CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-10300H vs Core i5-7440HQ
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-10300H is a 10th generation mobile processor designed for budget gaming laptops and mobile workstations. Part of the Comet Lake-H family, it was released in September 2020. Built on Intel's 14nm process, it features 4 cores and 8 threads, offering adequate multi-tasking capabilities for entry-level gaming. The base clock is set at 2.5 GHz, with a max turbo boost of 4.5 GHz. It operates within a 45W TDP envelope, balancing performance and thermal constraints typical of mobile devices. The processor includes 6 MB of Intel Smart Cache and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory up to 2933 MT/s. It integrates basic Intel UHD Graphics, though laptops featuring this chip almost always include a dedicated GPU. With 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes, it provides sufficient bandwidth for a mobile discrete graphics card and fast NVMe storage, making it a staple in affordable gaming laptops.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
4 cores limit heavy multi-threaded tasks.
Strong single-thread performance makes it great for office tasks and general computing.
Gaming
Good for 1080p gaming when paired with a GTX 1650 or RTX 3050.
Performs well in eSports and older titles when paired with a dedicated mobile GPU, but bottlenecks modern AAA games.
Virtualization
Not ideal for running multiple VMs.
Can handle light virtualization tasks, though lacking 8 threads limits heavy VM usage.
Efficiency
14nm on mobile is not as battery-friendly as 7nm alternatives.
14nm process and 45W TDP are inefficient by modern standards, leading to shorter battery life.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated AI hardware.
- Basic CPU inference only.
- No dedicated AI hardware
- Low core count restricts local LLM or inference workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- Sufficient for budget gaming laptops.
- May bottleneck modern CPU-heavy titles like Cyberpunk 2077.
- Excellent for eSports and older games.
- Adequate for 1080p medium settings in older games
- 4 cores may cause stuttering in modern CPU-heavy titles
- Requires a dedicated GPU for gaming
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Decent single-core performance
- Sufficient for budget eSports gaming
- Supports 2933 MT/s memory
- Widely available in affordable laptops
Cons
- Only 4 cores in an 8-thread world
- 14nm process is inefficient on mobile
- Soldered to motherboard, no upgrades
- Outperformed by AMD Ryzen 5 4600H
Pros
- Good single-core performance for its generation
- Supports both DDR4 and DDR3L memory
- Includes VT-d and vPro features
- Adequate for 1080p gaming with a dGPU
Cons
- Only 4 cores and 4 threads
- Soldered to the motherboard, not upgradeable
- 45W TDP results in poor battery life
- Not officially supported by Windows 11
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-10300H
- AMD Ryzen 5 4600HRival
Mobile Mainstream
- AMD Ryzen 5 3550HRival
Mobile Budget
- Intel Core i5-9300HRival
Previous Gen Mobile
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-10400HRival
Mobile Mainstream
- AMD Ryzen 7 3750HRival
Mobile High-End
- Intel Core i5-11400HAlt
Better architecture and higher core count.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600HAlt
Much better IPC and battery life.
- Intel Core i7-10750HAlt
More cores for better multitasking.
Slightly cheaper but similar performance.
Compare head-to-head
Core i5-7440HQ
- AMD A12-9720PRival
Mobile
- Intel Core i7-7700HQRival
Mobile
- Intel Core i5-7300HQRival
Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 5 2500URival
Mobile
- Intel Core i5-6300HQRival
Mobile
Modern alternative with better IPC and efficiency.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 4600HAlt
Offers 6 cores and 12 threads for vastly better multi-threading.
- Intel Core i5-8300HAlt
Direct successor offering 4 more threads.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Vastly superior modern mobile alternative with better battery life.
Our Verdict on Each
A standard 4-core mobile CPU that gets the job done for budget gaming, but struggles to compete with AMD's multi-core mobile offerings of the same era.
Best for: Buying a heavily discounted used gaming laptop.
Read the full reviewA dependable quad-core mobile CPU that offered a good balance of performance and thermals for 2017 gaming laptops, though it lacks modern multi-threading capabilities.
Best for: Purchasing a heavily discounted used laptop for basic tasks
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-10300H or Core i5-7440HQ?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-10300H leads with a gaming performance score of 70/100 among Intel Core i5-10300H and Core i5-7440HQ.
Do Intel Core i5-10300H and Core i5-7440HQ use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-10300H: BGA 1440, Core i5-7440HQ: BGA1440), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-10300H posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-10300H (9,000). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.