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Intel Core i5-8400H vs Intel Core i5-12500H

Intel Core i5-8400H

► remove from comparison Intel i5-8400H

The Intel Core i5-8400H is a high-end processor for laptops with four cores based on the Coffee Lake architecture and will be announced early 2018. The processor clocks at between 2.5 and 4.2 GHz (4.1 with 4 cores) and can execute up to eight threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. According to Intel, the CPU is manufactured in an improved 14nm (14nm++) process.

The Coffee Lake architecture is similar to Kaby Lake and differs only in the amount of cores (now six cores for the high end versions) and the improved 14nm process (14nm++ according to Intel).

Performance

The Intel Core i5-8400H should perform similar as the older Core i7-7920HQ (3.1 - 4.1 GHz). The faster Coffee Lake CPUs, like the Core i7-8750H offers two additional cores and is therefore up to 50% faster in multithreaded benchmarks. Still, the performance of the i5-8400H should be sufficient for even demanding applications and games.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is supposed to offer a slightly higher performance as its clock rate has been increased by 50 MHz (rumored). The architecture is identical to that of the Intel HD Graphics 630. We do expect a performance improvement, but as a low-end solution it will probably only display current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 45 watts and therefore the i5 is only suited for big laptops with good cooling solutions. Using cTDP-down, the CPU can also be configured to 35 Watt resulting in a reduced performance.

Intel Core i5-12500H

► remove from comparison Intel i5-12500H

The Intel Core i5-12500H is a high-end mobile CPU for laptops based on the Alder Lake architecture. It was announced in early 2022 and offers 4 of the 6 performance cores (P-cores, Golden Cove architecture) and all 8 efficient cores (E-cores, Gracemont architecture). The P-cores support Hyper-Threading leading to 16 supported threads when combined with the E-cores. The clock rate ranges from 2.5 to 4.5 GHz on the performance cluster and 1.8 to 3.3 GHz on the efficient cluster. The performance of the E-cores should be similar to old Skylake cores (compared to the Core i7-6700HQ). All cores can use up to 18 MB L3 cache. Compared to the 12600H, the 12500H offers base clock for both clusters, a slower clocked iGPU and only "Essentials" vPro support.

Performance

The average 12500H in our database is in the same league as the Ryzen 9 6900HS, Ryzen 9 6900HX, Core i7-12650H and also the Core i9-11900H, as far as multi-thread benchmark scores are concerned. For something that's supposedly a mid-range chip, this kind of performance is just outrageously good, as of Q3 2023.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 80 W, the Gigabyte G7 KE is among the fastest laptops built around the 12500H that we know of. It can be more than 40% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Architecture

The integrated memory controller supports various memory types up to DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200, LPDDR5-5200, and LPDDR4x-4267. The Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficient cores for the best performance. For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost (via AVX2). Quick Sync in version 8 is the same as in the Rocket Lake CPUs and supports MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 decode, JPEG, VP8 decode, VP9, HEVC, and AV1 decode in hardware. The CPU only supports PCIe 4.0 (x8 for a GPU and two x4 for SSDs).

The integrated graphics card is based on the Xe-architecture and offers 80 of the 96 EUs (Execution Units) operating at up to 1.3 GHz.

Power consumption

This Core i5 has a "minimum assured" power consumption of 35 W. Its Base power consumption sits at 45 W and its maximum Intel-recommended Turbo power consumption isn't supposed to exceed 95 W. A high-performance cooling solution is a must for a CPU like this one here.

Last but not he least, Intel Core i5-12500H is manufactured on Intel's fourth-generation 10 nm process marketed as Intel 7 for decent, as of late 2022, energy efficiency.

