Intel Core i5-11400H vs Intel Core i7-1260U Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i5-11400H has 6 cores and 12 threads. Both support 12 threads, but the i7-1260U includes 4 additional physical cores.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core performance?

A: The i7-1260U wins in Cinebench R15 single-core by 20.6% and in Geekbench single-core by 23.4%. However, the i5-11400H wins in Cinebench R20 single-core by 12.3% and in Cinebench R23 single-core by 11.8%. The PassMark single-thread test gives the i7-1260U a 6% edge (3153 vs 2975).

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-1260U boosts to 4.70 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-11400H boosts to 4.50 GHz. The i7-1260U also starts at a lower base clock of 1100.00 MHz compared to 2200.00 MHz on the i5-11400H.

Q: What is the power draw difference between the two?

A: The i7-1260U has a TDP of 9 watts, while the i5-11400H has a TDP of 35 watts. The i7-1260U is rated for a much lower power envelope, reflecting its ultra-low-power design.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory types?

A: No. The i7-1260U supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the i5-11400H supports only DDR4. Both use a dual-channel memory bus, but the i5-11400H has a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has the better integrated graphics?

A: The i7-1260U features Iris Xe 96EU graphics, while the i5-11400H features UHD Graphics. The i7-1260U's integrated graphics are the more capable of the two.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-1260U and Intel Core i5-11400H come from different architectural lineages within Intel's mobile lineup. The i7-1260U is built on Alder Lake-U, part of the Alder Lake family, while the i5-11400H is a Tiger Lake-H part. Both are manufactured on a 10 nm process at Intel, but the underlying designs diverge significantly.

The i7-1260U uses a hybrid configuration with 10 cores and 12 threads, a hallmark of Alder Lake's approach to mixing performance and efficiency cores. The i5-11400H, by contrast, uses a more conventional 6-core, 12-thread arrangement. Thread counts are identical at 12, but the core count difference is substantial: 10 versus 6. This suggests the i7-1260U relies on additional physical cores to handle parallel workloads, while the i5-11400H depends on higher sustained power and clock behavior.

Cache configurations are identical in structure: both have 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The shared L3 capacity is the same, which means the i7-1260U spreads that 12 MB across more cores, while the i5-11400H has a larger per-core share of the L3 pool.

The i7-1260U is rated at 9 watts TDP, a figure typical of ultra-portable designs, whereas the i5-11400H is rated at 35 watts, indicating a performance-oriented mobile H-series part. The i7-1260U uses socket Intel BGA 1781, while the i5-11400H uses Intel BGA 1787, so the two are not socket-compatible.

Memory support differs as well. The i7-1260U supports both DDR4 and DDR5, giving it access to newer memory technology, while the i5-11400H is limited to DDR4. The i5-11400H has a recorded memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both support PCIe Gen 4, but the i5-11400H explicitly lists 20 lanes (CPU only). The i7-1260U does not list a lane count in the database.

Integrated graphics also separate the two. The i7-1260U carries Iris Xe 96EU, while the i5-11400H carries UHD Graphics. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both are currently marked as Active in production status. The i5-11400H has a listed die size of 190 mm², while the i7-1260U has no die size recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a clear split: the i5-11400H dominates multi-core and sustained workloads, while the i7-1260U wins several single-threaded and specialized tests. Across 19 head-to-head comparisons, the i5-11400H wins 12 and the i7-1260U wins 7.

The largest victory for the i5-11400H comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 12859 against 7912.5 for the i7-1260U, a 38.5% advantage. This is the single biggest gap in the dataset. The i5-11400H also leads in Cinebench R20 multi-core by 12.3% (5400 vs 4736) and in Cinebench R15 multi-core by 7.2% (1296 vs 1203). The PassMark extended instructions test shows another major i5-11400H win, 12971 vs 8280, a 36.2% difference. Random string sorting also favors the i5-11400H by 25.7% (22512 vs 16726), and data compression goes to the i5-11400H by 20.2% (190855 vs 152217).

The i7-1260U posts its biggest win in PassMark physics, scoring 1046 against 678, a 54.3% margin. That is the largest victory for either chip. The i7-1260U also wins PassMark find prime numbers by 42.6% (67 vs 47), Geekbench single-core by 23.4% (1936 vs 1569), and Cinebench R15 single-core by 20.6% (219.5 vs 182). Smaller wins for the i7-1260U include PassMark single-thread by 6% (3153 vs 2975) and PassMark data encryption by 1.8% (9480 vs 9309).

