Intel core i5 9400f review: Intel Core i5-9400F CPU Review: Cutting On-Die Graphics For A Slightly Lower Price — Tom’s Hardware

Intel Core i5-9400F CPU Review: Cutting On-Die Graphics For A Slightly Lower Price — Tom’s Hardware

Tom’s Hardware Verdict

The Core i5-9400F represents the most iterative updates possible, yet it clings to the mid-range gaming crown. But the -9400F’s lack of Hyper-Threading and a locked multiplier allows the Ryzen 5 2600X to rise up as a more attractive option when we look at all-around utility in this price range.

Pros

+
Leading game performance
+
Discounted price compared to vanilla Core i5-9400
+
Flimsy bundled cooler is better than nothing

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Intel announced its Core i5-9400 processors in January, but the chips only recently become available in significant quantities. The company also rolled out the rest of its Coffee Lake refresh models, six months after its initial salvo, a delay likely attributable to its ongoing 14nm production shortage.

Intel Core i5-9400F Processor. (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

As Intel struggles to satisfy demand for its chips, AMD has launched its Ryzen 3000-series processors. The updated Ryzen line-up employs a smaller 7nm process that should confer power and price benefits. It’ll also wield the new Zen 2 microarchitecture, which is expected to boost performance while Intel remains mired in a derivative of the seven-year-old Skylake design. These chips have now taken our Best CPUs list by storm, so be sure to head there for a list of the latest leading processors. You can also see how the chips stack up in our CPU Benchmark Hierarchy.

Intel Core i5-9400F at Amazon for $153.83

Intel’s lingering lack of 14nm capacity reverberates through every facet of the industry. To boost supply, the chip-maker decided to start selling CPUs that it would have otherwise deemed defective due to nonfunctional graphics units. As a result, we now have the F-series, which includes disabled graphics hardware, but is otherwise identical to the fully-featured Core processors we’re more accustomed to.

That means the Core i5-9400F is nearly identical to the Core i5-9400. Both CPUs serve to replace the impressive Core i5-8400, which was one of the most popular Coffee Lake models. Armed with 6C/6T and a slightly higher clock rate, the 9400s yield an incremental step forward over their predecessor.

Moreover, we’re finally seeing the F-series’ lower price kick in. The Core i5-9400F’s ~$20 discount could be compelling for mid-range gamers who don’t need integrated graphics.

Core i5-9400F and Core i5-9400

From an architectural standpoint, the Core i5-9400 and -9400F are essentially the same processor as the Core i5-8400, right down to their 14nm++ process, six physical cores, support for dual-channel DDR4-2666, and 65W TDP. The CPUs also drop into an LGA 1551 interface, and they are supported by existing 300-series motherboards with up-to-date BIOSes. They’re multipler-locked, unfortunately, so they include Intel’s flimsy stock cooling solution.

	Core i5-9400F	Core i5-9400	Core i5-8400
Architecture	Coffee Lake-R	Coffee Lake-R	Coffee Lake
Socket	LGA 1151	LGA 1151	LGA 1151
Cores / Threads	6 / 6	6 / 6	6 / 6
Base Frequency (GHz)	2. 9	2.9	2.8 GHz
Boost Frequency (Active Cores — GHz)	4.1	4.1	4.0 GHz
L3 Cache	9MB	9MB	10.5MB
Process	14nm++	14nm++	14nm++
TDP	65W	65W	65W
Memory Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Memory Controller	Dual-Channel	Dual-Channel	Dual-Channel
PCIe Lanes	x16 Gen3	x16 Gen3	x16 Gen3
Integrated UHD Graphics GT2 (Base/Boost MHz)	350 / 1,050	No	350 / 1,050
Recommended Customer Pricing	$182	$182	$182 — $187

Again, the Core i5-9400F lacks integrated graphics, which isn’t an issue for gamers who already use add-in GPUs. However, we find it interesting that Intel maintains the same $182 recommended price as its standard Core i5-9400.

Active Cores (GHz)	Base Frequency	1	2	4	6
Core i5-9600K	3.7	4.6	4.5	4.4	4.3
Core i5-9400/F	2.9	4.1	4.0	4.0	3.9
Core i5-8400	2.8	4.0	3.9	3.9	3.8

Relative to the Core 5-8400, Intel boosts the -9400/-9400F’s base frequency and Turbo Boost clock rate by 100 MHz, which should yield slight performance benefits. The Core i5-9400 models also include new baked-in silicon mitigations for the Meltdown vulnerability, along with a combination of hardware- and software-based mitigations for the Spectre and L1TF vulnerabilities. The overhead of software-based patches applied to older processors can reach as high as 10% in certain workloads. That impact is greatly reduced on newer processors. Compared to the Core i5-8400, we didn’t measure any significant speed-ups beyond what we expected. However, optimized mitigations could help deliver more of a performance uplift to enthusiasts migrating from much older platforms.

With the launch of its Coffee Lake refresh, Intel finally switched to a solder-based thermal interface material (sTIM), improving heat transfer between its die and heat spreader. Interestingly, though, some Core i5-9400 models initially came with standard polymer-based thermal interface material (thermal grease), while others shipped with the more efficient sTIM. Intel tells us that depended on where each CPU was manufactured, though all Core i5-9400s now come with sTIM, while the locked F-series models continue to employ pTIM.

In either case, you can determine whether your CPU includes sTIM by checking its stepping. P0- and R0-stepping processors come with sTIM, while the U0 and B0 steppings utilize pTIM. Intel plans to stick with pTIM for all locked F-series models, like our U0-stepping Core i5-9400F.

MORE: Best CPUs

MORE: Intel & AMD Processor Hierarchy

MORE: All CPUs Content

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Paul Alcorn is the Deputy Managing Editor for Tom’s Hardware US. He writes news and reviews on CPUs, storage and enterprise hardware.

Intel Core i5 9400F | PC Gamer

(Image credit: Intel)

When it comes to the Intel Core i5 9400F, there should be a few bargains floating around over the deal season. With Amazon Prime Day now packed up and Black Friday on the way, plenty of us will be flocking to the interwebs to find the CPU of our dreams, and we might finally complete that build we’ve been pining over on PC Part Picker.

So, if you’re trying to establish whether an Intel Core i5 9400F would throw up bottlenecks for your new GPU, or are just perusing the wares, we at PC gamer have put together a simple, straightforward guide to help you make the important decisions when choosing components.

There are so many things the Intel Core i5 9400F is lacking, yet it still managed to make it into our best CPU for gaming list thanks to its affordable mid-range gaming performance. It’s one of those where considering a purchase really hinges on whether you’re looking toward the future of gaming or just want something to tide you over in the current gaming generation—we’ll get to why in a moment.

What is the Intel Core i5 9400F?

Intel Core i5 9400F Specs

Cores — 6
Threads — 6
Base Clock — 2.9 GHz
Boost Clock — 4.1 GHz
TDP — 65 W
Socket — LGA1151
Overclocking — No
Launch Price — $182. 00

The Core i5 9400F is built on Intel’s Coffee Lake microarchitecture, and is a 6 core, 6 thread CPU—no Hyper Threading here. It throws up boosts of 4.10 GHz and a base clock of 2.9GHz, making it a hint faster than its predecessor, the Core i5 8400. However, the locked multiplier means no overclocking, and there are no integrated graphics with this model, (that’s what the F stands for), meaning you’ll be in need of a dedicated graphics card. Though, you should have one anyway if you’re looking to get any sort of gaming in.

What are the alternatives to the Intel Core i5 9400F?

At this point in time, with games about to become much more multithread aware, we highly recommend you find yourself a CPU with multi-threading capabilities, so you can be ready for the next wave of games. For a similar price that we’d expect to see the Intel Core i5 9400F going for around Black Friday, potentially less, you’re likely to be able to come away with a 4-core/8-thread Intel Core i3 10100, or potentially an AMD Ryzen 3 3300X . Both of these would just supersede the Core i5 9400F in terms of performance, and the AMD chip also offers overclocking potential, as well as simultaneous multithreading. But if you’re upgrading from an existing 8th or 9th Gen chip, both of these alternatives would need to be paired with a different motherboard. You can, however, pick up a B550 or B460 board for pretty cheap nowadays, though.

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Should I buy the Intel Core i5 9400F and at what price?

First off, if you’re planning to do some overclocking, this is not the CPU you’re looking for. Also, due to the lack of multithreading capability, the Core i5 9400F may be limiting for the future of gaming, creating bottlenecks for next generation gaming with future GPUs like the RTX 3060 or 3060 Ti . For this reason, we’re not recommending it if you’re looking to put together a future-proof build.

That said, if you just need an upgrade to your current Intel setup, something to tide you over through the current gen climate, it should see you right. Before you buy, make sure these are compatible with your motherboard—B360, h410, h470, Q370, Z370, or Z390 models should all see you right. Though, we would recommend not paying more than $100-$120 for the Intel Core i5 9400F at this point in time.

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Screw sports, Katie would rather watch Intel, AMD and Nvidia go at it. Having been obsessed with computers and graphics for three long decades, she took Game Art and Design up to Masters level at uni, and has been demystifying tech and science—rather sarcastically—for two years since. She can be found admiring AI advancements, scrambling for scintillating Raspberry Pi projects, preaching cybersecurity awareness, sighing over semiconductors, and gawping at the latest GPU upgrades. She’s been heading the PCG Steam Deck content hike, while waiting patiently for her chance to upload her consciousness into the cloud.

Is the Core i5-9400F CPU Good for Gaming?

When selecting a CPU for gaming, the most important characteristics are the frequency (clock speed), core/thread count, cache size, and supported memory type. Additional considerations, such as integrated graphics and overclocking needs, may also influence your selection.

In addition to discussing the characteristics of the 9400F for gaming, this article will discuss recommendations for compatible motherboards, CPU coolers, and memory.

