	M1	Core i5-10400H
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-H (2020) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M1	Core i5-10400H
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

M1 Benchmark Check

Core i5-10400H Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 and Core i5-10400H

M1

The M1 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 November 2020 (5 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.064 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Passmark benchmark score: 8,207 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-10400H

The Core i5-10400H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 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: 8,246 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The M1 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-10400H offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the M1 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the M1 versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i5-10400H — a 35.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400H (base: 2.064 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-10400H is built on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 scores 8,207 against the Core i5-10400H's 8,246 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-10400H. L3 cache: 16 MB on the M1 vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400H.

Feature	M1	Core i5-10400H
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	4.6 GHz+44%
Base Clock	2.064 GHz	2.6 GHz+26%
L3 Cache	16 MB+167%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	16 MB+6300%	256K (per core)
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Comet Lake-H (2020)
PassMark	8,207	8,246
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,391

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M1) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-10400H). The Core i5-10400H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the M1 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10400H targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400H rivals Ryzen 5 4600H.