Some tests are close. Geekbench multi-core shows the i5-11400H ahead by just 1.2% (6396 vs 6320). PassMark floating point math is nearly even, with the i5-11400H leading by 1.9% (32060 vs 31456). PassMark multithread shows the i5-11400H ahead by 8.7% (15346 vs 14011). Integer math favors the i5-11400H by 13.9% (53286 vs 45887).

The single-core picture is mixed. In Cinebench R20 single-core and Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-11400H wins by 12.3% and 11.8% respectively. But in Cinebench R15 single-core and Geekbench single-core, the i7-1260U wins by 20.6% and 23.4%. The PassMark single-thread test, reported twice in the database with identical scores, gives the i7-1260U a 6% edge. This inconsistency suggests the two chips respond differently to the specific workloads in each benchmark.

Overall average benchmark scores place the i7-1260U at 16320 and the i5-11400H at 15749. The i7-1260U sits at the 70th percentile of all CPUs, while the i5-11400H sits at the 69th percentile. The i7-1260U's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H with a delta of -0.1%, the AMD EPYC 7543P at -0.5%, the Intel Core i5-10600KF at +0.6%, and the Intel Core i7-10850H at +0.7%. The i5-11400H's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 9254 at 0%, the AMD Ryzen 3 7440U at +0.4%, the AMD EPYC 9354P at -0.5%, and the AMD EPYC 75F3 at -0.7%.

The Verdict

The data tells a straightforward story. The Intel Core i5-11400H is the stronger multi-core performer by a wide margin, particularly in Cinebench R23 multi-core where it leads by 38.5%. It also wins the majority of head-to-head tests, 12 out of 19. For workloads that stress sustained parallel processing, such as rendering, data compression, and extended instruction execution, the i5-11400H is the clear choice.

The Intel Core i7-1260U, despite its lower TDP of 9 watts, wins the most important single-core test in Geekbench by 23.4% and shows a massive 54.3% lead in PassMark physics. It also wins PassMark find prime numbers by 42.6%, a test that may favor its higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz. For single-threaded responsiveness and specialized workloads like prime number calculation and encryption, the i7-1260U has the edge.

The i5-11400H has a launch MSRP of $250. The i7-1260U has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

The i5-11400H should be the pick for users who prioritize multi-core throughput and are willing to accept a 35-watt TDP. The i7-1260U should be the pick for users who need strong single-thread performance and a dramatically lower power envelope, 9 watts, which suits ultra-portable laptops.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-1260U | Intel Core i5-11400H |

|----------------|---------------------|----------------------|

| Cores | 10 | 6 |

| Threads | 12 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1100.00 MHz | 2200.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.70 GHz | 4.50 GHz |

| TDP | 9 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1781 | Intel BGA 1787 |

| Architecture | Alder Lake | Tiger Lake |

| Codename | Alder Lake-U | Tiger Lake-H |

| Generation | Core i7 (Alder Lake-U) | Core i5 (Tiger Lake-H) |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 10 nm |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 190 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 4 | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Xe 96EU | UHD Graphics |

| Release Date | 2022-02-22 | 2021-05-10 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $250 |

| Part Number | Not recorded | SRKT1 |

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-11400H wins in Cinebench R15 multi-core, Cinebench R20 multi-core, Cinebench R23 multi-core, Geekbench multi-core, PassMark data compression, PassMark extended instructions, PassMark floating point math, PassMark integer math, PassMark multithread, and PassMark random string sorting. It also wins Cinebench R20 single-core and Cinebench R23 single-core. This is a broad set of wins spanning rendering, compression, sorting, and general multi-threaded math.

The Intel Core i7-1260U wins in Cinebench R15 single-core, Geekbench single-core, PassMark data encryption, PassMark find prime numbers, PassMark physics, and PassMark single-thread (reported twice). Its wins cluster in single-thread tests, encryption, prime number calculation, and physics simulation.

The use-case split is clear. The i5-11400H is the better all-around workhorse for CPU-intensive tasks that can use all available threads. The i7-1260U, with its 9-watt TDP and hybrid core design, is the better fit for lightweight, power-sensitive systems where single-thread speed and encryption performance matter more than raw multi-core output. The i7-1260U's 54.3% lead in PassMark physics is particularly notable, as physics calculations often respond well to higher per-core efficiency.

Users who need the highest multi-core scores in Cinebench R23, 12859 versus 7912.5, should choose the i5-11400H. Users who need the highest Geekbench single-core score, 1936 versus 1569, should choose the i7-1260U. The database's overall average benchmark score slightly favors the i7-1260U at 16320 versus 15749, but the head-to-head results show the i5-11400H winning more individual tests. The choice ultimately depends on whether the workload leans toward sustained multi-core performance or single-thread responsiveness with lower power consumption.