Check another CPU:

12th Gen Core i9-12900KS 12th Gen Core i9-12900K 12th Gen Core i9-12900KF 12th Gen Core i9-12900F 12th Gen Core i9-12900 12th Gen Core i7-12700K 12th Gen Core i7-12700KF 12th Gen Core i7-12700F 12th Gen Core i7-12700 12th Gen Core i5-12600K 12th Gen Core i5-12600KF 12th Gen Core i5-12600 12th Gen Core i5-12500 12th Gen Core i5-12400F 12th Gen Core i5-12400 12th Gen Core i3-12300 12th Gen Core i3-12100 12th Gen Core i3-12100F 11th Gen Core i9-11900K 11th Gen Core i9-11900KF 11th Gen Core i9-11900F 11th Gen Core i9-11900 11th Gen Core i7-11700K 11th Gen Core i7-11700KF 11th Gen Core i7-11700F 11th Gen Core i7-11700 11th Gen Core i5-11600K 11th Gen Core i5-11600KF 11th Gen Core i5-11600 11th Gen Core i5-11500 11th Gen Core i5-11400F 11th Gen Core i5-11400 10th Gen Core i9-10900K 10th Gen Core i9-10900KF 10th Gen Core i9-10900F 10th Gen Core i9-10900 10th Gen Core i9-10850K 10th Gen Core i7-10700K 10th Gen Core i7-10700KF 10th Gen Core i7-10700F 10th Gen Core i7-10700 10th Gen Core i5-10600K 10th Gen Core i5-10600KF 10th Gen Core i5-10600 10th Gen Core i5-10505 10th Gen Core i5-10500 10th Gen Core i5-10400F 10th Gen Core i5-10400 10th Gen Core i3-10325 10th Gen Core i3-10320 10th Gen Core i3-10305 10th Gen Core i3-10300 10th Gen Core i3-10105F 10th Gen Core i3-10105 10th Gen Core i3-10100F 10th Gen Core i3-10100 9th Gen Core i9-9900K 9th Gen Core i9-9900KF 9th Gen Core i9-9900 9th Gen Core i7-9700KF 9th Gen Core i7-9700K 9th Gen Core i7-9700F 9th Gen Core i7-9700 9th Gen Core i5-9600K 9th Gen Core i5-9600KF 9th Gen Core i5-9600 9th Gen Core i5-9500F 9th Gen Core i5-9500 9th Gen Core i5-9400 9th Gen Core i5-9400F 9th Gen Core i3-9350K 9th Gen Core i3-9350KF 9th Gen Core i3-9320 9th Gen Core i3-9300 9th Gen Core i3-9100F 9th Gen Core i3-9100

Intel Core i5-9400F
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Is the 9400F Good for Gaming?

When using Intel’s Core i5 9400F CPU for gaming, you can expect mediocre game performance with a high-performance CPU cooler or poor game performance with a basic or stock CPU cooler.
This performance is based on the following characteristics of the CPU and their relevance to the latest graphics-intense games:

9 MB of L3 cache is poor for performance
6 cores allow for good performance
2.90 GHz base frequency is poor for performance (when not boosting)
4.10 GHz single-core max turbo boost frequency is excellent for performance (requires a high-end cooler)
Max stock DDR4 speed of 2666 MHz can be mediocre for performance
Lack of overclocking support cannot benefit performance
PCIe 3.0 support can be poor for performance (limits potential of fastest SSDs and GPUs)

Check out these Intel Core CPUs that are Good or Excellent for gaming:

Select a CPU. .. Core i9-12900KS (Excellent) Core i9-12900K (Excellent) Core i9-12900KF (Excellent) Core i9-12900F (Excellent) Core i9-12900 (Excellent) Core i7-12700K (Excellent) Core i7-12700KF (Excellent) Core i7-12700F (Excellent) Core i7-12700 (Excellent) Core i5 12600K (Good) Core i5 12600KF (Good) Core i5 12600 (Good) Core i5 12500 (Good) Core i5 12400F (Good) Core i5 12400 (Good) Core i3 12300 (Good) Core i3 12100 (Good) Core i3 12100F (Good) Core i9 11900K (Good) Core i9 11900KF (Good) Core i9 11900F (Good) Core i9 11900 (Good) Core i7 11700K (Good) Core i7 11700KF (Good) Core i7 11700F (Good) Core i7 11700 (Good) Core i5 11600K (Good) Core i5 11600KF (Good) Core i5 11600 (Good) Core i5 11500 (Good) Core i5 11400F (Good) Core i5 11400 (Good) Core i9 10900K (Good) Core i9 10900KF (Good) Core i9 10900F (Good) Core i9 10900 (Good) Core i9 10850K (Good) Core i7 10700K (Good) Core i7 10700KF (Good) Core i9 9900K (Good) Core i9 9900KF (Good) Core i7 9700KF (Good) Core i7 9700K (Good)

Check out my article, Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for Intel’s Core i5-9400F, for recommended coolers that can maintain these boost frequencies.

Is the Cache Size of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

A CPU’s cache is a small amount of memory, close to the CPU cores, containing recently used data.

Games performance can improve as cache size increases, as it will reduce delays when retrieving commonly used game assets from memory.

An L3 cache capacity of at least 20 MB is ideal for game performance.

The Intel Core i5-9400F has an L3 cache capacity of 9 MB.

The 9400F’s lackluster 9 MB of L3 cache is poor for performance with the latest graphics-intense games.

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Is the Core Count of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

Increased core counts can improve the performance of games that use them, but most modern games don’t benefit from having more than 6–8 cores. Remember that cache sizes often increase along with core counts, so if you want to increase your L3 cache, you may need to get a CPU with more cores.

Intel’s Core i5-9400F CPUs have 6 cores.

The 9400F’s 6 cores allow for good performance with the latest graphics-intense games.

Is the Clock Speed of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

Single-core performance is essential for some games, as many don’t take full advantage of multiple cores.

Turbo boost frequencies are only achieved under ideal circumstances. The safest strategy for consistent gaming performance with a basic cooler is to get a higher base clock speed processor. However, with adequate cooling, you may be able to maintain speeds near the max boost frequency.

The 9400F CPU’s lack of support for overclocking cannot benefit performance with the latest graphics-intense games.

The processor has a 2.90 GHz base frequency and supports a 4. 10 GHz single-core max turbo frequency.

The 9400F’s 2.90 GHz base frequency is poor for performance with the latest graphics-intense games, when not boosting. You can reach these base frequencies even without a high-end cooler.

With a high-end cooler, the 9400F’s 4.10 GHz single-core max turbo boost frequency is excellent for performance with the latest graphics-intense games. You can maintain these frequencies with a high-end cooler.

Check out my article, Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for Intel’s Core i5-9400F, for recommended coolers that can maintain these boost frequencies.

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Is the DDR Support of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

The 9400F CPU’s support for DDR4 with a max stock speed of 2666 MHz can be mediocre for performance with the latest graphics-intense games.

Faster PC memory can improve game performance and frame rates, but using the fastest RAM may not have as much of an impact as upgrading your CPU and graphics card or adding more RAM.

Learn about our recommended RAM for the 9400F in Choosing the Best RAM for Intel’s Core i5-9400F CPU.

What Does the F Suffix in 9400F Mean?

Processor Name Suffix	Meaning
F	«F» means it requires discrete graphics. In other words, it doesn’t have integrated graphics (basically a GPU built into the processor), thus requiring a standalone graphics card.

The 9400F model name has an F suffix. F-suffixed CPUs do not contain integrated graphics, and a separate graphics card is required.

The 9400F model name doesn’t have a K suffix. Non-K CPUs can not be overclocked.

Intel Core i5-9400F
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Cooling the 9400F

A CPU cooler’s TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating indicates how much heat it can dissipate in watts. If the cooler can’t keep your CPU cool enough, your CPU may throttle (slow down), and your cooler will constantly run at full speed.

Intel CPU specifications indicate this power dissipation number as «Processor Base Power.»

The Core i5-9400F has a TDP of 65 watts.

A CPU cooler can still work with a lower TDP rating than the TDP of a CPU. However, the CPU will eventually throttle itself to a lower frequency to allow itself to cool.

The CPU may not achieve or maintain maximum turbo speeds without adequate cooling.

Learn more in Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for Intel’s Core i5-9400F.

Motherboard Requirements for Core i5-9400F Processors

For Intel’s 9th generation Core i5 9400F processor, you’ll need a motherboard with an LGA 1151 socket and 300-series chipset.

Motherboards for Intel processors are made with chipsets provided by Intel. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.

The lack of a «K» suffix in the model name 9400F means it doesn’t support overclocking. Because of this, there is no need for you to use the top of the line Z390 or Z370 chipsets which support overclocking. Instead, you can use a motherboard with Intel’s other 300-series desktop chipsets listed below.

For compatiblity with Intel’s 11th generation Core processors, you can use any of the 300-series chipsets: Z390, Z370, h470, B365, B360, h410. These are roughly sorted from most to least functionality.

The Q370 chipset is also compatible, but is intended for business use cases; its availability in stand-alone motherboards is limited.

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For a detailed comparison of these chipsets, check out my article Which Chipsets Work With Intel’s Core i5-9400F CPU?.

Find Z390 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon
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Find Z370 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon
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Find h470 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon
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Find B365 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon
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Find B360 Chipset Motherboards on Amazon
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Locked Intel CPUs may come with a stock CPU cooler. These CPU models do not have a «K» in the name. While stock coolers will prevent your CPU from overheating, your CPU will throttle its performance during games and other intensive tasks. Higher TDP coolers will keep your CPU at turbo speeds for longer durations. Stock coolers are often quite loud at their maximum speed.

Best AIO Liquid Cooler: Enermax Liqmax III 360

This Enermax liquid cooler has an excellent cooling capability with a 360-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 2066, 2011-3, 2011, 1700, 1200, 1366, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150 and AMD AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2+, FM2, FM1.
Quiet operation at 14-27 dBA.
Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space!
Enermax Liqmax III 360

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Best Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler: Be Quiet! BK022 Dark Rock Pro 4

Quiet operation at 12. 8-24.3 dB.
The dual fans (120 mm and 135 mm) do a great job of cooling LGA 1151 CPUs with a 250-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011(-3) square ILM, 2066 and AMD AM2, AM2+, AM3, AM3+, AM4, FM1, FM2, FM2+.
Smaller models are available if you don’t need as much cooling ability.
You can even add another 120 mm fan to it for more cooling!
be quiet! BK022 Dark Rock Pro 4, 250-watt TDP

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Runner Up — Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15

Dual 140 mm fans provide 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.
Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.
Quiet operation at 24. 6 dBA.
Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler

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Before purchasing memory, review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports «DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000,» that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. Motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.

Recommended Stock-Speed DDR4

At an effective frequency of 2666 MHz, this memory hits the fastest DDR4 speed supported by Intel’s Core i5 9400F CPU without overclocking.
The low-profile form factor ensures that the heat spreaders don’t get in the way of other devices, including your CPU heatsink.
Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) 2666MHz DDR4

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Recommended DDR4 for Overclockers

This DDR4 memory is designed for overclocking to an effective frequency of 3600 MHz.
Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) 3600MHz DDR4

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Supports XMP 2.0.
Compact heat spreaders avoid conflicting with a CPU cooler.

