Intel Core i5-10400H vs Intel Core i7-1068NG7 Comparison

The Intel Core i5-10400H and Intel Core i7-1068NG7 are both 4-core, 8-thread mobile processors from Intel, but they target different segments within the laptop market. The i5-10400H is a 45 W part built on the 14 nm Comet Lake-H architecture, while the i7-1068NG7 is a 28 W part using the 10 nm Ice Lake-U design. Despite the i5’s higher power envelope and higher boost clock, benchmark data shows the i7-1068NG7 winning every single head-to-head test, often by a consistent margin of just over 11%.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking feature of the benchmark comparison is the complete sweep. Across six Cinebench tests—spanning R15, R20, and R23, and covering both single-core and multi-core workloads—the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 wins every round. The i5-10400H does not secure a single victory in the head-to-head data.

Looking at multi-core performance, the i7-1068NG7 posts a Cinebench R23 score of 7810, while the i5-10400H scores 6924. That is a delta of -11.3% for the i5, meaning the i7 holds an 11.3% advantage in this demanding rendering workload. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i7 scores 3280 against the i5’s 2908, again an 11.3% gap. In the older Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the i7’s 787 beats the i5’s 697, a slightly larger relative margin of 11.4%.

Single-core results tell much the same story, though the margins are marginally different. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7-1068NG7 scores 1102, against 977 for the i5-10400H, a difference of 11.3%. The R20 single-core test shows the i7 at 462 versus the i5 at 410, also an 11.3% gap. Interestingly, the R15 single-core test shows the largest single-core delta: the i7’s 110 beats the i5’s 98, which is a 10.9% difference.

These consistent deltas—hovering between 10.9% and 11.4%—indicate that the i7-1068NG7’s architectural advantage is uniform across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. The i5-10400H has a higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz compared to the i7’s 4.10 GHz, yet it still loses every race. This suggests the newer 10 nm Sunny Cove architecture in the i7 provides better instructions-per-clock (IPC) efficiency, more than compensating for the 500 MHz clock deficit.

It is notably the i5-10400H does have a Geekbench score, which is missing from the i7’s data. The i5 scores 5000 in Geekbench multi-core and 1413 in single-core. However, without a comparable i7 result, these numbers cannot be used for a direct head-to-head comparison.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 is the faster processor in every measured benchmark. If the decision rests solely on raw compute performance, the i7-1068NG7 is the correct choice. It wins all six Cinebench comparisons, with multi-core margins of 11.3% to 11.4% and single-core margins of 10.9% to 11.3%.

The i5-10400H’s only apparent advantages are its higher base clock (2.60 GHz vs 2.30 GHz) and higher boost clock (4.60 GHz vs 4.10 GHz). Yet these clock speed advantages do not translate into benchmark wins. The i7-1068NG7’s 10 nm process and Ice Lake architecture deliver superior performance per clock, making the clock speed difference irrelevant in practice.

From a system integration standpoint, the i7-1068NG7 also offers a higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s for the i5, and a larger 8 MB shared L3 cache versus 6 MB. These factors likely contribute to its consistent lead.

The i5-10400H is not a poor performer; it sits at the 47th percentile of all CPUs, matching the i7’s percentile exactly. Its average benchmark score is 2303, which is actually slightly higher than the i7’s 2259 average. This is because the i5’s Geekbench scores (5000 multi-core, 1413 single-core) are included in its average, while the i7 lacks Geekbench data, pulling its average down relative to its Cinebench dominance. When comparing like-for-like Cinebench results, the i7 wins outright.

For a user who prioritizes rendering performance, video encoding, or any CPU-bound task that scales with Cinebench-style workloads, the i7-1068NG7 is the superior part. The i5-10400H would only be preferable in a scenario where its higher clocks might benefit a specific workload not captured in these benchmarks, but no such evidence exists in the data.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i7-1068NG7: This chip wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons. It is the clear victor in multi-core rendering tasks, as shown by its 7810 Cinebench R23 score versus 6924 for the i5. It also wins single-core performance, with a 1102 R23 single-core score. The i7’s consistent 11.3% lead in both R20 and R23 suggests it will also be faster in real-world applications that rely on sustained multi-threaded loads, such as 3D rendering, video editing, and software compilation. Its 8 MB L3 cache and 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth provide a structural advantage for data-intensive workloads.

