Core i5-4400E vs Core i7-6500U
Core i5-4400E
Core i7-6500U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-4400E is positioned at rank 1032 and the Core i7-6500U is on rank 302, so the Core i7-6500U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4400E
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6500U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-4400E | Core i7-6500U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-4400E | Core i7-6500U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4400E and Core i7-6500U
Core i5-4400E
The Core i5-4400E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 3 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,251 points. Launch price was $266.
Core i7-6500U
The Core i7-6500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,271 points. Launch price was $393.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-4400E and Core i7-6500U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-4400E versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-6500U — a 6.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-4400E (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i5-4400E uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-6500U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4400E scores 3,251 against the Core i7-6500U's 3,271 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-6500U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4400E vs 4 MB on the Core i7-6500U.
| Feature | Core i5-4400E | Core i7-6500U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+6% | 3.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+8% | 2.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | 4 MB+33% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 3,251 | 3,271 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-4400E uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-6500U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-4400E | Core i7-6500U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1364 | BGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4400E) / not specified (Core i7-6500U). The Core i5-4400E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Core i7-6500U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4400E targets Embedded.
| Feature | Core i5-4400E | Core i7-6500U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 4600 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Embedded | — |
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