Learn More About the Intel Core i5-9400F

Which Chipsets Work With Intel’s Core i5-9400F CPU?
Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for Intel’s Core i5-9400F
Choosing the Best Power Supply for Intel’s Core i5-9400F
Is the Core i5-9400F CPU Good for Gaming?
Choosing the Best RAM for Intel’s Core i5-9400F CPU
Choosing the Best Motherboard for Intel’s Core i5-9400F
How Many Cores Do Intel Core i5-9400F CPUs Have?
What Is the TDP of the Core i5-9400F CPU?

You can find detailed 9400F specifications on Intel’s site.

Other Considerations When Building a PC

Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:

Cases:
- How to Choose the Best PC Case
CPUs:
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5. 0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- LGA 1700 CPU List
- LGA 1200 CPU List
- Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
CPU Coolers:
- What is the Best Type of CPU cooler for a Gaming PC?
- How to Choose a CPU Cooler for Your PC
- Best LGA 1700 CPU Cooler for Intel’s 12th Gen Core Processors
- Best AM4 CPU Cooler for AMD Processors
Storage:
- Can an SSD Improve PC Gaming Performance? and Does an SSD Increase FPS for PC Gaming?
- Storage Type Comparison: M.2, U.2, NVMe, SATA, SSDs, HDDs
Memory:
- How to Choose the Best RAM for Your PC
- How Much RAM Do You Need for Gaming? and Is 32 GB of RAM Worth It for Gaming?
- DDR4 vs. DDR5? Which You Should Buy
- Is DDR5 Worth It? The Benefits of DDR5 and What Is DDR5?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support DDR5?
PCI-Express:
- Is PCIe 5. 0 Worth It?
Motherboards:
- Which Motherboards Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Motherboards Support PCIe 4.0?
- Which Motherboard Should You Buy for Intel’s 12th Gen CPUs?
Graphics Cards:
- Which Graphics Cards Support PCIe 4.0?
Power Supplies:
- How to Choose the Best Power Supply for a Gaming PC
- How to Choose a PC Power Supply
Keyboards:
- Best Mechanical Keyboard for Gaming
Monitors:
- How to Choose a Gaming Monitor

Have a suggestion or correction for this article? Send us an email at:
[email protected]

You can also contact the author at:
[email protected]

Intel Core i5-9400F Review — PCGameBenchmark

Intel CPU review. Latest product shots, rating, price and Core i5-9400F specs. Gaming CPU benchmarked against the biggest PC games like Fortnite, Minecraft and PUBG Should you buy this Intel CPU?

The processor, also known as the CPU, is the most important component on any gaming PC motherboard. It works alongside the graphics card to power your PC games. This Intel CPU has 6 cores, 6 threads and runs at a clock speed of 2.9 GHz.

PCGameBenchmark rates processors by how many of the top 1,000 PC games the chip can run.This Intel CPU can run 992 of the top 1000 games — so we give it a 99% rating.

Games that this CPU can run include Fortnite, Apex Legends, Minecraft, PUBG, GTA V, League of Legends, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege.

For a full list of the games that this CPU will run and the chance to compare it to other Intel and AMD processors check our CPU comparison tool. We have benchmarked every AMD and Intel CPU and track the best prices too. No need to wait for Intel Core i5-9400F Black Friday 2022 deals or some other sale to get the lowest prices!

Check out best deals on cheap processors and the latest deals on Amazon.

Intel Core i5-9400F
PCGameBenchmark Rating: 94%

Best Price:	$168. 95

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Intel Core i5-9400F Specs

CPU	Intel Core i5-9400F
Weight	0.13 lb (58.97 g)
Dimensions (L x W x H)	11.68 cm x 7.11 cm x 10.16 cm 4.6 in x 2.8 in x 4 in
Brand	Intel
Model Number	BX80684I59400F
Cores	6 Cores
Threads	6 Threads
Clock Speed (Frequency)	2. 9 GHz

Best Price:	$168.95

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Intel Core i5-9400F PC Gaming Performance

This processor will run 942 of the top PC games. Use PCGameBenchmark’s Rate My PC service to test your current set up and set how it compares.

Can It Run GTA 5?

This Intel processor can run GTA 5. It beats the system requirement for processor speed.

Can It Run Fortnite?

This Intel processor can run Fortnite. It beats the system requirement for processor speed.

Can It Run Apex Legends?

This Intel processor can run Apex Legends. It beats the system requirement for processor speed.

Intel Core i5-9400F Features

6 Cores/ 6 Threads
2. 90 GHz up to 4.10 GHz Max Turbo Frequency/ 9 MB Cache, Bus Speed: 8 GT/s DMI3
Compatible only with Motherboards based on Intel 300 Series Chipsets: Intel B360 Chipset, Intel h470 Chipset, Intel h410 Chipset, Intel Q370 Chipset, Intel Z390 Chipset, Intel Z370 Chipset
Discrete GPU required No integrated graphics
Intel Optane Memory supported

Intel Core i5-9400F DEALS — BEST prices

Best Price:	$168.95

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Other Intel processors

Here are a few other options…

Good

Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 Review

25% Rating

$169. 95

Better

Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Review

27% Rating

$119.95

Best

Intel Celeron G1610 Review

38% Rating

$37

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Intel Core i5-9400F review | 64 facts and highlights

50points

Intel Core i5-9400F

Why is Intel Core i5-9400F better than the average?

CPU speed?
6 x 2. 9GHzvs12.47GHz
RAM speed?
2666MHzvs2487.36MHz
Semiconductor size?
14nmvs17.01nm
PassMark result?
9590vs8616.84
Turbo clock speed?
4.1GHzvs3.83GHz
L1 cache?
384KBvs283.47KB
Maximum memory bandwidth?
41.6GB/svs37.63GB/s
PassMark result (single)?
2492vs2052.04

Which are the most popular comparisons?

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 3 3200G

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

Intel Core i5-9400F

Intel Core i3-10100

Intel Core i5-9400F

Intel Core i3-9100F

Intel Core i5-9400F

Intel Core i5-10400

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 5 3400G

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 5 1600

Intel Core i5-9400F

AMD Ryzen 5 2600

Price comparison

Cheap alternatives for Intel Core i5-9400F

User reviews

Overall Rating

Intel Core i5-9400F

2 User reviews

Intel Core i5-9400F

10. 0/10

2 User reviews

Features

Value for money

10.0/10

2 votes

Gaming

10.0/10

2 votes

Performance

9.5/10

2 votes

Reliability

10.0/10

2 votes

Energy efficiency

10.0/10

2 votes

Performance

1.CPU speed

6 x 2.9GHz

The CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second can be executed by a CPU, considering all of its cores (processing units). It is calculated by adding the clock rates of each core or, in the case of multi-core processors employing different microarchitectures, of each group of cores.

2.CPU threads

More threads result in faster performance and better multitasking.

3.turbo clock speed

4.1GHz

When the CPU is running below its limitations, it can boost to a higher clock speed in order to give increased performance.

4.Has an unlocked multiplier

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

Some processors come with an unlocked multiplier which makes them easy to overclock, allowing you to gain increased performance in games and other apps.

5.L2 cache

A larger L2 cache results in faster CPU and system-wide performance.

6.L3 cache

A larger L3 cache results in faster CPU and system-wide performance.

7.L1 cache

A larger L1 cache results in faster CPU and system-wide performance.

8.L2 core

0.25MB/core

More data can be stored in the L2 cache for access by each core of the CPU.

9.L3 core

1.5MB/core

More data can be stored in the L3 cache for access by each core of the CPU.

Memory

1.RAM speed

2666MHz

It can support faster memory, which will give quicker system performance.

2.maximum memory bandwidth

41.6GB/s

This is the maximum rate that data can be read from or stored into memory.

3.DDR memory version

DDR (Double Data Rate) memory is the most common type of RAM. Newer versions of DDR memory support higher maximum speeds and are more energy-efficient.

4.memory channels

More memory channels increases the speed of data transfer between the memory and the CPU.

5.maximum memory amount

The maximum amount of memory (RAM) supported.

6.bus transfer rate

The bus is responsible for transferring data between different components of a computer or device.

7.Supports ECC memory

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

Error-correcting code memory can detect and correct data corruption. It is used when is it essential to avoid corruption, such as scientific computing or when running a server.

8.eMMC version

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value.

A higher version of eMMC allows faster memory interfaces, having a positive effect on the performance of a device. For example, when transferring files from your computer to the internal storage over USB.

9.bus speed

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value.

The bus is responsible for transferring data between different components of a computer or device.

Benchmarks

1.PassMark result

This benchmark measures the performance of the CPU using multiple threads.

2.PassMark result (single)

This benchmark measures the performance of the CPU using a single thread.

3.Geekbench 5 result (multi)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor’s multi-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

4. Cinebench R20 (multi) result

Cinebench R20 is a benchmark tool that measures a CPU’s multi-core performance by rendering a 3D scene.

5.Cinebench R20 (single) result

Cinebench R20 is a benchmark tool that measures a CPU’s single-core performance by rendering a 3D scene.

6.Geekbench 5 result (single)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures a processor’s single-core performance. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

7.Blender (bmw27) result

374.1seconds

The Blender (bmw27) benchmark measures the performance of a processor by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render the scene in less time.

8.Blender (classroom) result

1161.7seconds

The Blender (classroom) benchmark measures the performance of a processor by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render the scene in less time.

9.performance per watt

This means the CPU is more efficient, giving a greater amount of performance for each watt of power used.

Features

1.uses multithreading

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

Multithreading technology (such as Intel’s Hyperthreading or AMD’s Simultaneous Multithreading) provides increased performance by splitting each of the processor’s physical cores into virtual cores, also known as threads. This way, each core can run two instruction streams at once.

2.Has AES

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

AES is used to speed up encryption and decryption.

3.Has AVX

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

AVX is used to help speed up calculations in multimedia, scientific and financial apps, as well as improving Linux RAID software performance.

4.SSE version

SSE is used to speed up multimedia tasks such as editing an image or adjusting audio volume. Each new version contains new instructions and improvements.

5.Has F16C

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

F16C is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting the contrast of an image or adjusting volume.

6.bits executed at a time

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value.

NEON provides acceleration for media processing, such as listening to MP3s.

7.Has MMX

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

MMX is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting the contrast of an image or adjusting volume.

8.Has TrustZone

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

A technology integrated into the processor to secure the device for use with features such as mobile payments and streaming video using digital rights management (DRM).

9.front-end width

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value.

