Intel Core i5-8400 Review
| Category | Desktop | ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
|---|---|---|
| Target | mid-range | ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Socket Compatibility | LGA1151 | ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Integrated Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 630 | ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Cooler Included | Yes | ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Overclock Potential | 0 % | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Year | 2017 Model | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Price | 182 USD | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
| Number of Cores | 6 Cores | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Number of Threads | 6 Threads | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Core Frequency | 2.8 GHz | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Boost Frequency | 3.8 GHz | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Max Stable Overclock | 3.8 GHz | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Power Consumption | 65 W | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Manufacturing Process | 14 nm | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| L3 Cache | 9 MB | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Maximum Supported Memory | 128 GB | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
| Price-Value Score | 81.6 % | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Speed Score | 58 % | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Productivity Score | 42 % | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Gaming Score | 85 % | ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ |
| Max 1080p Bottleneck | 32.1 % | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Max 1440p Bottleneck | 16.1 % | ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
| Max 4K Bottleneck | 8 % | ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ |
| Overall Score | 38/100 | ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ |
Behold the Core i5-8400! This Desktop processor is a gem in Intel's mid-range collection. Debuted in 2017, it's equipped with 6 cores and 6 threads. With a base clock speed of 2.8GHz, a turbo speed of 3.8GHz, and a power consumption of 65W, it's primed to boost your gaming performance. The Core i5-8400 is engineered on the Coffee Lake 14nm platform and belongs to the renowned Core i5 series.
And guess what? The Core i5-8400 is the ultimate successor to Intel's previous-gen gaming champion, the Core i5-7400. The Core i5-7400 was based on the legendary Kaby Lake-S and 14nm process, and it made its grand entrance into the gaming scene back in 2017. But now, it's time for the Core i5-8400 to take the throne and conquer the gaming world!
The best CPUs are the ones that slay frames at a price that won't make you ragequit. The Core i5-8400 totally wins this game.
The Intel Core i5-8400 is another epic drop from Team Intel, cranking things up in the neverending Intel vs AMD CPU war. But hey, core count ain't everything, especially for playing the hottest PC games. Single-core performance gotta be on point too.
Oof, the single-core performance isn't quite as impressive, even though Intel is closer than ever to matching AMD core for core. In our single-core GeekBench and Cinebench tests, the Core i5-8400 scored a 4020 and 161 respectively. This is a massive leap from the Core i5-7400, but it still falls behind the Ryzen 5 2400G, which scored a 4295 and 155 in the same tests. Don't worry though, the multi-core gains usually outweigh the single-core difference.
The Intel Core i5-8400 launched on Oct 2017 for $182, which is pretty much the same price as the last-generation Core i5-7400. At least there's no crazy price hike this generation!
Heads up! If you already have a Core i5-7400, this new generation doesn't offer a huge jump in performance. You might be better off waiting a year to upgrade or spending more on a higher-end CPU.
Alright, buying advice time! Before this review, we recommended the Ryzen 5 2400G because it comes with a better stock cooler, can be overclocked, and the platform allows for easier future upgrades.
One of the best things about the Intel Core i5-8400 is that it comes with a free CPU cooler! You can grab the Core i5-8400 for $182 without having to spend extra on cooling.
The Intel Core i5-8400 comes with a basic heatsink cooler, nothing fancy. But it gets the job done for this low-power CPU (TDP of 65W). You won't need a fancy aftermarket cooler unless you want to overclock it.
The Intel Core i5-8400 is a decent performing chip for $182. The main competitor at this price point is the Ryzen 5 2400G, a 4-core unlocked processor with integrated graphics, which costs $169.
For a 6-core CPU, the Intel Core i5-8400 is a steal at $182! It seems crazy cheap compared to its main competitor, the 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 2400G which costs $169. Basically, you get extra cores for almost nothing.
Can you game on Intel's Core i5 CPU? Absolutely! We got a solid 85% score in our gaming benchmarks.
More cores, more power! The Core i5-8400's 6 cores outperform everything AMD throws at it, including both the competitor's closest rival and a higher-end model.
Looking for an affordable powerhouse CPU for work and play? Look no further than the Core i5-8400!
Building on the success of mainstream Core i5 CPUs, Intel is now attacking the mid-range market with the Core i5-8400 processors, available since Oct 2017.
AMD's Ryzen 5 CPUs are super popular for budget and mid-range builds. But Intel is shaking things up with 6-core processors that cost even less than 4-core options from AMD. Plus, Core i5 CPUs are unlocked for overclocking, giving you even more performance potential. AMD might have a tough time competing with this!
