Core i5-8259U vs Ryzen 5 1400

Core i5-8259U vs Ryzen 5 1400 Performance Spectrum

Core i5-8259U

4 / 8

7,843

+1.4%

7,731

0.0%

Ryzen Embedded R1606G

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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 i5-8259U vs Ryzen 5 1400 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 i5-8259U vs Ryzen 5 1400: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-8259U

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).

Ryzen 5 1400

2017

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (7,731 vs 7,843).
❌Launch MSRP is still $169 MSRP, while Core i5-8259U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-8259U better than Ryzen 5 1400?

Yes. Core i5-8259U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% 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 i5-8259U is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% 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 i5-8259U is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i5-8259U is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i5-8259U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 1400 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 7,731 PassMark with 4 cores and 8 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

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

Core i5-8259U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-8259U vs Ryzen 5 1400 Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-8259U

The Core i5-8259U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,843 points. Launch price was $320.

Ryzen 5 1400

The Ryzen 5 1400 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,731 points. Launch price was $169.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-8259U and Ryzen 5 1400 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-8259U versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 1400 — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-8259U (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-8259U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 1400 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8259U scores 7,843 against the Ryzen 5 1400's 7,731 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i5-8259U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8259U vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 1400.

Feature	Core i5-8259U	Ryzen 5 1400
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+12%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.2 GHz+39%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	7,843+1%	7,731

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8259U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 1400 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.