The CPU can decode more instructions per clock (IPC), meaning that the CPU performs better

Price comparison

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Which are the best CPUs?

Best GPU for Core i5-9400F CPU Gaming [2022]

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The Core i5-9400F clings to the mid-range series of Intel CPUs. Also, this CPU sits on the bucket list of many budget-oriented gamers. Intel Core i5-9400F offers 2.4% better performance than the previous 8th gen i5 chips in gaming. But with only six cores and no hyper-threading, the Core i5-9400F will not be able to chew complex graphical workloads alone. If it’s about gaming or a complex graphical workload, you’ll have to pick the most compatible graphics card for your Core i5-9400F CPU to minimalize the bottlenecking at higher resolutions.

We’ve tested several graphics cards that show optimal performance with the Intel Core i5-9400F CPU. Moreover, to give you a better idea, we’ve managed to play some famous game titles with these configurations. In this way, you’ll get a better picture of the type of chip that performs better with a Core i5-9400F when it comes to complex workloads.

Furthermore, we’ve done our best to list only those graphics cards that are not too expensive to fit into your tight budget. Also, there is no sense in going for a pricy graphics card to pair with a mid-range CPU like the 9500F.

Reviews of the Best GPU for Core i5-9400F CPU

Here are the top choices to consider this time of the year:

1- EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 – The Overall Best Choice

Key Specs:

Reasons to Buy:

Ray-tracing and DLSS for an immersive gaming experience
Higher video memory to scale up to 1440p
G-Sync for tear-free gaming experience at higher refresh rate screens

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The EVGA RTX 2060 is one of the first few chips that have been crowned with Nvidia’s ray tracing. Now, this RTX 2060 from EVGA packs more video memory as compared to ones made by ASUS or MSI. With 12GB of GDDR6 video memory, there’s plenty of room on this card to hit higher resolutions like 1080p and even 1440p at 60fps.

We will directly talk about the performance of this graphics card with respect to the Core i5-9400F processor. Our main goal was to play some all-time famous games on this version of RTX 2060.

So, we started our testing phase from the GTA V maxed out at 1080p ultra settings. Throughout the gameplay, the average frame rates were in-between 70fps to and 85fps.

The next game that we tested was the Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p ultra settings. This time the average frame rates dropped down to 47fps to 55fps with ray-tracing turned on. However, if you turn off the ray-tracing, then you can expect a slight boost in performance.

Also, with Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, and Apex Legends, we were easily able to get over 60fps at 1080p ultra-high settings.

Although, the RTX 2060 does come with ray-tracing and DLSS to add more flavours to your gaming experience. But, this card is not as good in ray-tracing as compared to the cards in the RTX 3000 series.

However, if you have never been into ray-tracing kind of stuff, then it’s a good bargain to go with this card and decide whether this feature is essential for you or not.

Right now in the market, you’ll find even cheaper RTX 2060’s from different manufacturers. However, by spending a few more bucks you can get your hands on a powerful RTX 2060 card like this one for a solid 1080p gaming experience.

At last, there’s around a 0.7% bottleneck between the RTX 2060 and Core i5-9400F as reported by pc-build. Keeping in view this number, it’s clear that there won’t be any waste of performance if you opt for this graphics card. But before getting your hands on this card, check out if it’s really worth buying an RTX 2060 in the year 2022.

2- MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5700 XT – Best Value GPU for 9th Gen Core i5 CPUs

Key Specs:

Reasons to Buy:

Higher boost clock speed
Advanced video output ports
Silent operation
Great for 1440p gaming

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Where Nvidia is flooding the market with Turing architecture-based chips, having a Navi chip like RX 5700 XT has caught the attention of many gamers. Although this GPU is deprived of premium features like ray-tracing and DLSS, it still holds enough juice to play your favourite titles at 1440p settings.

So, RX 5700 XT comes right out of the box with an amazing clock speed of 1925 MHz. With respect to the RTX 2060, this graphics card is way more powerful in terms of gaming performance. The EVGA RTX 2060 compared to this GPU has more VRAM, however, the higher clock speed and memory interface gives RX 5700 XT a bit more edge in high-resolution gaming.

Although the RX 6700 XT which is the successor to the RX 5700 XT has more powerful specs to offer, still surplus availability and affordable price make RX 5700 XT an ideal choice for mid-range gaming PCs. The powerful RDNA architecture makes this GPU a great contender against GPUs like RTX 2070 and RTX 2060.

We paired up RX 5700 XT with Core i5-9400F CPU to see how it performs in gaming. However, this time we pushed the resolution all the way up to 1440p instead of 1080p. Playing titles like Metro: Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and GTA V at 1440p was absolutely a breeze on this graphics card.

Comparison chart by Tech Radar showing the gaming performance (1440p settings) of RX 5700 XT in Metro Exodus as compared to other GPUs.

In most AAA games that we tested with RX 5700 XT at 1440p settings, the average frame rates were above 60fps most of the time. However, if you move up to 4K settings, then things get a bit laggy and sluggish with frame rates dropping way below 30fps. But this isn’t the type of graphics card that’s designed for 4K gaming.

So, if you are a fan of 1440p gaming, then this graphics card truly gives you the best bang for your buck. The only downside that we’ve encountered so far with this GPU is the higher TDP. So you have to add more watts to the power supply if you are after RX 5700 XT.

All in all, the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is one of the best graphics to pair with a mid-range processor like Core i5-9400F. Although there is no support for ray-tracing on this card, it still gives you the best performance in 1440p gaming. The RTX 2060 and RTX 2070 still bring much better features than this graphics card, but at the end of the day, the choice is all yours.

3- EVGA Nvidia RTX 2070 Super – A Highly-Compatible GPU for 9th Gen i5 CPUs

Key Specs:

Video Memory: 8GB GDDR6 | Boost Clock Speed: 1770 MHz | Memory Interface: 256-bit | CUDA Cores: 2560 | Video Outputs: DisplayPort x 3 (v1.4) / HDMI 2.0b x 1 | PSU Requirement: 750W ( Needs 8-pin x1 + 6-pin x1 external power connectors)

Reasons to Buy:

Better ray-tracing performance as compared to RTX 2060
Ideal for 1440p gaming
Powerful and silent cooling fans
Highly compatible with higher refresh rate gaming monitors

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The EVGA RTX 2070 Super performs way better than RTX 2060 when paired with mid-range CPUs. If there is any card that could perform nearly the same as the RX 5700 XT in 1440p gaming, then it would be RTX 2070 Super. It’s better than the normal RTX 2060, however, a bit slower than the RTX 2080.

Now, this card has got all the flavours that you need for a true 1440p gaming experience. First of all, we have the 8GB GDDR6 memory, and then there are more dedicated RT cores as compared to previous cards in the RTX 2000 line-up.

The way EVGA has designed this chip is remarkable. There are two powerful fans to facilitate maximum airflow while staying super silent under a heavy workload. Moreover, the L-shaped heatsink of this card is way better in heat dissipation as compared to other cards on this list. Also, the EVGA RTX 2070 Super uses less power than the normal RTX 2070 FE card.

As far as the performance of EVGA RTX 2070 Super is concerned, then here’s what we’ve found so far. We ran several games on this card, and it didn’t turn us down at all.

The first game that we tested was Shadow of the Tomb Raider, at 1080p settings we easily went over 90fps. At 1440p resolution, the frame rates dropped down to 66fps. As the game was still playable, we throttled the resolution all the way to 4K, and at this point, the frame rates went down to 33fps.

In GTA V, the RTX 2070 Super easily climbed over 105fps at 1080p settings. Even at 1440p settings, we got around 95 fps. And if you want to play GTA V at 4K resolution, then you can expect around 50 to 55 fps from RTX 2070 Super.

Rounding up, the EVGA RTX 2070 is a powerful graphics card for 1440 gaming. However, for 4K gaming, it still shows up as an entry-level card. Moreover, the advanced DisplayPort and HDMI port allow you to connect this card with higher-refresh gaming monitors to have the best gaming experience. Also, the ray-tracing and DLSS performance on this chip is way better than entry-level chips in the RTX 2000 series.

4- XFX Speedster RX 6600 XT – Affordable RDNA 2 GPU for i5-9400F Processor

Key Specs:

Reasons to Buy:

RDNA 2 architecture & ray tracing
Ideal for 2K gaming
Higher boost clock speed
Overclocking

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The XFX Speedster Series comes up with some of the coolest graphics cards on the market. With XFX Speedster RX 6600 XT you get blessed with ray-tracing which is harder to find in most AMD graphics cards.

Right out of the box, you get your hands on a card that has three powerful fans for maximum airflow. If you pay attention to the design, then it gives you a premium look to it.

The XFX Speedster RX 6600 XT is a dual-slot card, so you’ll have enough clearance to fit this bulky CPU inside your PC case. But there are also compact versions of RX 6600 XT that easily fit inside a small PC case.

Let’s get straight to the point, it truly excels in 1080p gaming, it’s power-efficient, and has great thermal performance.

The XFX Speedster version of RX 6600 XT is way more powerful than the one from MSI. With Speedster, you get an amazing boost clock speed of 2607 MHz. So, you get a card that is already overclocked as soon as you turn it on.

Moreover, the XFX Speedster RX 6600 XT is a powerhouse in itself. With AMD’s RDNA 2 architecture and hardware-accelerated ray tracing, this chip can show exceptional performance in AAA gaming. Also, AMD has included Infinity Cache which helps in boosting the memory bandwidth of RX 6600 XT.

In terms of performance, the RX 6600 XT is a pure 1080p gaming card. And if you pair this graphics card with CPUs like Core i5 9400F or Core i5-12400, then you can expect a decent gaming performance at 1080p ultra-settings.

We tested Metro: Exodus on RX 6600 XT with ray tracing turned on at 1080p ultra-settings. Throughout the gameplay, the frame rates averaged around 55fps to 58fps. However, an RTX 3060 compared to Speedster RX 6600 XT delivers a bit better performance with ray tracing turned on. But this could be due to the fact that the Metro franchise is more geared towards Nvidia graphics cards.

Also, we tested the performance of RX 6600 XT with some other titles like Horizon Zero Dawn and Dirt 5. To our surprise, there wasn’t much of a difference between RX 6600 XT and RTX 3060 to tell at this point.

In general, the RX 6600 XT lags behind most Nvidia 3000 Series cards when it comes to AAA titles at 1080p settings. But like we said earlier, there isn’t much of a difference that makes this card a no-go deal.

