Intel Core i5-12400F vs Intel Core i7-10700 Comparison

The Intel Core i7-10700 and Intel Core i5-12400F occupy the same 73rd percentile of all CPUs, yet their benchmark profiles are strikingly different. The older 8-core Comet Lake part wins 7 of 25 head-to-head tests, while the newer 6-core Alder Lake chip wins 18. The i7-10700 retains victories in heavily threaded 3DMark runs and specific integer workloads, but the i5-12400F dominates Cinebench, Geekbench, and encryption tests by margins as large as 53.9%. The data indicates the i5-12400F is the superior all-around processor for most workloads, with the i7-10700 only being the right choice for users prioritizing the few multi-threaded 3DMark scenarios and specific data compression or integer math tasks.

The Verdict

The benchmark results are clear: the Intel Core i5-12400F should be the default pick for nearly every buyer. Its average benchmark score of 19039 is only 0.6% lower than the i7-10700's 19145, but that near-parity in averages hides a decisive advantage in most tests. The i5-12400F wins 18 of 25 head-to-head comparisons, including every single-threaded test and every Cinebench run. For users running rendering workloads, the i5-12400F delivers a Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 12380 versus 10910 for the i7-10700, an 11.9% advantage despite having two fewer cores. The i5-12400F also crushes the i7-10700 in Geekbench multi-core, scoring 9472 versus 5092, a 46.2% lead.

The i7-10700 is only the right choice for a narrow set of tasks. It wins the 3DMark 16-thread test with 6465 versus 5895 (a 9.7% edge), the 3DMark 8-thread test with 4945 versus 4779 (3.5% ahead), and the 3DMark max-thread test with 6719 versus 5912 (13.7% ahead). It also wins PassMark data compression, extended instructions, integer math, and random string sorting. The latter is its biggest win: 31585 versus 22975, a 37.5% margin. Users whose workloads are dominated by these specific operations might prefer the i7-10700, but they would sacrifice massive performance elsewhere. Given that the i5-12400F has a launch MSRP of $174, while the i7-10700 has no launch MSRP listed, the decision is even more straightforward for new builds.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and process nodes. The i7-10700 uses the Comet Lake architecture on a 14 nm process, while the i5-12400F uses Alder Lake on a 10 nm process. The i7-10700 has 8 cores and 16 threads, whereas the i5-12400F has 6 cores and 12 threads. The i5-12400F compensates for fewer cores with a larger cache layout: 80 KB of L1 per core versus 64 KB, 1.25 MB of L2 per core versus 256 KB, and 18 MB of shared L3 versus 16 MB. The i5-12400F also reports a die size of 163 mm², while the i7-10700 lists no die size.

Socket compatibility differs completely. The i7-10700 uses Intel Socket 1200, while the i5-12400F uses Intel Socket 1700. Memory support also diverges: the i7-10700 supports only DDR4 with dual-channel access and a listed bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, while the i5-12400F supports both DDR4 and DDR5 with dual-channel access but no bandwidth figure listed. PCIe capabilities are another major split: the i7-10700 offers Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, while the i5-12400F offers Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes.

Integrated graphics are present on the i7-10700 (UHD Graphics 630) but absent on the i5-12400F, which has no integrated graphics listed. Both processors have locked multipliers, as neither has multiplierUnlocked set to true. The i7-10700 was released on 2020-04-29, while the i5-12400F arrived later on 2022-01-03. Both have a 65 W TDP and are marked as Active in production status. The i5-12400F lists two part numbers (SRL4WSRL5Z), while the i7-10700 lists one (SRH6Y).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-10700 has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, which is higher than the i5-12400F's 4.40 GHz boost clock.

Q: Does the i5-12400F support faster PCIe hardware?

A: Yes. The i5-12400F supports PCIe Gen 5 with 20 CPU lanes, while the i7-10700 is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes.

Q: Which CPU wins in Cinebench R23 single-core performance?

A: The i5-12400F wins with a score of 1680, which is 8.3% higher than the i7-10700's 1540.

Q: Is the i7-10700 better for any multi-threaded 3DMark tests?

A: Yes. The i7-10700 wins the 3DMark 16-thread test (6465 vs 5895), the 3DMark 8-thread test (4945 vs 4779), and the 3DMark max-thread test (6719 vs 5912).

Q: What is the L3 cache difference between these two CPUs?

A: The i5-12400F has 18 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7-10700 has 16 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: The i7-10700 includes UHD Graphics 630, while the i5-12400F has no integrated graphics listed.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The i7-10700 has 8 cores and 16 threads, compared to the i5-12400F's 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clock speeds are 2.90 GHz for the i7-10700 versus 2.50 GHz for the i5-12400F. Boost clocks are 4.80 GHz and 4.40 GHz, respectively. Both share a 65 W TDP, but their sockets are different: Intel Socket 1200 for the i7-10700 and Intel Socket 1700 for the i5-12400F.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The i7-10700 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 16 MB shared L3. The i5-12400F has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 18 MB shared L3. Process node is 14 nm for the i7-10700 and 10 nm for the i5-12400F, with the latter listing a die size of 163 mm². Memory support sees the i7-10700 limited to DDR4, while the i5-12400F supports DDR4 and DDR5. The i7-10700 lists a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, while the i5-12400F has no memory bandwidth figure. PCIe lanes differ: Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the i7-10700 versus Gen 5 with 20 lanes for the i5-12400F. The i7-10700 has integrated UHD Graphics 630, while the i5-12400F has none. Release dates are 2020-04-29 for the i7-10700 and 2022-01-03 for the i5-12400F. The i5-12400F has a launch MSRP of $174, while the i7-10700 has no launch MSRP listed.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i5-12400F wins 18 of 25 benchmark comparisons, and its victories are often decisive. The largest win comes in PassMark data encryption, where the i5-12400F scores 11679 versus 5379 for the i7-10700, a 53.9% advantage. Geekbench multi-core shows a similar story: 9472 for the i5-12400F versus 5092 for the i7-10700, a 46.2% margin. Cinebench R20 multi-core delivers 6980 versus 4582, a 34.4% lead for the i5-12400F, and Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 1759 versus 1099, also a 37.5% difference. Single-threaded performance is consistently in the i5-12400F's favor: PassMark single-thread scores 3481 versus 2891 (16.9% higher), 3DMark single-thread scores 909 versus 793 (12.8% higher), and Cinebench R23 single-core scores 1680 versus 1540 (8.3% higher).

The i7-10700's seven wins are concentrated in specific areas. Its best result is PassMark random string sorting, where it scores 31585 versus 22975, a 37.5% advantage. The 3DMark max-thread test shows 6719 versus 5912, a 13.7% lead, and the 3DMark 16-thread test shows 6465 versus 5895, a 9.7% edge. PassMark data compression also favors the i7-10700 (252113 versus 233327, an 8.1% difference). Smaller wins come in PassMark integer math (62988 versus 59995, 5% ahead), 3DMark 8-thread (4945 versus 4779, 3.5% ahead), and PassMark extended instructions (16160 versus 15834, 2.1% ahead).

The overall pattern is clear: the i5-12400F's architectural advantages from Alder Lake, including a newer 10 nm node, larger caches, and higher single-thread performance, overwhelm the i7-10700's core count advantage in most workloads. The i7-10700's 8-core/16-thread configuration only helps in the few tests that scale specifically with core count, such as 3DMark's thread-heavy runs and integer math. For everything else, the i5-12400F delivers dramatically better results, making it the stronger choice for the vast majority of desktop workloads.