Intel Core i5-10400H: The i5 does not win a single head-to-head benchmark. Its only statistical advantages are a higher base clock (2.60 GHz) and boost clock (4.60 GHz), which could theoretically benefit very short, lightly-threaded bursts of activity. However, the benchmark data shows the i7 winning even in single-core tests, so this theoretical advantage does not materialize in Cinebench. The i5 does have a higher average benchmark score of 2303 versus 2259 for the i7, but this is solely due to the inclusion of Geekbench results, which are not available for the i7. In a direct Cinebench comparison, the i5 is slower across the board.

The i5’s 45 W TDP suggests it is designed for larger laptops with better cooling, while the i7’s 28 W TDP indicates it can fit in thinner, more power-efficient chassis. This is a system-level consideration, not a performance one. For users choosing between two laptops, the i7-1068NG7 offers better performance in a more power-efficient package, based on the data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-1068NG7 wins all multi-core Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 7810 versus 6924 for the i5-10400H, an 11.3% advantage. The R20 multi-core test shows a similar 11.3% gap (3280 vs 2908), and R15 shows an 11.4% gap (787 vs 697).

Q: Does the i5-10400H’s higher boost clock help it win any benchmarks?

A: No. Despite having a 4.60 GHz boost clock versus 4.10 GHz for the i7-1068NG7, the i5 loses every single-core test. The i7 wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 1102 against 977 for the i5, an 11.3% margin.

Q: How do the two processors compare in terms of cache size?

A: The i7-1068NG7 has a larger 8 MB shared L3 cache, while the i5-10400H has 6 MB shared L3. Both have the same 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 cache per core.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The i7-1068NG7 offers 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the i5-10400H provides 46.9 GB/s. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory, but the i5 also lists DDR3 support.

Q: Are these processors equally positioned among all CPUs?

A: Yes, both sit at the 47th percentile of all CPUs. However, their average benchmark scores differ: the i5-10400H averages 2303, while the i7-1068NG7 averages 2259. This is due to the i5 having Geekbench scores (5000 multi-core, 1413 single-core) that are not available for the i7.

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two?

A: The i5-10400H has a 45 W TDP, while the i7-1068NG7 has a 28 W TDP. This makes the i7 more suitable for thinner laptops, despite delivering better benchmark performance.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations within Intel’s 10th Gen lineup. The i5-10400H is based on Comet Lake-H, a 14 nm design, while the i7-1068NG7 uses Ice Lake-U, built on a 10 nm process. This process difference is fundamental: the 10 nm node allows for higher transistor density and improved power efficiency, which helps explain the i7’s performance lead despite a lower TDP.

Both chips have 4 cores and 8 threads, but the underlying microarchitecture differs. The i5 uses the older Comet Lake core, while the i7 employs the Sunny Cove core design. Sunny Cove offers better IPC, which is evident in the benchmark results: the i7 wins single-core tests even with a 500 MHz lower boost clock.

Cache configurations differ as well. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but the i7 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache versus 6 MB on the i5. This extra 2 MB of L3 can reduce memory latency and improve performance in cache-sensitive workloads.

Memory support also diverges. The i5-10400H lists support for both DDR3 and DDR4, while the i7-1068NG7 only supports DDR4. The i7 has higher memory bandwidth at 51.2 GB/s compared to 46.9 GB/s for the i5. Both are dual-channel, but the i7’s faster memory interface contributes to its overall performance advantage.

The integrated graphics differ: the i5 has UHD Graphics, while the i7 has Iris Plus. The i7’s Iris Plus graphics are generally more capable, though no benchmark data is provided for either iGPU. The i7 also has a smaller die size of 123 mm², while the i5’s die size is not listed.

Socket compatibility is different: the i5 uses Intel BGA 1440, while the i7 uses Intel BGA 1344. This means they are not interchangeable in the same motherboard. The i5 was released in April 2020 and remains active, while the i7 was released in July 2019 and is now end-of-life. The i7 has a launch MSRP of $320, while no launch MSRP is available for the i5.

Both processors support PCIe Gen 3, have dual-channel memory buses, and do not support ECC memory. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, so overclocking is not supported through standard means. The i7’s Ice Lake architecture also includes the 10 nm process node, which is a significant architectural difference from the i5’s 14 nm Comet Lake design, explaining the performance and efficiency gap observed in the benchmarks.