Overall, it’s a great card to buy if your sole intention is to play games at 1080p settings. Also, if you are a die-hard fan of Esports games, then you can get a huge benefit from this graphics card. Although this card supports ray tracing, it’s nothing compared to the one you get with Nvidia cards.

Factors To Consider When Buying a Graphics Card for Core i5-9400F

To make sure that the graphics card you intend to buy works well with your processor, here are the key factors to keep in mind before making your purchase.

Video Memory

Having a graphics card with 6GB of video memory is the bare minimum these days. Also, for a mid-range CPU like Core i5-9400F, it’s better to opt for a mid-range GPU that at least comes with 6GB to 8GB of video memory. Going with a 10-year-old 4GB graphics card would definitely result in a bottleneck with a 9th generation processor.

Clock Speed

More clock speed on a GPU would be a better option to keep with the pace of your processor. Generally, there isn’t a direct correlation between the clock speed of a GPU and CPU for better performance. But if you pay deep attention to this equation, then we cannot ignore it as well.

The clock speed comes more into play when you are dealing with complex workloads like gaming or editing videos at higher resolution. In such situations, if the clock speed of GPU and CPU is close enough, then it would definitely speed up the process.

Build We’ve Used For Testing Graphics Cards

In order to test the performance of these chips, we’ve used the following specs:

CPU: Core i5-9400F clocked @ 2. 9 GHz
Motherboard: MSI Z-390 Pro
Ram: Corsair 16GB DDR4 (8×2) clocked @ 2666 MHz
PSU: Corsair RM750x
Monitor: LG 27GN950-B

Final Verdict

So you now have enough knowledge to go and pick the right graphics card for your Core i5-9400F processor. Then comes the hard part of all of this, which GPU you should go with? Well, if we have to pick from one of these then it would be the EVGA RTX 2070 Super. Not only this card comes with ray-tracing and DLSS, but it also gives you a solid 1440p gaming performance. Moreover, there’s less than a 1% bottleneck between RTX 2070 and an i5-9400F CPU that shows you’ll get every watt of performance out of this card.

Mosaab

Hi, I’m the author and founder of this blog. I have more than 10 years of experience in the industry. Throughout my journey I’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of graphics card for custom PC builds. I believe my knowledge and experience will help you choose the card that really falls to your needs and budget.

Test and review: Intel Core i5-9400F and 9600KF — six-core processors at a bargain price

Readers’ attention is usually focused on flagship processors and special editions, but completely different models are most in demand on the market. AMD delivers a good price/performance ratio with its Ryzen processors, but Intel isn’t far behind either. Intel Comet Lake processors for the new socket will be out soon, but there are very interesting Coffee Lake processors for the existing platform that can be purchased for a reasonable price. Our test is dedicated to such Core i5-9 models400F and Core i5-9600KF.

Mobile processors have been the main topic of recent weeks due to the announcement of new generations (AMD Ryzen Mobile 4000 test, Ice Lake-U and Comet Lake-U tests), but desktop processors should not be written off either. There are tech monsters here like the 64-core Ryzen Threadripper 3990X or the workstation Xeon W-3275.

At the other end of the market there is also news. Recently, AMD introduced the Athlon 3000G (test), and the same Ryzen 5 3400G (test) or Ryzen 5 3500 (test) cannot be called high-end models.

Processor Overview
	Cores/Threads	Base frequency/Boost	L3 cache	L2 cache	TDP	Price
Ryzen 5 3600X	6 / 12	3.8 / 4.4 GHz	32MB	3MB	95 W	from 35.400 ₽
Ryzen 5 3600	6 / 12	3.6 / 4.2 GHz	32MB	3MB	65 W	from 14.800 ₽
Ryzen 5 3500X	6 / 6	3.6 / 4.1 GHz	32MB	3MB	65 W	from 16.000 ₽
Ryzen 5 3500	6 / 6	3. 6 / 4.1 GHz	16MB	3MB	65 W	from 16.000 ₽
Ryzen 5 3400G	4 / 8	3.7 / 4.2 GHz	4MB	2MB	65 W	from 18.500 ₽
Ryzen 3 3200G	4 / 4	3.6 / 4.0 GHz	4MB	2MB	65 W	from 12.500 ₽
Core i7-9700K	8 / 8	3.6 / 4.9 GHz	8MB	2MB	95W	from 32.000 ₽
Core i5-9600KF	6 / 6	3.7 / 4.6 GHz	7.5MB	1.5MB	95W	from 20.200 ₽
Core i5-9400F	6 / 6	2.9 / 4.1 GHz	7.5MB	1.5MB	65 W	from 12.800 ₽

The Core i5-9600KF is a Coffee Lake processor that is manufactured using a 14nm process technology and offers six cores without Hyper-Threading. Since this processor is categorized as K, the multiplier is unlocked, and F indicates no integrated graphics. It is present in the processor, but is blocked. The base frequency is 3.7 GHz, in Boost mode it can reach 4.6 GHz. TDP announced at 95 W.

All 9x00KF processors with disabled graphics are in stepping R0. The same goes for the Core i9-9900KS (test), namely «Family 6 Model 158 Stepping 13». Intel has fixed a number of side-channel attack vulnerabilities in this stepping — there is a corresponding document. Judging by it, Intel in the R0 stepping fixed the Specter v2 vulnerability in hardware. Meltdown v4, MSBDS (Fallout), MLPDS and MDSUM bugs are also hardware fixed, old processors required a microcode update and a software patch to fix older processors.

The second model in our tests is the Core i5-9400F. Six cores without Hyper-Threading are also available here, the number of threads is identical, but the thermal package is already 65 watts. The base frequency is slightly lower — 2. 9 GHz, as well as the Boost frequency — 4.1 GHz.

With the upcoming release of Comet Lake processors, it’s a little strange to test the junior Coffee Lake processors. But in fact, it makes sense to buy such a processor today, since new CPUs will bring little in the middle segment. And not everyone wants to change the platform. Therefore, low-cost Coffee Lake processors can be perfectly combined with Intel LGA 1151 v2 motherboards, which can also be found at a bargain price. The new generation of Comet Lake will have slightly increased clock speeds, but there will not be a revolutionary increase in performance.

At the moment, the junior Coffee Lake processor in our test lab was the Core i3-9350K (test). Now two (K)F models are added to it. Let’s see what six cores can do without Hyper-Threading.

Subscribe to the Hardwareluxx VKontakte and Facebook groups, as well as to our Telegram channel (@hardwareluxxrussia).

We recommend that you read our guide to choosing the best Intel and AMD processor for spring 2020. It will help you choose the best CPU for your money and not get confused in the range of models on the market.

<> Test and review: Intel Core i5-9400f and 9600KF-six-core processors at a favorable price
Test configuration

90,000 Test processor Intel Core i5-9400F-i2hard

Vitaly Kolmikov

9000 9000 9000 9000.

Intel Core i5-9400F, six-core processor without integrated graphics, another way to save money!

More recently, four cores were enough for everything in a home computer, but today you can’t surprise anyone with eight in the desktop segment, and six can already be purchased for a budget build. Let’s see what the younger Intel Core i5 is capable of.

Specifications

	i5-9400F	i5-9400
Release date	1 quarter 2019	1 quarter 2019
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Number of cores/threads	6/6	6/6
CPU base frequency	2. 90 GHz	2.90 GHz
Maximum frequency Turbo Boost	4.10 GHz	4.10 GHz
L3 cache	9 MB	9 MB
Max. memory size	128 GB	128 GB
Memory types	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Integrated graphics processor	No	UHD 630
Estimated power	65 W	65 W
Recommended price	$157.00	$182.00

From the similar Core i5 model, but without the letter F in the article, the tested processor differs only in the absence of video cores and the recommended price, which makes it possible to save the equivalent of $ 25 if you are firmly convinced that an integrated solution is unnecessary.

External examination indicates that the processor belongs to the P0 stepping, CPU-Z confirms the guess: under the heat-distributing cover there is an eight-core crystal with disconnected blocks, between the silicon and the cover there is solder. This fact suggests low operating temperatures compared to processors with a plastic thermal interface under the cover.

Test stand

CPU: Intel Core i5-9400F
Motherboard: Asus Maximus IX Apex
Video card: Palit GeForce GTX 1080 Ti GameRock Premium
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z 2×8 GB (F4-3600C15D-16GTZ)
Cooling: liquid cooling
Cooling: Noctua NH-U14S
SSD: TRANSCEND TS120GSSD220S 120 GB (Windows 10 Pro with all updates)
SSD: Crucial MX500 1TB (games and benchmarks)
PSU: Corsair RM850i 850W
Case: Thermaltake Core P5

The motherboard used is built on the Z chipset, but its functionality allows you to fully emulate the behavior of the processor on the B and H series chipsets. Core overclocking is blocked by the manufacturer, leaving room for performance improvement only in memory settings in allowed modes.
All tests were carried out using liquid cooling, which is obviously not the most common option for processors of this type, so we will separately conduct a temperature test with air cooling.

To begin with, let’s determine the operating mode of the processor with memory «out of the box», for B and H chipsets it will be possible to use DDR4 at a maximum frequency of 2666 MHz.

The timings automatically configured by the motherboard do not look the worst, for a quick assessment of the speed of the memory subsystem, we use Aida64 Memory Benchmark:

We will evaluate the performance of the combination of the processor and RAM in Linx, at the same time we will find out the power consumption modes in the limit values.

Automation regularly keeps power consumption within the declared 65 W, the core frequencies in the load are about 3100 MHz, occasionally dropping to 3000 MHz. The peak performance value in the test is 258.9 GFlops.

Most motherboards allow you to set the power limits for the processor. Remove all restrictions by setting the maximum available 4095 W.

Now the frequency of all cores is kept at around 3900 MHz under any load. In Linx, power consumption jumps to 110 watts, while temperatures remain at the same level — 64 ° maximum. The benchmark results react noticeably to changes in frequencies — 303.9 GFlops at the peak, an increase of almost 17.5%. Most applications won’t see that big of a performance boost, and it’s not easy to push the processor beyond the 65W TDP.

Another way to improve performance on motherboards with B and H chipsets is to adjust the RAM timings. Within the maximum available for i5-9400F 2666 MHz can achieve a significant improvement in the speed of the memory subsystem.

There was no goal to find absolutely limiting values, and using an expensive memory kit capable of more in an assembly with a younger i5 does not look like a reasonable solution. It is possible that 12-12-12-28 will not obey any set, but it will definitely be possible to achieve an improvement from the original 16-18-18-36. Let’s check the changes in Aida64:

The significantly reduced memory access delay is striking, 10 ns difference can significantly help the processor in the tests.

