Core i5-11400 vs Ryzen 7 4800U

Core i5-11400 vs Ryzen 7 4800U Performance Spectrum

Core i5-11400

6 / 12

16,670

+1.5%

16,427

0.0%

Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395

Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Core i5-11400 vs Ryzen 7 4800U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-11400 vs Ryzen 7 4800U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-11400

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 730, while Ryzen 7 4800U needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Ryzen 7 4800U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $182 MSRP, while Ryzen 7 4800U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.

Ryzen 7 4800U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-11400 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (16,427 vs 16,670).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-11400 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-11400.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-11400 better than Ryzen 7 4800U?

Yes. Core i5-11400 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 7.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-11400 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 7.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-11400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-11400 is the better buy right now. Core i5-11400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $182 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 7.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (91.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-11400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2020), 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-11400 vs Ryzen 7 4800U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-11400

The Core i5-11400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 16,670 points. Launch price was $299.

Ryzen 7 4800U

The Ryzen 7 4800U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 16,427 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-11400 packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 7 4800U offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 4800U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-11400 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 7 4800U — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-11400 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i5-11400 uses the Rocket Lake (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 4800U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-11400 scores 16,670 against the Ryzen 7 4800U's 16,427 — a 1.5% lead for the Core i5-11400. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-11400 vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 4800U.

Feature	Core i5-11400	Ryzen 7 4800U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	8 / 16+33%
Boost Clock	4.4 GHz+5%	4.2 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+44%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Rocket Lake (2021)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	16,670+1%	16,427
Cinebench R23 Multi	10,350	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,960	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	7,260	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-11400 uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen 7 4800U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-11400	Ryzen 7 4800U
Socket	LGA1200	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-11400) / not specified (Ryzen 7 4800U). The Core i5-11400 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 730), while the Ryzen 7 4800U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-11400 targets Mainstream Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-11400 rivals Ryzen 5 5600X.