ModelIntel Core i5-8400HIntel Core i5-12500H
CodenameCoffee Lake-HAlder Lake-H
SeriesIntel Coffee LakeIntel Alder Lake-P
Series: Alder Lake-P Alder Lake-H
Intel Core i9-9980HK compare2.4 - 5 GHz8 / 16 cores16 MB L3
Intel Core i9-9880H compare2.3 - 4.8 GHz8 / 16 cores16 MB L3
Intel Core i9-8950HK compare2.9 - 4.8 GHz6 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Intel Xeon E-2186M compare2.9 - 4.8 GHz6 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Intel Xeon E-2276M compare2.8 - 4.7 GHz6 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Intel Core i7-9850H compare2.6 - 4.6 GHz6 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Intel Core i7-9750H compare2.6 - 4.5 GHz6 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Intel Xeon E-2176M compare2.7 - 4.4 GHz6 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Intel Core i7-8850H compare2.6 - 4.3 GHz6 / 12 cores9 MB L3
Intel Core i7-8750H compare2.2 - 4.1 GHz6 / 12 cores9 MB L3
Intel Core i5-9400H compare2.5 - 4.3 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-9300HF compare2.4 - 4.1 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-9300H compare2.4 - 4.1 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-8400H « 2.5 - 4.2 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-8300H compare2.3 - 4 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i3-8100H compare3 GHz4 / 4 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i9-12900HK compare1.8 - 5 GHz14 / 20 cores24 MB L3
Intel Core i9-12900H compare1.8 - 5 GHz14 / 20 cores24 MB L3
Intel Core i7-12800H compare1.8 - 4.8 GHz14 / 20 cores24 MB L3
Intel Core i7-12650H compare1.7 - 4.7 GHz10 / 16 cores24 MB L3
Intel Core i5-12600H compare2 - 4.5 GHz12 / 16 cores18 MB L3
Intel Core i5-12500H « 1.8 - 4.5 GHz12 / 16 cores18 MB L3
Intel Core i5-12450H compare1.5 - 4.4 GHz8 / 12 cores12 MB L3
Clock2500 - 4200 MHz1800 - 4500 MHz
L1 Cache256 KB1.1 MB
L2 Cache1 MB10 MB
L3 Cache8 MB18 MB
Cores / Threads4 / 812 / 16
TDP45 Watt45 Watt
Technology14 nm10 nm
SocketFCBGA1440BGA1744
FeaturesDual-Channel DDR4 Memory Controller, HyperThreading, AVX, AVX2, Quick Sync, Virtualization, AES-NIDDR4-3200/LPDDR4x-4266/DDR5-4800/LPDDR5-5200 RAM, PCIe 4, Thr. Dir., DL Boost, GNA, vPro Ess., MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, BMI2, ABM, FMA, ADX, VMX, SMX, SMEP, SMAP, EIST, TM1, TM2, HT, Turbo, SST, AES-NI, RDRAND, RDSEED, SHA
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630 (350 - 1100 MHz)Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs ( - 1300 MHz)
Architecturex86x86
Announced
Manufacturerark.intel.comark.intel.com
max. Temp.100 °C

