Core i3-7300T vs Core i5-6400T

The Core i3-7300T packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-6400T offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-6400T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i3-7300T versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i5-6400T — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i3-7300T (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i3-7300T uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-6400T uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7300T scores 4,145 against the Core i5-6400T's 4,243 — a 2.3% lead for the Core i5-6400T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,100 vs 950, a 14.6% lead for the Core i3-7300T that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-7300T vs 6 MB on the Core i5-6400T.

Both processors use the LGA1151 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: B250,H270,Z270,Q250,Q270 (Core i3-7300T) and H110,B150,H170,Z170,Z270 (Core i5-6400T).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7300T) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-6400T). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 630 (Core i3-7300T) and HD 530 (Core i5-6400T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-7300T targets Low Power Desktop, Core i5-6400T targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i3-7300T rivals Ryzen 3 2200GE; Core i5-6400T rivals Core i3-7100.

The Core i3-7300T launched at $138 MSRP, while the Core i5-6400T debuted at $192. At current prices ($128 vs $40), the Core i5-6400T is $88 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-7300T delivers 32.4 pts/$ vs 106.1 pts/$ for the Core i5-6400T — making the Core i5-6400T the 106.4% better value option.