Core i5-14400T vs M4 (8 cores)

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-14400T

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 (8 cores) across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌775% higher power demand at 35W vs 4W.

M4 (8 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 35W, a 31W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,761 vs 20,911).

Core i5-14400T

2024

M4 (8 cores)

2024

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.6% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 4W instead of 35W, a 31W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M4 (8 cores) across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌775% higher power demand at 35W vs 4W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (20,761 vs 20,911).

Quick Answers

So, is M4 (8 cores) better than Core i5-14400T?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, M4 (8 cores) is ahead with a 5.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14400T pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-14400T is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 10 cores and 16 threads.

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

M4 (8 cores) still looks like the safer overall buy. M4 (8 cores) is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 5.6% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1700 + DDR5 setup, Core i5-14400T can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

M4 (8 cores) is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more overall headroom and a better platform outlook.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-14400T Benchmark Check

M4 (8 cores) Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-14400T	M4 (8 cores)
1080p
low	170 FPS	177 FPS
medium	153 FPS	141 FPS
high	124 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	91 FPS
1440p
low	144 FPS	145 FPS
medium	125 FPS	113 FPS
high	100 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	82 FPS	67 FPS
medium	76 FPS	56 FPS
high	60 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-14400T Open M4 (8 cores)

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-14400T	M4 (8 cores)
1080p
low	306 FPS	350 FPS
medium	261 FPS	297 FPS
high	218 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	198 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	257 FPS	301 FPS
medium	227 FPS	265 FPS
high	195 FPS	229 FPS
ultra	169 FPS	185 FPS
4K
low	156 FPS	213 FPS
medium	140 FPS	193 FPS
high	131 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	116 FPS	139 FPS

Open Core i5-14400T Open M4 (8 cores)

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-14400T	M4 (8 cores)
1080p
low	523 FPS	519 FPS
medium	517 FPS	519 FPS
high	476 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	418 FPS	496 FPS
1440p
low	523 FPS	519 FPS
medium	460 FPS	495 FPS
high	421 FPS	446 FPS
ultra	371 FPS	386 FPS
4K
low	432 FPS	438 FPS
medium	355 FPS	347 FPS
high	322 FPS	301 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	240 FPS

Open Core i5-14400T Open M4 (8 cores)

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-14400T	M4 (8 cores)
1080p
low	523 FPS	519 FPS
medium	523 FPS	519 FPS
high	523 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	523 FPS	519 FPS
1440p
low	523 FPS	519 FPS
medium	523 FPS	519 FPS
high	523 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	476 FPS	459 FPS
4K
low	493 FPS	480 FPS
medium	452 FPS	429 FPS
high	401 FPS	384 FPS
ultra	350 FPS	333 FPS

Open Core i5-14400T Open M4 (8 cores)

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-14400T and M4 (8 cores)

Core i5-14400T

The Core i5-14400T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 10 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1700. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 20,911 points. Launch price was $221.

M4 (8 cores)

The M4 (8 cores) is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 28 October 2024 (1 year ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.89 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. Built on 3 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5x. Passmark benchmark score: 20,761 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-14400T packs 10 cores / 16 threads, while the M4 (8 cores) offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-14400T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-14400T versus 4 GHz on the M4 (8 cores) — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-14400T (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.89 GHz). The Core i5-14400T is built on the Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-14400T scores 20,911 against the M4 (8 cores)'s 20,761 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-14400T.

Feature	Core i5-14400T	M4 (8 cores)
Cores / Threads	10 / 16+25%	8 / 8
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+13%	4 GHz
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	2.89 GHz+93%
L3 Cache	20 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)	—
Process	Intel 7 nm	3 nm-57%
Architecture	Raptor Lake-R (2023−2025)	—
PassMark	20,911	20,761

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-14400T uses the LGA1700 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the M4 (8 cores) uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.