Core i5-4402E vs Core i5-5300U

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 i5-4402E vs Core i5-5300U 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 i5-4402E vs Core i5-5300U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-4402E

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-5300U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,681 vs 2,709).
❌Launch MSRP is still $266 MSRP, while Core i5-5300U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-5300U

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-5300U better than Core i5-4402E?

Yes. Core i5-5300U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% 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 i5-5300U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.2% 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 i5-5300U is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-5300U is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Core i5-5300U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $266 MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-4402E only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 5.2% in the shared gaming data.

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

Core i5-5300U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-4402E vs Core i5-5300U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-4402E

The Core i5-4402E 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 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 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: 2,681 points. Launch price was $266.

Core i5-5300U

The Core i5-5300U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,709 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-4402E and Core i5-5300U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-4402E versus 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-5300U — a 7.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-5300U (base: 1.6 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-4402E uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-5300U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4402E scores 2,681 against the Core i5-5300U's 2,709 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-5300U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4402E vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-5300U.

Feature	Core i5-4402E	Core i5-5300U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	2.9 GHz+7%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	2.3 GHz+44%
L3 Cache	3 MB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,681	2,709+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4402E uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-5300U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.