An additional 5% performance gain was worth the 3.5W increase in power consumption. We will consider this configuration as the most productive for motherboards based on B and H chipsets in this review.

Now consider a hypothetical situation in which the i5-9400F is used in conjunction with the Z chipset. This will overcome the 2666 MHz limit for RAM. In order not to deviate too far from the reality of using the younger i5, we will limit ourselves to a memory frequency of 4000 MHz. After selecting the operating parameters, let’s stop at the following set of timings:

For those interested in a more detailed description of the RAM settings, a detailed article on this topic has been published, we recommend that you read it.

Another 5 ns gain in access latency compared to the previous test and more than 50% increase in memory bandwidth compared to the initial memory settings is an excellent result.

Overclocking the RAM to 4000 MHz with subsequent timing adjustment gave an additional 3% to the result in Lin. Obviously, memory in this mode is no longer a performance limiter for the i5-9400F. The increase in power consumption is not significant — within 1 W, the temperature is unchanged.

All this time, the voltage values on the processor cores were set automatically by the motherboard. Let’s try to find a more optimal mode using the manual VCore task. Let’s set 1.15 V — even taking into account drawdowns, this should be enough to operate at a frequency of 3.9 for all six cores and provide a 4.1 GHz boost with a low-flow load. Tests confirmed expectations:

Power consumption dropped to 100 W, temperatures dropped by 10°. It’s time to test the air-cooling capability of the i5 in the Linx. We use Noctua NH-U14S with one complete fan, its rotation speed is fixed at 1200 rpm.

Same 100W consumption, temperature = 57°, same result in Linx. We suspect that with less efficient air cooling, the result will be the same.

Tests

Three configurations will participate in testing with the corresponding names on the diagrams:

i5-9400F 2666 def — all default settings
i5-9400F 2666 LT — disabled power consumption restrictions, reduced timings for 2666 MHz memory
i5-9400F 4000 LT — Disable Power Limits, 4000 MHz RAM

Blocked core overclocking will allow you to fix the impact of RAM settings on system performance.

All tests were repeated multiple times and the results were averaged. We will take the values for the «i5-9400F 2666 def» configuration as a starting point, and compare the rest of the results with them.

Aida64 Memory benchmark

Let’s summarize the previously obtained data in diagrams.

Growth of indicators together with improvements in memory settings, for 4000 MHz it was possible to achieve more than one and a half times the difference with the default option.

Reduced access latency should have a positive effect on the results of all tests, including gaming.

CPU PhotoWorxx

Processor test that allows you to determine the performance when processing large photo files.

The results are highly dependent on the speed of the memory subsystem, the difference between modes correlates with the difference in memory bandwidth.

CPU-Z

Built-in performance test in a popular diagnostic utility.

Minimal dependence on the mode of operation of RAM, a small increase in multi-threaded performance and the same single-threaded values.

Cinebench R20

A set of tests that use the Cinema 4D package to create three-dimensional graphics.

Cinebench results have little effect on RAM.

Cinebench R15

Still up-to-date previous version of the test.

One gets the impression that the RAM setting adds almost nothing to the overall system performance, but do not rush to draw conclusions. The above tests do not cover the entire range of real tasks facing the central processor.

GeekBench 4

A comprehensive test package that creates a load typical of real PC usage scenarios.

Reducing timings allowed us to increase performance by 5% on average, and memory overclocking (if available) can double this increase.

WinRAR

Built-in performance test, let’s look at the archiving speed in different modes.

WinRAR responds well to improvements in the memory subsystem, especially latency, up to a 28% increase in performance can be achieved.

7-Zip

Another archiver. The built-in test makes good use of the PC’s multi-threaded performance.

There are improvements in the final result, but they are not as impressive as in WinRAR.

Play tests

For the home computer of the average user, the most resource-intensive tasks are games. Let’s test the performance of the i5-9400F in this important aspect of use.

All tests were tuned to minimize the effect of video card performance on the result while maintaining the complexity of scene construction for the processor.

World of Tanks enCore RT

Resolution: 720p
Graphics quality: ultra
Smoothing: disabled
Ray Tracing: Disabled
Built-in test

The increase in average FPS values in the «combat» resolution will not be so noticeable. The result will depend mainly on the video card, but the values \u200b\u200bof 1% and 0. 1% lower FPS will increase gaming comfort.

War Thunder

Resolution: 720p
Graphic quality: maximum
Built-in test

The value of the average FPS and 1% less grow similarly to the previous game, but for 0.1% the increase is not so noticeable.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

Resolution: 720p
Graphic quality: very low
Textures, visibility range, anti-aliasing: ultra

A difficult part of the replay was chosen with a landing and active actions at the beginning of the round at the Sosnovka military base, you should not be surprised at the low value of 0.1. Again, a very noticeable increase in FPS with improved timings and almost doubling the increase with increasing frequency.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

Resolution: 720p
Graphics Quality: Highest
Resolution modifier: 50%
Built-in test

To reduce the dependence of the result on the video card, anti-aliasing is set to «low».

It is impossible not to notice the improvements, for FPS below 60 any increase is noticeable to the eye and significantly increases the comfort of the gameplay.

Far Cry 5

Resolution: 1080p
Graphic quality: maximum
Resolution Scale: 0.5
Built-in test

Another representative of AAA gaming projects, responds well to the acceleration of the memory subsystem.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Demo

DX 12
Resolution: 720p
Configuration: maximum
Smoothing: Disabled
Built-in test, third cut

The memory setting allows you to significantly increase the comfort of the gameplay and step over 60 FPS in 1% smaller values.

Conclusion

Intensified competition in the processor market not only gave enthusiasts lower prices for top multi-core solutions, but also made it possible to get six cores in the mass budget segment, which the i5-9400F under study demonstrates. The recent price cuts for processors without integrated graphics make F processors attractive for purchase in builds for budget-minded users who intend to use only a discrete graphics card: $ 25 is completely invisible for an i9in the final price, but for $150 processors, this is already about 15% of the difference in the final price tag.

The blocked overclocking of the i5 cores in this review gave one more reason to make sure that the clock speed of the processor is not an absolute measure of performance. The connection between the processor and RAM is important.

Advantages:

6 cores
65 W thermal pack
Solder under heat distribution cover
Low price

Disadvantages:

In addition to the limitations declared by the manufacturer, no minuses were found

Intel Core i5-9400F — 78 secret facts, review, specifications, reviews.

PassMark CPU score

The PassMark benchmark considers read speed, write speed, and seek time when testing SSD performance.
Show all

9950

max 89379

Average: 6033.5

89379

Geekbench 5 (Multi-Core)

4392.084

max 23628.202

Average: 5219.2

23628.202

Geekbench score 5

1011.516

max 1600.56

Average: 936.8

1600.56

Cinebench21.5 score (single)

A benchmark that measures processor performance using a thread of execution.

max 51

Average: 5. 6

Test score Cinebench R11.5 /64bit (Multi-Core)

10.7124

max 45.3622

Average: 5.3

45.3622

Cinebench R15 test score (Multi-Core)

1038

max 4614

Average: 638.4

4614

Cinebench R15 test score (Single-Core)

182

max 276

Average: 128.5

276

AES

Yes

Intel Optane memory support

Yes

Thermal control technologies

Yes

Intel Privacy Protection Technology

Yes

Function Execute override bit

Yes

Intel Trusted Execution Technology

Intel Boot Guard

Yes

Number of threads

The more threads, the higher the performance of the processor, and it will be able to perform several tasks at the same time.
Show all

max 256

Average: 10.7

256

L1 cache size

Large amount of L1 memory accelerates results in CPU and system performance settings
Show all

384KB

max 4608

Average: 299.3 KB

4608KB

L2 Cache Size

L2 cache with large scratchpad memory can increase processor speed and overall system performance.
Show all

1.5MB

max 512

Average: 4.5 MB

512MB

L3 cache size

Large amount of L3 memory accelerates results in CPU and system performance settings
Show all

9MB

max 768

Average: 16. 3 MB

768MB

Maximum Turbo Clock Speed 

When the processor speed drops below its limit, it can jump to a higher clock speed to improve performance.
Show all

4.1GHz

max 5.5

Average: 3.2 GHz

5.5GHz

Number of cores

max 72

Mean: 5.8

Processor base clock speed

2.9GHz

max 4.7

Average: 2.5 GHz

4.7GHz

Frequency with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0

4.1GHz

max 5.1

Average: 3.5 GHz

5. 1GHz

Max. number of PCI Express lanes

max 64

Average: 22.7

PCI Express

Up to 1×16 configurations. 2×8. 1×8+2×4

Idle states

Yes

Turbo Boost Technology

Turbo Boost is a technology that allows the processor to operate at a frequency higher than the maximum. This increases its productivity (including when performing complex tasks)
Show all

Mean: 1.9

Number of PCI-Express lanes

Max. number of processors in configuration

one

Mean: 1.3

Version DDR

four

Mean: 3. 5

Max. memory bandwidth

This is the speed at which the device stores or reads information.

41.6GB/s

max 352

Average: 41.4 GB/s

352GB/s

Memory frequency

The RAM can be faster to improve system performance.
Show all

2666MHz

max 4800

Average: 2106.2 MHz

4800MHz

Max. number of memory channels

The greater the number, the higher the data transfer rate from memory to processor

max 16

Mean: 2.9

Max. memory size

The largest amount of RAM memory.

128GB

max 6000

Average: 404.4 GB

6000GB

System bus frequency

Data between computer components and other devices is transferred via the bus.
Show all

8 GT/s

max 1600

Average: 156.1 GT/s

1600 GT/s

ECC memory support

Memory debugging code is used when it is necessary to avoid data corruption during scientific computing or server startup. It finds possible errors and repairs data corruption.
Show all

vPro

Enhanced Speed Step (EIST)

Yes

Intel® AES-NI Commands

AES is needed to speed up encryption and decryption.

Yes

Hyper-Threading Technology

Many Intel processors use state-of-the-art hyper-threading technology. Thus, each processor core works simultaneously on two threads, which significantly increases performance. Most processors work on the principle: one thread per core, therefore, their performance is lower.
Show all

AVX

AVX allows you to increase the speed of calculations in multimedia, financial and scientific applications, it also improves the performance of Linux RAID.
Full text

Yes

Version sse

Allows you to speed up multimedia tasks (such as adjusting the sound intensity). Each subsequent version has a number of improvements
Show all

4.2

max 4.2

Average: 4. 1

4.2

Socket

FCLGA1151

Thermal Monitoring

Yes

SIPP

TSX

TXT

EDB

Yes

Secure Key

Yes

MPX

Yes

Identity Protection

Yes

SGX

Yes

OS Guard

Yes

VT-d

Yes

VT-x

Yes

EPT

Yes

Manufacturing process

The small size of the semiconductor means it is a new generation chip.