Which GPU to Pick for Intel Core i5-8400
Below is a comparison of all graphics cards average FPS performance (using an average of 80+ games at ultra quality settings), combined with the Intel Core i5-8400.
| Graphics Card | Price | Cost Per Frame | Avg 1080p | Avg 1440p | Avg 4K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT 8GB | $ 399 | $ 3.7 | 109.2 FPS
|
101.3 FPS
|
65.5 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT 16GB | $ 1,099 | $ 5.5 | 200.3 FPS
|
186 FPS
|
117.6 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 7600 8GB | $ 269 | $ 2.5 | 108.3 FPS
|
100.7 FPS
|
64.9 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT 20GB | $ 899 | $ 4.1 | 220.4 FPS
|
204.6 FPS
|
129.3 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB | $ 999 | $ 4.1 | 242.5 FPS
|
225 FPS
|
142.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 Ti 24GB | $ 1,999 | $ 10.1 | 197 FPS
|
186.2 FPS
|
129.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 8GB | $ 200 | $ 2.1 | 94.5 FPS
|
87.8 FPS
|
59.2 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB | $ 299 | $ 2.8 | 108.4 FPS
|
101.8 FPS
|
68.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB 8GB | $ 399 | $ 3.3 | 121.1 FPS
|
113.1 FPS
|
76.3 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 12GB | $ 599 | $ 3.4 | 176.1 FPS
|
162.3 FPS
|
111.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 12GB | $ 799 | $ 3.6 | 223.7 FPS
|
211.3 FPS
|
146.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB | $ 1,199 | $ 5.2 | 232.8 FPS
|
220 FPS
|
152.9 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Ti 20GB | $ 799 | $ 3.2 | 250.7 FPS
|
237.1 FPS
|
164.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 24GB | $ 1,599 | $ 6 | 268.7 FPS
|
254 FPS
|
176.5 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R7 265 2GB | $ 149 | $ 6.5 | 22.9 FPS
|
18.7 FPS
|
12.4 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 280 3GB | $ 279 | $ 9.2 | 30.2 FPS
|
27.2 FPS
|
16.5 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 285 2GB | $ 249 | $ 8 | 31.2 FPS
|
27.9 FPS
|
17.2 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 295X2 4GB | $ 1,499 | $ 18.8 | 79.8 FPS
|
71.1 FPS
|
48.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti 2GB | $ 149 | $ 7.3 | 20.4 FPS
|
16 FPS
|
10.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN BLACK 6GB | $ 999 | $ 18.7 | 53.5 FPS
|
47.2 FPS
|
31.8 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R7 370 2GB | $ 149 | $ 6.5 | 23.1 FPS
|
19.4 FPS
|
12.8 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 380 2GB | $ 199 | $ 6.4 | 30.9 FPS
|
27.6 FPS
|
17.2 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 380X 4GB | $ 229 | $ 6.6 | 34.7 FPS
|
30.9 FPS
|
20.2 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 390 8GB | $ 329 | $ 7 | 46.9 FPS
|
42 FPS
|
25.8 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 390X 8GB | $ 429 | $ 8.5 | 50.2 FPS
|
46.1 FPS
|
30 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 FURY 4GB | $ 549 | $ 10.5 | 52.1 FPS
|
48 FPS
|
31.1 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 FURY X 4GB | $ 649 | $ 10.7 | 60.7 FPS
|
57.1 FPS
|
37.6 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon R9 Nano 4GB | $ 649 | $ 11.8 | 55.1 FPS
|
51 FPS
|
33.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 2GB | $ 159 | $ 6.8 | 23.5 FPS
|
20.6 FPS
|
13.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB | $ 199 | $ 6.7 | 29.8 FPS
|
26.5 FPS
|
16.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 4GB | $ 329 | $ 6.8 | 48.5 FPS
|
42.5 FPS
|
28.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB | $ 549 | $ 9.6 | 57.3 FPS
|
50.9 FPS
|
32.9 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB | $ 649 | $ 9.7 | 66.8 FPS
|
60 FPS
|
38.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X 12GB | $ 999 | $ 13 | 76.7 FPS
|
68.5 FPS
|
44.1 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 460 4GB | $ 140 | $ 6.6 | 21.2 FPS
|
18.6 FPS
|
11.9 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB | $ 179 | $ 4.3 | 41.3 FPS
|
37.2 FPS
|
23.8 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 480 8GB | $ 400 | $ 8.5 | 47.2 FPS
|
42.9 FPS
|
28.2 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 8GB | $ 399 | $ 5.3 | 74.6 FPS
|
68.3 FPS
|
43.9 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 8GB | $ 499 | $ 6.3 | 79.6 FPS
|
73.1 FPS
|
46.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 2GB | $ 79 | $ 4.9 | 16 FPS
|
14.1 FPS
|
8.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA TITAN V 12GB | $ 2,999 | $ 27.6 | 108.5 FPS
|
102.2 FPS
|
68.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA TITAN Xp 12GB | $ 1,199 | $ 12.2 | 98.3 FPS
|
