Core i5-6350HQ
VS
Core i5-6400T

Core i5-6350HQ vs Core i5-6400T

Intel

Core i5-6350HQ

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2016
VS
Intel

Core i5-6400T

4 Cores4 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2015

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 i5-6350HQ is positioned at rank 1002 and the Core i5-6400T is on rank 747, so the Core i5-6400T offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-6350HQ

#990
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
2109%
#991
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
2078%
#992
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1908%
#993
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1899%
#994
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1882%
#996
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1817%
#997
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1743%
#998
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1740%
#999
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1693%
#1002
Core i5-6350HQ
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#1005
Pentium P6000
MSRP: $150|Avg: $90
98%
#1007
Core i7-3630QM
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
98%
#1008
Core i7-3610QM
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
98%
#1009
Core i3-1115GRE
MSRP: $338|Avg: $480
98%
#1010
Pentium A1020
MSRP: $86|Avg: $86
98%
#1011
Core i7-4702MQ
MSRP: $383|Avg: $50
97%
#1012
Pentium N4200
MSRP: $161|Avg: $30.89
96%
#1013
Pentium J2900
MSRP: $94|Avg: $20
96%
#1014
Celeron T1700
MSRP: $80|Avg: $5
95%
#1015
Celeron T3500
MSRP: $80|Avg: $10
95%
#1016
A12-9720P
MSRP: $200|Avg: $25
94%
#1017
Core i5-4300M
MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-6400T

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
14105%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
13328%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
9677%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
2915%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
2309%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
2020%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1157%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1142%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1040%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1040%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1028%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1000%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
986%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
982%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
973%
#288
Ryzen Threadripper 1950
MSRP: $999|Avg: $300
100%
#747
Core i5-6400T
MSRP: $192|Avg: $40
100%
#748
Core i5-3570K
MSRP: $225|Avg: $35
100%
#749
Athlon II X3 455
MSRP: $88|Avg: $15
100%
#750
Core i5-3570S
MSRP: $213|Avg: $59
100%
#751
Core i7-3770
MSRP: $294|Avg: $60
99%
#752
Pentium G2120
MSRP: $86|Avg: $20
99%
#753
Core i5-3340S
MSRP: $182|Avg: $25
99%
#754
Celeron G1101
MSRP: $50|Avg: $20
98%
#755
FX-8150
MSRP: $245|Avg: $50
98%
#756
Pentium G3240
MSRP: $89|Avg: $126
98%
#757
Core i5-3550S
MSRP: $205|Avg: $100
98%
#758
FX-8140
MSRP: $225|Avg: $120
98%
#759
Athlon X2 450
MSRP: $60|Avg: $15
98%
#760
Athlon II X3 450
MSRP: $87|Avg: $15
97%
#761
Core i7-4790
MSRP: $339|Avg: $60
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-6400T leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-6350HQ is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore i5-6350HQCore i5-6400T
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($40)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Skylake-H (2015−2016) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i5-6350HQCore i5-6400T
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($40)

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-6350HQ and Core i5-6400T

Intel

Core i5-6350HQ

The Core i5-6350HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-H (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,255 points. Launch price was $306.

Intel

Core i5-6400T

The Core i5-6400T 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 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,243 points. Launch price was $192.

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-6350HQ and Core i5-6400T share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-6350HQ versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i5-6400T — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-6350HQ (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i5-6350HQ uses the Skylake-H (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-6400T uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-6350HQ scores 4,255 against the Core i5-6400T's 4,243 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-6350HQ. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 803 vs 950, a 16.8% lead for the Core i5-6400T that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-6350HQ vs 6 MB on the Core i5-6400T.

FeatureCore i5-6350HQCore i5-6400T
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz+14%
2.8 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz+5%
2.2 GHz
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
6 MB
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
1 MB+300%
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Skylake-H (2015−2016)
Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark
4,255
4,243
Cinebench R23 Multi
2,200
Geekbench 6 Single
803
950+18%
Geekbench 6 Multi
2,600
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-6350HQ uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-6400T uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2133 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: Skylake-H (Core i5-6350HQ) and H110,B150,H170,Z170,Z270 (Core i5-6400T).

FeatureCore i5-6350HQCore i5-6400T
Socket
BGA1440
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2133
DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-6350HQ) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-6400T). Both include integrated graphics Iris Pro Graphics 580 (Core i5-6350HQ) and HD 530 (Core i5-6400T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6350HQ targets High Performance Laptop, Core i5-6400T targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-6350HQ rivals FX-9830P; Core i5-6400T rivals Core i3-7100.

FeatureCore i5-6350HQCore i5-6400T
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Iris Pro Graphics 580
HD 530
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
High Performance Laptop
Budget