Benchmarks

Performance Rating - CB R15 + R20 + 7-Zip + X265 + Blender + 3DM11 CPU - i5-12500H
36.4 pt (61%)
Restrict / Search: Model: Max. age: years
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Multi Core
4657 Points (4%)
min: 11330     avg: 13325     median: 13461 (13%)     max: 14686 Points
Cinebench R23 - Cinebench R23 Single Core
1128 Points (47%)
min: 1629     avg: 1677     median: 1685.5 (71%)     max: 1701 Points
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
393 Points (43%)
min: 627     avg: 647     median: 652.5 (71%)     max: 656 Points
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
1793 Points (4%)
min: 4687     avg: 5126     median: 5090.5 (12%)     max: 5640 Points
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
min: 753     avg: 762     median: 761.5 (5%)     max: 770 Points
min: 2001     avg: 2142     median: 2112 (13%)     max: 2283 Points
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64 Bit
min: 168     avg: 170.4     median: 170.4 (47%)     max: 172.8 Points
min: 233     avg: 242.5     median: 242.5 (67%)     max: 250 Points
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Single (32bit)
6659 Points (40%)
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Multi (32bit)
21711 Points (16%)
wPrime 2.10 - wPrime 2.0 1024m *
230.8 s (3%)
wPrime 2.10 - wPrime 2.0 32m *
7.2 s (1%)
WinRAR - WinRAR 4.0
5391 Points (9%)
7-Zip 18.03 - 7-Zip 18.03 Multi Thread 4 runs
22023 MIPS (13%)
min: 44105     avg: 50901     median: 51984.5 (30%)     max: 54380 MIPS
7-Zip 18.03 - 7-Zip 18.03 Single Thread 4 runs
4553 MIPS (54%)
min: 5174     avg: 5360     median: 5377 (63%)     max: 5563 MIPS
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0 - x264 Pass 2
45.3 fps (15%)
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0 - x264 Pass 1
185.2 fps (43%)
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - HWBOT x265 4k Preset
6.5 fps (11%)
min: 12     avg: 15.1     median: 15.3 (27%)     max: 16.6 fps
TrueCrypt - TrueCrypt Serpent
0.5 GB/s (14%)
TrueCrypt - TrueCrypt Twofish
0.8 GB/s (13%)
TrueCrypt - TrueCrypt AES
4.6 GB/s (12%)
Blender - Blender 3.3 Classroom CPU *
1151 Seconds (15%)
min: 385     avg: 435.3     median: 426 (5%)     max: 520 Seconds
Blender - Blender 2.79 BMW27 CPU *
596 Seconds (4%)
min: 223     avg: 245.1     median: 238 (2%)     max: 288 Seconds
R Benchmark 2.5 - R Benchmark 2.5 *
0.7 sec (15%)
min: 0.4748     avg: 0.5     median: 0.5 (11%)     max: 0.535 sec
3DMark 06 - CPU - 3DMark 06 - CPU
min: 12791     avg: 13126     median: 13126 (28%)     max: 13461 Points
Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 1M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 1M *
9 s (2%)
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 32M *
498.3 s (2%)
3DMark 11 - 3DM11 Performance Physics
min: 15380     avg: 18894     median: 19689 (48%)     max: 20500 Points
3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Physics
min: 82429     avg: 85046     median: 85045.5 (69%)     max: 87662 Points
3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme Physics
84919 Points (69%)
3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
86520 Points (72%)
3DMark - 3DMark Cloud Gate Physics
min: 15451     avg: 16932     median: 17100 (43%)     max: 18190 Points
3DMark - 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Physics
min: 23099     avg: 24362     median: 24351.5 (43%)     max: 25450 Points
3DMark - 3DMark Time Spy CPU
min: 8343     avg: 9856     median: 9989 (42%)     max: 11121 Points
Geekbench 6.4 - Geekbench 6.4 Single-Core
1493 Points (37%)
min: 2239     avg: 2280     median: 2279.5 (57%)     max: 2320 Points
Geekbench 6.4 - Geekbench 6.4 Multi-Core
4963 Points (19%)
min: 8714     avg: 9892     median: 9891.5 (38%)     max: 11069 Points
Geekbench 6.0 - Geekbench 6.0 Single-Core
1425 Points (45%)
2125 Points (67%)
Geekbench 6.0 - Geekbench 6.0 Multi-Core
4659 Points (19%)
8352 Points (34%)
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.5 64 Bit Single-Core
1127 Points (44%)
min: 1556     avg: 1642     median: 1636.5 (64%)     max: 1693 Points
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.5 64 Bit Multi-Core
4352 Points (8%)
min: 7962     avg: 9862     median: 10272 (18%)     max: 10828 Points
Geekbench 5.0 - Geekbench 5.0 64 Bit Single-Core
1118 Points (5%)
1636 Points (7%)
Geekbench 5.0 - Geekbench 5.0 64 Bit Multi-Core
4211 Points (13%)
10203 Points (32%)
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Kraken 1.1 Total Score *
987 ms (1%)
min: 545     avg: 555     median: 554 (1%)     max: 565 ms
Octane V2 - Octane V2 Total Score
49389 Points (37%)
min: 83082     avg: 83286     median: 83229 (63%)     max: 83548 Points
WebXPRT 4 - WebXPRT 4 Score
155.3 Points (43%)
min: 214     avg: 238.4     median: 240 (66%)     max: 251 Points
WebXPRT 3 - WebXPRT 3 Score
209 Points (38%)
min: 246     avg: 270.7     median: 272 (49%)     max: 286 Points
CrossMark - CrossMark Overall
1127 Points (42%)
min: 1668     avg: 1755     median: 1752 (66%)     max: 1824 Points
Power Consumption - Prime95 Power Consumption - external Monitor *
min: 59.5     avg: 103.2     median: 106 (18%)     max: 132.7 Watt
Power Consumption - Cinebench R15 Multi Power Consumption - external Monitor *
min: 76.3     avg: 116     median: 126.5 (23%)     max: 134.6 Watt
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption - external Monitor *
min: 4.45     avg: 17.4     median: 17.5 (12%)     max: 30.6 Watt
Power Consumption - Idle Power Consumption 150cd 1min *
min: 6.46     avg: 11.9     median: 12.3 (14%)     max: 16 Watt
Power Consumption - Power Efficiency - Cinebench R15 Multi external Monitor
min: 15.7     avg: 19.8     median: 18 (13%)     max: 27.1 Points per Watt

Average Benchmarks Intel Core i5-8400H → 100% n=25

Average Benchmarks Intel Core i5-12500H → 192% n=25

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
red legend - Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation

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v1.33
log 15. 17:18:16

#0 ran 0s before starting gpusingle class +0s ... 0s

#1 checking url part for id 9572 +0s ... 0s

#2 checking url part for id 14055 +0s ... 0s

#3 redirected to Ajax server, took 1752592696s time from redirect:0 +0s ... 0s

#4 did not recreate cache, as it is less than 5 days old! Created at Sun, 13 Jul 2025 05:20:07 +0200 +0s ... 0s

#5 composed specs +0.007s ... 0.007s

#6 did output specs +0s ... 0.007s

#7 getting avg benchmarks for device 9572 +0.001s ... 0.008s

#8 got single benchmarks 9572 +0.004s ... 0.012s

#9 getting avg benchmarks for device 14055 +0.004s ... 0.016s

#10 got single benchmarks 14055 +0.02s ... 0.036s

#11 got avg benchmarks for devices +0s ... 0.036s

#12 min, max, avg, median took s +0.035s ... 0.072s

#13 return log +0.003s ... 0.074s

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Benchmarks / Tech > Processor Comparison - Head 2 Head
Redaktion, 2017-09- 8 (Update: 2023-07- 1)