14 nm

Average: 36.8 nm

5 nm

Heat Dissipation (TDP)

Heat dissipation requirement (TDP) is the maximum amount of energy that can be dissipated by the cooling system. The lower the TDP, the less power will be consumed.
Show all

65W

Average value: 67.6W

0.025W

PCI Express Revision

Mean: 2.9

Status

Launched

Release date

01/01/2019

Embedded options available

Cooling system specifications

PCG 2015C (65W)

Case size

37.5mm x 37.5mm

Supports 64-bit system

A 64-bit system, unlike a 32-bit system, can support more than 4 GB of RAM. This increases productivity. It also allows you to run 64-bit applications.
Show all

Yes

Maximum processor temperature

If the maximum temperature at which the processor operates is exceeded, a reset may occur.
Show all

100°C

max 110

Average value: 96 °C

110°C

Codename

Coffee Lake

Purpose

Desktop

Core i5-9400F [in 14 benchmarks]

Intel
Core i5-9400F

Interface
Core frequency
Video memory size
Memory type
Memory frequency
Maximum resolution

Description

Intel started Intel Core i5-9400F sales on January 7, 2019 at a suggested price of $182. This is a desktop processor based on the Coffee Lake-R architecture, primarily designed for office systems. It has 6 cores and 6 threads and is manufactured in 14 nm process technology, the maximum frequency is 4100 MHz, the multiplier is locked.

In terms of compatibility, this is an FCLGA1151 socket processor with a TDP of 65W and a maximum temperature of 72°C. It supports DDR4-2666 memory.

It provides poor benchmark performance at

9.46%

from the leader, which is AMD EPYC 7h22.

Core i5
9400F

EPYC
7h22

General information

Information about the type (for desktops or laptops) and architecture of the Core i5-9400F, as well as when sales started and cost at that time.

place in the performance rating	739
	18	9(3 years ago)
Price at the time of release	$ 182	(Core i7-870)
)	out of 14999 (Xeon Platinum 9282)

Value for money

To obtain an index, we compare the characteristics of processors and their cost, taking into account the cost of other processors.

Features

Core i5-9400F quantitative parameters such as number of cores and threads, clock speeds, manufacturing process, cache size and multiplier lock state. They indirectly speak about the performance of the processor, but for an accurate assessment, you need to consider the results of the tests.

)

017

from 1536 (EPYC Embeded 3401)
Cache 2nd level	256K (on the kernel)	of 12288 (Core 2 QUAD Q9550)
9 MB (total)	of 32 (Ryzen Threadripper 1998)
Technological process	14 Nm	of 5 (Apple M1)	+
Free multiplier	—

Compatibility

Information on Core i5-9400F compatibility with other computer components. Useful, for example, when choosing the configuration of a future computer or to upgrade an existing one.

Please note that the power consumption of some processors can significantly exceed their nominal TDP even without overclocking. Some may even double their claims if the motherboard allows you to adjust the power settings of the processor. + Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) + Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Hyper-Threading Technology — TSX0042

EDB + Secure Key + MPX + Identity Protection + SGX Yes with Intel® ME0005

Overall performance in tests

This is our overall performance rating. We regularly improve our algorithms, but if you find any inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in the comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

i5-9400F
9.46

Passmark

GeekBench 5 Single-Core

GeekBench 5 Multi-Core

Cinebench 10 32-bit single-core

Cinebench 10 32-bit multi-core

Cinebench 11.5 64-bit multi-core

Cinebench 15 64-bit multi-core

Cinebench 15 64-bit single-core

Cinebench 11.5 64-bit single-core

TrueCrypt AES

WinRAR 4.0

x264 encoding pass 2

x264 encoding pass 1

Passmark

Passmark CPU Mark is a widely used benchmark that consists of 8 different tests, including integer and floating point calculations, extended instruction tests, compression, encryption, and game physics calculations. Also includes a separate single-threaded test.

Benchmark coverage: 68%

i5-9400F
9542

GeekBench 5 Single-Core

GeekBench 5 Single-Core is a cross-platform application designed as CPU benchmarks that independently recreate certain real world tasks that can accurately measure performance. This version uses only one processor core.

Benchmark coverage: 37%

i5-9400F
1053

GeekBench 5 Multi-Core

GeekBench 5 Multi-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which you can accurately measure performance. This version uses all available processor cores.

Benchmark coverage: 37%

i5-9400F
4555

Cinebench 10 32-bit single-core

Cinebench R10 is a very outdated ray tracing benchmark for processors developed by the authors of Cinema 4D, Maxon. The Single-Core version uses a single CPU thread to render a futuristic motorcycle model.

Benchmark coverage: 20%

i5-9400F
6490

Cinebench 10 32-bit multi-core

Cinebench Release 10 Multi Core is a variant of Cinebench R10 that uses all processor threads. The possible number of threads in this version is limited to 16.

Benchmark coverage: 19%

i5-9400F
31523

Cinebench 11.5 64-bit multi-core

Cinebench Release 11.5 Multi Core is a variant of Cinebench R11.5 that uses all processor threads. This version supports a maximum of 64 threads.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

i5-9400F
11

Cinebench 15 64-bit multi-core

Cinebench Release 15 Multi Core (sometimes referred to as Multi-Thread) is a variant of Cinebench R15 that uses all of the processor’s threads.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

i5-9400F
984

Cinebench 15 64-bit single-core

Cinebench R15 (Release 15) is a benchmark created by Maxon, the creator of the popular Cinema 4D 3D modeling package. It was superseded by later versions of Cinebench using more modern variants of the Cinema 4D engine. The Single Core version (sometimes referred to as Single-Thread) uses only one CPU thread to render a room full of mirror balls and complexly shaped lights.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

i5-9400F
173

Cinebench 11.5 64-bit single-core

Cinebench R11.5 is an old Maxon development benchmark. authors of Cinema 4D. It has been superseded by later versions of Cinebench which use more modern variants of the Cinema 4D engine. The Single Core version loads one CPU thread with ray tracing, rendering a glossy room full of crystal spheres and lights.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

i5-9400F
2

TrueCrypt AES

TrueCrypt is a deprecated program that was widely used to encrypt disk partitions on the fly. It contains several built-in benchmarks, one of which is TrueCrypt AES. It measures the speed of data encryption using the AES algorithm. The result of the test is the encryption speed in gigabytes per second.

Benchmark coverage: 13%

i5-9400F
5

WinRAR 4.0

WinRAR 4.0 is an outdated version of the popular archiver. It contains an internal speed test using maximum compression by the RAR algorithm on large amounts of randomly generated data. Results are measured in kilobytes per second.

Benchmark coverage: 12%

i5-9400F
5794

x264 encoding pass 2

x264 Pass 2 is a slower MPEG4 x264 video compression benchmark that results in a variable bit rate output file. This results in a better quality of the resulting video file, as a higher bit rate is used when it is needed more. The benchmark result is still measured in frames per second.

Benchmark coverage: 12%

i5-9400F
64

x264 encoding pass 1

The x264 benchmark uses the MPEG 4 x264 compression method to encode the HD (720p) sample video. Pass 1 is a faster option that produces an output file at a constant bit rate. Its result is measured in frames per second, that is, how many frames of the source video file were encoded in one second on average.

Benchmark coverage: 12%

i5-9400F
234

Relative capacity

Overall Core i5-9400F performance compared to its nearest competitor desktop processors.

Intel Core i3-10305
101.59

Intel Core i7-7700K
101.37

Intel Core i5-8500
100.53

Intel Core i5-9400F
100

Intel Core i5-9400
99.37

AMD Ryzen 5 2500X
98.94

AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3350G
98.84

Competitor from AMD

We believe that the nearest equivalent to Core i5-9400F from AMD is Ryzen 5 2500X, which is slower by 1% on average and lower by 5 positions in our rating.

Ryzen 5
2500X

Compare

Here are some of AMD’s closest competitors to the Core i5-9400F:

AMD Ryzen 3 4300G
112.9

AMD FX-9590
106.87

AMD Athlon 64 X2 FX-60
102.54

Intel Core i5-9400F
100

AMD Ryzen 5 2500X
98.94

AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3350G
98.84

AMD Ryzen 5 3400G
97.89

Other processors

Here we recommend several processors that are more or less similar in performance to the reviewed one.

Core i5
8500

Compare

Core i5
9400

Compare

Ryzen 5
2500X

Compare

Core i7
7700K

Compare

Core i3
10305

Compare

Core i5
8500B

Compare

Recommended graphics cards

According to our statistics, these cards are most often used with Core i5-9400F:

GeForce GTX
1650

16. 5%

GeForce GTX
1050 Ti

10.8%

GeForce GTX
1660 Super

8.4%

GeForce GTX
1660

7%

GeForce RTX
2060

5.6%

GeForce GTX
1650 SUPER

4.2%

GeForce GTX
1060 6GB

4.1%

GeForce GTX
1660 Ti

3.9%

GeForce GTX
1060 3GB

2.4%

GeForce GT
1030

2.3%

User rating

Here you can see the evaluation of the processor by users, as well as put your own rating.

Tips and comments

Here you can ask a question about the Core i5-9400F processor, agree or disagree with our judgements, or report errors or inaccuracies on the site.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Intel Core i5-9400F | 64 factors

50 points

Intel Core i5-9400F

Intel Core i5-9400F

Why is Intel Core i5-9400F better than others?

CPU speed?
6 x 2.9GHz vs 12.47GHz

RAM speed?
2666MHz vs 2487.36MHz

Semiconductors size?
14nm vs 17.01nm

PassMark result?
9590 vs 8616.84

Turbo clock speed?
4.1GHz vs 3.83GHz

L1 cache?
384KB vs 283.47KB

Maximum memory bandwidth?
41. 6GB/s vs 37.63GB/s

PassMark result (single)?
2492 vs 2052.04

Which comparisons are the most popular?

