Intel Core i5-10400H vs Intel Core i7-8559U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits these two mobile processors into distinct usage profiles. The Intel Core i5-10400H takes the Geekbench tests decisively, while the Intel Core i7-8559U sweeps the entire Cinebench suite. That split tells a clear story about workload optimization.

In Geekbench multicore, the i5-10400H posts a score of 5000 against the i7-8559U's 4293. That is a 16.5% advantage, the largest single margin in the entire head-to-head comparison. The i5-10400H also wins Geekbench singlecore, scoring 1413 versus 1384, a 2.1% edge. If the workload resembles the mixed integer, floating point, and memory patterns that Geekbench stresses, the i5-10400H is the stronger part.

The i7-8559U counters across every Cinebench iteration. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 6984 against 6924, a 0.9% lead. In Cinebench R23 singlecore, it scores 986 versus 977, again a 0.9% margin. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 and R15. The i7-8559U wins multicore in R20 with 2933 against 2908, and singlecore with 414 versus 410. In R15, it wins multicore 703 to 697 and singlecore 99 to 98. Every Cinebench delta is small, between 0.9% and 1%, but the consistency is notable. The i7-8559U is the pick for rendering-style workloads built around Cinema 4D's engine.

The i5-10400H's Geekbench multicore win is not just a matter of a higher score. It is a 16.5% gap, which is substantial for two 4-core, 8-thread parts. That suggests the i5-10400H handles the broader, more varied instruction mix of Geekbench better. The i7-8559U, meanwhile, shows a narrow but reliable edge in the Cinebench family, where the same scene is rendered repeatedly with heavy thread utilization.

The average benchmark scores reflect this split. The i5-10400H carries an average benchmark score of 2303, while the i7-8559U sits at 2225. Both land at the 47th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The i5-10400H's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-8809G at 2307 (0.2% ahead), the Intel Xeon E-2134 at 2319 (0.7% ahead), and the AMD Ryzen 7 2700 at 2320 (0.7% ahead). The i7-8559U's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-5775C at 2224, the Intel Xeon E5-4648 v3 at 2227, the Intel Xeon D-1548 at 2231, and the Intel Xeon D-1715TER at 2238. The i5-10400H sits in faster company overall.

The Verdict

Choose the Intel Core i5-10400H if your priority is Geekbench-style responsiveness. The data shows a 16.5% multicore advantage and a 2.1% singlecore advantage over the i7-8559U in that benchmark. That is the biggest performance gap in this comparison. For users running applications that resemble Geekbench's mixed workload profile, the i5-10400H is the clear winner.

Choose the Intel Core i7-8559U if your work leans on Cinebench rendering. It wins all six Cinebench comparisons, albeit by margins of about 1%. The i7-8559U also has a larger L3 cache at 8 MB shared versus 6 MB shared on the i5-10400H, which may contribute to its consistent edge in the Cinebench suite. The i7-8559U integrates Iris Pro Plus graphics, while the i5-10400H uses UHD Graphics, another factor for buyers who rely on integrated display output without a discrete GPU.

The i7-8559U is also the more power-frugal option on paper, with a 28 W TDP against the i5-10400H's 45 W TDP. However, the i5-10400H has a higher boost clock at 4.60 GHz versus 4.50 GHz, and a lower base clock at 2.60 GHz versus 2.70 GHz. Neither part is multiplier unlocked. Both are soldered mobile chips, with the i5-10400H on Intel BGA 1440 and the i7-8559U on Intel BGA 1356.

For a laptop buyer, the i5-10400H makes sense when the Geekbench multicore lead matters more than the narrow Cinebench deficit. The i7-8559U makes sense for rendering tasks and for users who want the larger cache and the more capable integrated graphics solution. Neither part dominates the other across the board. The i5-10400H wins 2 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, the i7-8559U wins 6 of 8. But the i5-10400H's two wins include the largest margin by far.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single biggest swing in this matchup is Geekbench multicore. The i5-10400H scores 5000, the i7-8559U scores 4293, a 16.5% gap in favor of the i5-10400H. In a field where most deltas hover near 1%, this is the outlier result that defines the comparison. The i5-10400H also wins Geekbench singlecore, 1413 to 1384, a 2.1% margin. That gives the i5-10400H a clean sweep of the Geekbench tests.

