Intel Core i5-1240U vs Intel Core i7-10850H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear split between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core i5-1240U wins the majority of the head-to-head comparisons, taking 13 of the 17 recorded tests, while the Intel Core i7-10850H secures 4 wins. However, the margin of victory in each direction tells a more nuanced story about workload characteristics.

The most significant win for the Intel Core i5-1240U comes in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 8964 against 3890 for the i7-10850H, a 56.6% advantage. This is the largest delta in either direction across all recorded benchmarks. The i5-1240U also demonstrates a strong lead in Cinebench R15 single-core, scoring 226 versus 139, which translates to a 38.5% advantage. Its Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 1242 beats the i7-10850H's 986 by 20.6%, and its Cinebench R20 results show an 18% lead in both single-core (707 vs 580) and multi-core (5013 vs 4110).

The i5-1240U also wins in PassMark physics (981 vs 718, a 26.8% lead), PassMark find prime numbers (63 vs 41, a 34.9% lead), PassMark floating point math (29726 vs 25216, a 15.2% lead), PassMark integer math (44968 vs 39919, an 11.2% lead), and PassMark multi-thread (13406 vs 11643, a 13.2% lead). In single-threaded PassMark tests, it scores 3239 against 2668, a 17.6% advantage.

The Intel Core i7-10850H's wins are concentrated in specific compute-heavy workloads. Its largest victory is in PassMark random string sorting, where it scores 21537 against 15996, a 34.6% advantage. It also leads by 30.9% in PassMark extended instructions (10381 vs 7932) and by 15.9% in PassMark data compression (165882 vs 143102). The i7-10850H takes the Cinebench R23 multi-core test with a score of 9786 versus 7902, a 23.8% margin, which is notable given that the i5-1240U wins the older Cinebench R20 multi-core test.

In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-1240U still leads, scoring 1559 against 1381, an 11.4% advantage. This pattern across Cinebench versions suggests that the two processors respond differently to workload scaling, with the i7-10850H pulling ahead specifically in the R23 multi-core variant while the i5-1240U dominates the R15 and R20 suites.

The average benchmark scores place the i5-1240U at 16957, while the i7-10850H sits at 16204. Both processors occupy the 70th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the i7-10850H include the Intel Core i5-10600KF with an average score of 16228 (a 0.2% difference), the Intel Core 3 100U at 16148 (0.3% difference), the Intel Core i7-1260U at 16320 (0.7% difference), and the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H at 16341 (0.8% difference). The i5-1240U's nearest rivals include the AMD EPYC 7702 at 16932 (0.1% difference), the AMD EPYC 7742 at 16998 (0.2% difference), the Intel Core i7-1260P at 17007 (0.3% difference), and the AMD Ryzen 5 7235HS at 16902 (0.3% difference).

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-10850H demonstrates its strength in sustained, heavily multi-threaded compute tasks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core victory, combined with wins in extended instruction workloads, data compression, and random string sorting, indicates that applications leveraging advanced CPU instruction sets and high memory throughput favor the older Comet Lake design. The PassMark extended instructions score of 10381 is particularly notable, as it suggests the i7-10850H handles SIMD-style workloads with 30.9% more efficiency than the i5-1240U.

The Intel Core i5-1240U, by contrast, dominates in single-threaded responsiveness and encryption workloads. Its 38.5% lead in Cinebench R15 single-core and 17.6% lead in PassMark single-thread demonstrate a clear advantage in lightly threaded applications. The data encryption score of 8964 versus 3890 indicates that the Alder Lake architecture's cryptographic acceleration capabilities are substantially stronger. The i5-1240U also wins all three PassMark math tests (integer, floating point, and prime number finding), which points to a more efficient arithmetic execution pipeline.

For users running applications that scale across many threads, the i5-1240U still holds the advantage in most multi-core tests, including Cinebench R15, R20, and PassMark multi-thread. However, the i7-10850H's Cinebench R23 multi-core win suggests that certain modern rendering workloads may favor the older chip. The recorded data indicates that the i5-1240U is the better all-around performer, but the i7-10850H remains competitive in specific server-style or compression-heavy tasks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and manufacturing processes. The Intel Core i7-10850H uses the Comet Lake architecture built on a 14 nm process, while the Intel Core i5-1240U uses the Alder Lake architecture on a 10 nm process. This process node difference likely contributes to the i5-1240U's efficiency advantages, although the recorded data does not include direct power consumption measurements.