90.9 FPS
|
60.8 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 550 2GB | $ 79 | $ 4.7 | 16.7 FPS
|
14.8 FPS
|
9.3 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8GB 8GB | $ 199 | $ 3.5 | 57.5 FPS
|
50.4 FPS
|
31.6 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 4GB 4GB | $ 169 | $ 3.3 | 51.5 FPS
|
45.3 FPS
|
28.3 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 560 4GB | $ 99 | $ 4.1 | 24 FPS
|
21.1 FPS
|
13.3 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB | $ 279 | $ 3.4 | 82.8 FPS
|
75.3 FPS
|
48.2 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 570 4GB | $ 169 | $ 3.7 | 46.2 FPS
|
41.5 FPS
|
26.1 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 5700 8GB | $ 349 | $ 4 | 87.7 FPS
|
80.5 FPS
|
51.7 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB | $ 399 | $ 4.2 | 95.7 FPS
|
87.8 FPS
|
56.4 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB | $ 229 | $ 4.1 | 56.1 FPS
|
49.1 FPS
|
30.7 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 590 8GB | $ 279 | $ 4.4 | 63.2 FPS
|
55.5 FPS
|
34.9 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 3GB | $ 169 | $ 6.5 | 26 FPS
|
23 FPS
|
14.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB | $ 169 | $ 5.5 | 30.5 FPS
|
27.3 FPS
|
17.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB | $ 254 | $ 4.9 | 52 FPS
|
46 FPS
|
29.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB 3GB | $ 170 | $ 3.4 | 49.3 FPS
|
43.7 FPS
|
28.1 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 8GB | $ 399 | $ 5.5 | 72.7 FPS
|
65.1 FPS
|
41.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti 8GB | $ 409 | $ 5.2 | 78.9 FPS
|
71.3 FPS
|
45.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 8GB | $ 499 | $ 5.9 | 85.2 FPS
|
77 FPS
|
49.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB | $ 759 | $ 7.6 | 100.3 FPS
|
94.2 FPS
|
61.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB | $ 149 | $ 3.4 | 44.2 FPS
|
39.6 FPS
|
25.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER 4GB | $ 160 | $ 2.8 | 58 FPS
|
52.3 FPS
|
33.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB | $ 220 | $ 3.3 | 66.6 FPS
|
60.2 FPS
|
38.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB | $ 229 | $ 3.2 | 70.8 FPS
|
64 FPS
|
41.2 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB | $ 279 | $ 3.7 | 75.1 FPS
|
67.9 FPS
|
43.5 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB | $ 350 | $ 4.2 | 84.1 FPS
|
72.7 FPS
|
46.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER 8GB | $ 400 | $ 4.5 | 89.4 FPS
|
79.1 FPS
|
51.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8GB | $ 499 | $ 5.3 | 94.5 FPS
|
84.9 FPS
|
56.2 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB | $ 499 | $ 5 | 99.7 FPS
|
90.9 FPS
|
59.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB | $ 699 | $ 6.5 | 107 FPS
|
98.7 FPS
|
64.1 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER 8GB | $ 699 | $ 6.2 | 113.2 FPS
|
105.5 FPS
|
69.1 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti 11GB | $ 1,299 | $ 10.4 | 124.7 FPS
|
117.5 FPS
|
77.3 FPS
|
| NVIDIA TITAN RTX 24GB | $ 2,499 | $ 19.5 | 128.1 FPS
|
120.6 FPS
|
79.4 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon VII 16GB | $ 699 | $ 7.1 | 98.3 FPS
|
90.2 FPS
|
58.1 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT 8GB | $ 379 | $ 3.7 | 102.5 FPS
|
94.6 FPS
|
60.8 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB | $ 479 | $ 3.9 | 123.1 FPS
|
113.7 FPS
|
72.2 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 6800 16GB | $ 579 | $ 4 | 146.3 FPS
|
134.1 FPS
|
86.3 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT 16GB | $ 649 | $ 3.5 | 184.7 FPS
|
169.4 FPS
|
109 FPS
|
| AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT 16GB | $ 999 | $ 5.1 | 196.2 FPS
|
179.9 FPS
|
115.7 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti 6GB | $ 249 | $ 3.2 | 77.2 FPS
|
69.3 FPS
|
45.3 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB | $ 329 | $ 3.5 | 93.8 FPS
|
85.8 FPS
|
56.6 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8GB | $ 399 | $ 3.5 | 114.3 FPS
|
107 FPS
|
71.4 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8GB | $ 499 | $ 3.6 | 139.5 FPS
|
127.2 FPS
|
83.2 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 10GB | $ 599 | $ 3.8 | 156.5 FPS
|
143.8 FPS
|
95.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 10GB | $ 699 | $ 3.8 | 182.3 FPS
|
166.3 FPS
|
108.8 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 20GB | $ 799 | $ 4.4 | 182.4 FPS
|
169.7 FPS
|
115.1 FPS
|
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 24GB | $ 1,499 | $ 7.2 | 209.3 FPS
|
190.8 FPS
|
124.8 FPS
|
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