The i7-8559U answers in Cinebench. In Cinebench R23, the most current of the three Cinebench versions in the database, the i7-8559U wins multicore 6984 to 6924, a 0.9% margin. It wins singlecore 986 to 977, also 0.9%. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20: multicore 2933 to 2908 (0.9% margin), singlecore 414 to 410 (1% margin). In Cinebench R15, the i7-8559U wins multicore 703 to 697 (0.9% margin) and singlecore 99 to 98 (1% margin).

The consistency of the i7-8559U's Cinebench wins is striking. Every Cinebench test, regardless of version, shows the i7-8559U ahead by roughly 1%. That is a narrow but uniform advantage. The i5-10400H cannot take a single Cinebench test. Conversely, the i7-8559U cannot touch the i5-10400H in Geekbench multicore, where the margin is an order of magnitude larger than any other delta in the comparison.

Looking at the broader context, the i5-10400H's average benchmark score of 2303 places it just below the Intel Core i7-8809G (2307, 0.2% difference) and just above the Intel Xeon E5-2629 v3 (2283, 0.9% difference). The i7-8559U's average of 2225 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-5775C (2224, 0% difference). The 78-point gap between the two CPUs' averages reflects the i5-10400H's Geekbench dominance, which outweighs its small Cinebench losses in the averaging calculation.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has the higher single-core performance in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i7-8559U scores 986 in Cinebench R23 singlecore, compared to 977 for the Intel Core i5-10400H, a 0.9% advantage.

Q: How large is the Geekbench multicore gap between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-10400H scores 5000 in Geekbench multicore, while the Intel Core i7-8559U scores 4293. That is a 16.5% lead for the i5-10400H.

Q: Do both CPUs have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both have 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-8559U has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i5-10400H has 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core i7-8559U has a 28 W TDP, and the Intel Core i5-10400H has a 45 W TDP.

Q: Which CPU wins more head-to-head benchmarks overall?

A: The Intel Core i7-8559U wins 6 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks, all in the Cinebench suite. The Intel Core i5-10400H wins the remaining 2, both in Geekbench.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and microarchitectures. The Intel Core i5-10400H is a Comet Lake part, specifically Comet Lake-H, released on 2020-04-01. It belongs to the Core 10th Gen series. The Intel Core i7-8559U is a Kaby Lake part, specifically Kaby Lake-R, released on 2018-04-04, and belongs to the Core 7th Gen (Kaby Lake-U Refresh) generation. Both are built on Intel's 14 nm process node and fabricated by Intel, but they represent different design points within that node's lifecycle.

The core configurations are identical on paper: 4 cores, 8 threads, 64 KB of L1 cache per core, and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache differs. The i5-10400H has 6 MB shared, while the i7-8559U has 8 MB shared. That extra 2 MB of L3 is the most significant architectural differentiator beyond the microarchitecture itself. The i7-8559U also carries a die size of 123 mm², a detail not recorded for the i5-10400H.

Clock speeds differ slightly. The i5-10400H has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The i7-8559U has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The i5-10400H starts lower but boosts higher, while the i7-8559U maintains a higher base frequency. This aligns with their TDP ratings: 45 W for the i5-10400H, 28 W for the i7-8559U. The higher TDP gives the i5-10400H more thermal headroom for sustained boost activity, while the i7-8559U is tuned for lower sustained power draw.

Memory support also differs. The i5-10400H supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory with dual-channel operation and a recorded memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The i7-8559U supports DDR4 only, and the database records no memory bus configuration or bandwidth figure for it. The i5-10400H also lists PCIe Gen 3 support, while the i7-8559U has no PCIe information recorded.

The integrated graphics solutions are different. The i5-10400H uses UHD Graphics. The i7-8559U uses Iris Pro Plus. The database does not provide benchmark scores for either iGPU, but the product positioning is clear: Iris Pro Plus is the higher-tier integrated graphics option. Both CPUs support non-ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-10400H has a recorded part number of SRH8R, while the i7-8559U has none listed.

The socket types are incompatible. The i5-10400H uses Intel BGA 1440, while the i7-8559U uses Intel BGA 1356. Both are soldered mobile packages. The i5-10400H released about two years after the i7-8559U, and both remain in active production according to the database. The architectural differences, particularly the newer Comet Lake design of the i5-10400H versus the larger L3 cache and Iris Pro Plus graphics of the i7-8559U, explain why the benchmark results split so cleanly across different test families.