Core configurations differ significantly. The i7-10850H has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i5-1240U has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer physical cores, the i7-10850H still manages to win in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which indicates that its higher boost clock of 5.10 GHz compared to the i5-1240U's 4.40 GHz plays a role in certain workloads. The base clocks are dramatically different: the i7-10850H runs at 2.70 GHz, while the i5-1240U has a recorded base clock of 1100.00 MHz, reflecting its ultra-low-power design with a 9 W TDP against the i7-10850H's 45 W TDP.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The i7-10850H has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-1240U has 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, also with 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches in the i5-1240U likely contribute to its single-thread performance lead.

Memory support diverges as well. The i7-10850H supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and a recorded memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The i5-1240U supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel configuration, though no bandwidth figure is recorded for it. The i7-10850H uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-1240U uses PCIe Gen 4. The integrated graphics differ: the i7-10850H has UHD Graphics, while the i5-1240U has Iris Xe 80EU.

Socket compatibility is not shared. The i7-10850H uses Intel BGA 1440, while the i5-1240U uses Intel BGA 1781. The release dates place the i7-10850H in April 2020 and the i5-1240U in February 2022. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both are listed as active production parts.

The Verdict

The recorded data indicates that the Intel Core i5-1240U is the stronger overall processor for most workloads. Its 13 wins out of 17 head-to-head benchmarks, higher average benchmark score of 16957 compared to 16204, and significant leads in encryption, single-core performance, and math-heavy tasks make it the recommended choice for general-purpose computing. The 56.6% advantage in data encryption is particularly compelling for any workload involving cryptographic operations.

The Intel Core i7-10850H remains the better option for specific use cases. Its 23.8% lead in Cinebench R23 multi-core, 30.9% lead in extended instructions, and 34.6% lead in random string sorting indicate that users running modern rendering engines, SIMD-heavy scientific code, or large-scale data sorting operations may prefer this chip. The 45 W TDP also suggests it is designed for systems with active cooling, whereas the 9 W TDP of the i5-1240U targets fanless or ultra-thin designs.

For buyers choosing between these two processors, the decision hinges on workload priorities. The i5-1240U offers better single-thread performance, superior encryption throughput, and wins in most multi-threaded tests. The i7-10850H offers a narrow set of specialized advantages that may matter for professional rendering or data processing workflows. Neither processor holds a universal advantage, but the i5-1240U covers a broader range of typical usage scenarios.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U wins in every single-core benchmark. It leads by 38.5% in Cinebench R15 single-core (226 vs 139), 18% in Cinebench R20 single-core (707 vs 580), 11.4% in Cinebench R23 single-core (1559 vs 1381), and 17.6% in PassMark single-thread (3239 vs 2668).

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core workloads?

A: The results are mixed. The i5-1240U wins Cinebench R15 multi-core (1242 vs 986, a 20.6% lead), Cinebench R20 multi-core (5013 vs 4110, an 18% lead), and PassMark multi-thread (13406 vs 11643, a 13.2% lead). The i7-10850H wins Cinebench R23 multi-core (9786 vs 7902, a 23.8% lead).

Q: Which processor is better for encryption workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-1240U is dramatically better in PassMark data encryption, scoring 8964 compared to 3890 for the i7-10850H, a 56.6% advantage. This is the largest performance gap between the two processors in any recorded benchmark.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-10850H has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i5-1240U has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer physical cores, the i7-10850H still wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: How do their clock speeds compare?

A: The i7-10850H has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. The i5-1240U has a base clock of 1100.00 MHz and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The i7-10850H's higher boost clock likely contributes to its Cinebench R23 multi-core win.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-10850H has a TDP of 45 W, while the Intel Core i5-1240U has a TDP of 9 W. This indicates the i5-1240U is designed for much lower power consumption, which is consistent with its lower base clock.