Intel Core i5-9400F

VS

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Intel Core i5-9400F

VS

AMD Ryzen 3 3200G

Intel Core i5-9400f

AMD Ryzen 5 5600x

INTEL CORE INTEL INTEL IS vs

Intel Core i3-10100

Intel Core i5-9400f

VS

Intel Core i3-9100f

Intel Core i5-9400f

Intel Core I5-104-104-10400

INTE

vs

AMD RYZEN 5 3400G

Intel Core i5-9400f

VS

AMD Ryzen 5 5600g

Intel Core i5-9400f

Intel Core INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL CORE INTEL Core 2 AMD Ryzen 5 2600

Price Comparison

Cheaper than Intel Core i5-9400F

User Reviews

Overall Rating

Intel Core i5-9400F

2 User Reviews

Core i5400f

10. 0 /10

2 reviews of users

Functions

Price and quality ratio

10.0 /10

2 VOTES

Games

10.0 /10 9000

9.5 /10

2 Votes

Reliability

10.0 /10

2 Votes

Energy efficiency

10.0 /10 9 9 9

2 votes

Performance

1.CPU speed

6 x 2.9GHz

CPU speed indicates how many processing cycles per second a processor can perform, considering all its cores (processors). It is calculated by adding the clock speeds of each core or, in the case of multi-core processors, each group of cores.

2.processor thread of execution

More threads result in better performance and better multitasking.

3.speed turbo clock

4.1GHz

When the processor is running below its limits, it can jump to a higher clock speed to increase performance.

4.Unlocked multiplier

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

Some processors come with unlocked multiplier and can be easily overclocked for better performance in games and other applications.

5.L2 cache

More L2 scratchpad memory results in faster results in CPU and system performance tuning.

6.L3 cache

More L3 scratchpad memory results in faster results in CPU and system performance tuning.

7.L1 cache

More L1 cache results in faster results in CPU and system performance tuning.

8.core L2

0.25MB/core

More data can be stored in L2 scratchpad for access by each processor core.

9.core L3

1.5MB/core

More data can be stored in L3 scratchpad for access by each processor core.

Memory

1. RAM speed

2666MHz

Can support faster memory which speeds up system performance.

2.max memory bandwidth

41.6GB/s

This is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored in memory.

3. DDR version

DDR (Dynamic Random Access Memory, Double Data Rate) is the most common type of RAM. New versions of DDR memory support higher maximum speeds and are more energy efficient.

4.memory channels

More memory channels increase the speed of data transfer between memory and processor.

5.maximum memory capacity

Maximum memory capacity (RAM).

6.bus baud rate

The bus is responsible for transferring data between different components of a computer or device.

7. Supports Memory Error Code

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

Memory Error Code can detect and repair data corruption. It is used when necessary to avoid distortion, such as in scientific computing or when starting a server.

8.eMMC version

Unknown. Help us offer a price.

A newer version of eMMC — built-in flash memory card — speeds up the memory interface, has a positive effect on device performance, for example, when transferring files from a computer to internal memory via USB.

9.bus frequency

Unknown. Help us offer a price.

The bus is responsible for transferring data between various components of a computer or device

Geotagging

1. PassMark result

This benchmark measures CPU performance using multi-threading.

2. PassMark result (single)

This test measures processor performance using a thread of execution.

3.Geekbench 5 result (multi-core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures the performance of a multi-core processor. (Source: Primate Labs,2022)

4.Cinebench R20 result (multi-core)

Cinebench R20 is a benchmark that measures the performance of a multi-core processor by rendering a 3D scene.

5.Cinebench R20 result (single core)

Cinebench R20 is a test to evaluate the performance of a single core processor when rendering a 3D scene.

6.Geekbench 5 result (single core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures the single core performance of a processor. (Source: Primate Labs, 2022)

7.Blender test result (bmw27)

374.1seconds

The Blender test (bmw27) measures CPU performance by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render a scene in a shorter time.

8.Blender result (classroom)

1161.7seconds

The Blender (classroom) benchmark measures CPU performance by rendering a 3D scene. More powerful processors can render a scene in a shorter time.

9.performance per watt

This means that the processor is more efficient, giving more performance per watt of power used.

Features

1.uses multithreading

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

known as streams. Thus, each core can run two instruction streams at the same time.

2. Has AES

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

AES is used to speed up encryption and decryption.

3. Has AVX

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

AVX is used to help speed up calculations in multimedia, scientific and financial applications, and to improve the performance of the Linux RAID program.

4.SSE version

SSE is used to speed up multimedia tasks such as editing images or adjusting audio volume. Each new version contains new instructions and improvements.

5. Has F16C

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

F16C is used to speed up tasks such as image contrast adjustment or volume control.

6 bits transmitted at the same time

Unknown. Help us offer a price.

NEON provides faster media processing such as MP3 listening.

7. Has MMX

✔Intel Core i5-9400F

MMX is used to speed up tasks such as adjusting image contrast or adjusting volume.

8. TrustZone

✖Intel Core i5-9400F

Technology is integrated into the processor to ensure device security when using features such as mobile payments and digital rights management (DRM) video streaming.

9.interface width

Unknown. Help us offer a price.

The processor can decode more instructions per clock (IPC), which means that the processor performs better

Price comparison

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Which CPU is better?

Intel Core i5-9400F Processor Review: Specs, Benchmark Tests

The Core i5-9400F Processor was released by Intel, release date: Q1’19. The processor is designed for desktop computers and is built on the Coffee Lake architecture.

Processor locked for overclocking. The total number of cores is 6, threads — 6. The maximum clock frequency of the processor is 4.10 GHz. The maximum temperature is 100°C. Technological process — 14 nm.

Supported memory type: DDR4-2666. Maximum supported memory size: 128 GB.

Supported socket type: FCLGA1151. The maximum number of processors in the configuration is 1. Power consumption (TDP): 65 Watt.

Benchmarks

PassMark
Single thread mark

Top1 CPU

This CPU

PassMark
CPU mark

Top1 CPU

This CPU

118142

Geekbench 4
Single Core

Top1 CPU

This CPU

Geekbench 4
Multi-Core

Top1 CPU

This CPU

3DMark Fire Strike
Physics Score

Top1 CPU

This CPU

Name Meaning

PassMark — Single thread mark 2464

PassMark — CPU mark 9542

Geekbench 4 — Single Core 1083

Geekbench 4 — Multi-Core 4737

3DMark Fire Strike — Physics Score 5085

Features

Architecture name Coffee Lake

Production date Q1’19

Place in the ranking 727

Processor Number i5-9400F

Series 9th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processors

Status Launched

Applicability Desktop

Support 64 bit

Base frequency 2. 90 GHz

Bus Speed 8 GT/s DMI3

Process 14nm

Maximum core temperature 100°C

Maximum frequency 4.10 GHz

Number of cores 6

Number of threads 6

Maximum number of memory channels 2

Maximum memory bandwidth 41. 6 GB/s

Maximum memory size 128GB

Supported memory types DDR4-2666

Maximum number of processors per configuration 1

Package Size 37.5mm x 37.5mm

Supported sockets FCLGA1151

Power consumption (TDP) 65 Watt

Thermal Solution PCG 2015C (65W)

Number of PCI Express lanes 16

PCI Express revision 3. 0

PCIe configurations Up to 1×16, 2×8, 1×8+2×4

Scalability 1S Only

Execute Disable Bit (EDB)

Intel® Identity Protection Technology

Intel® Memory Protection Extensions (Intel® MPX)

Intel® OS Guard

Intel® Secure Key Technology

Intel® Software Guard Extensions (Intel® SGX)

Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (TXT)

Secure Boot

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology

Idle States

Extended instructions Intel® SSE4. 1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2

Intel 64

Intel® AES New Instructions

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported

Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)

Intel® TSX-NI

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility

Thermal Monitoring

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Navigation

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Processor comparison

Intel Core i5-9400F vs.

Intel core i5 9400f review: Intel Core i5-9400F CPU Review: Cutting On-Die Graphics For A Slightly Lower Price — Tom’s Hardware

Intel Core i5-9400F CPU Review: Cutting On-Die Graphics For A Slightly Lower Price — Tom’s Hardware

Tom’s Hardware Verdict

Pros

A Moderate Refresh

Core i5-9400F and Core i5-9400

Intel Core i5 9400F | PC Gamer

What is the Intel Core i5 9400F?

What are the alternatives to the Intel Core i5 9400F?

Should I buy the Intel Core i5 9400F and at what price?

Is the Core i5-9400F CPU Good for Gaming?

Is the 9400F Good for Gaming?

Is the Cache Size of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

Is the Core Count of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

Is the Clock Speed of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

Is the DDR Support of the 9400F Good for Gaming?

What Does the F Suffix in 9400F Mean?

Cooling the 9400F

Motherboard Requirements for Core i5-9400F Processors

Best AIO Liquid Cooler: Enermax Liqmax III 360

Best Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler: Be Quiet! BK022 Dark Rock Pro 4

Runner Up — Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15

Recommended Stock-Speed DDR4

Recommended DDR4 for Overclockers

Learn More About the Intel Core i5-9400F

Other Considerations When Building a PC

Intel Core i5-9400F Review — PCGameBenchmark

Intel Core i5-9400F Specs

CPU

Weight

Dimensions (L x W x H)

Brand

Model Number

Cores

Threads

Clock Speed (Frequency)

Intel Core i5-9400F PC Gaming Performance

Can It Run GTA 5?

Can It Run Fortnite?

Can It Run Apex Legends?

Intel Core i5-9400F Features

Intel Core i5-9400F DEALS — BEST prices

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Intel Core i5-9400F review | 64 facts and highlights

Why is Intel Core i5-9400F better than the average?

Which are the most popular comparisons?

Price comparison

Cheap alternatives for Intel Core i5-9400F

User reviews

Overall Rating

Features

Performance

Memory

Benchmarks

Features

Price comparison

Which are the best CPUs?

Best GPU for Core i5-9400F CPU Gaming [2022]

Reviews of the Best GPU for Core i5-9400F CPU

1- EVGA GeForce RTX 2060 – The Overall Best Choice

2- MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5700 XT – Best Value GPU for 9th Gen Core i5 CPUs

3- EVGA Nvidia RTX 2070 Super – A Highly-Compatible GPU for 9th Gen i5 CPUs

4- XFX Speedster RX 6600 XT – Affordable RDNA 2 GPU for i5-9400F Processor

Factors To Consider When Buying a Graphics Card for Core i5-9400F

Video Memory

Clock Speed

Build We’ve Used For Testing Graphics Cards

Final Verdict

Test and review: Intel Core i5-9400F and 9600KF — six-core processors at a bargain price

Specifications

Test stand

Tests

Aida64 Memory benchmark

CPU PhotoWorxx

CPU-Z

Cinebench R20

Cinebench R15

GeekBench 4