Core i5-8259U vs Ryzen 5 1400

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 i5-8259U

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅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

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-8259U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌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.

Core i5-8259U

2018

Ryzen 5 1400

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.1% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.

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

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

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-8259U across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌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 overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.1% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-8259U is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.1% more average FPS across 4 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 better 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 the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i5-8259U is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and it gives you a 5.1% average FPS lead across 4 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 smarter recommendation now. At roughly 7,731 PassMark with 4 cores and 8 threads, it only 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 is the more future-proof choice 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 should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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 i5-8259U Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 1400 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-8259U	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	169 FPS	170 FPS
medium	137 FPS	148 FPS
high	109 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	141 FPS
medium	117 FPS	118 FPS
high	92 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	65 FPS
medium	59 FPS	58 FPS
high	47 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-8259U Open Ryzen 5 1400

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-8259U	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	196 FPS	168 FPS
medium	196 FPS	148 FPS
high	180 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	139 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	196 FPS	146 FPS
medium	173 FPS	129 FPS
high	154 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	94 FPS
4K
low	162 FPS	114 FPS
medium	140 FPS	103 FPS
high	113 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	58 FPS

Open Core i5-8259U Open Ryzen 5 1400

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-8259U	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	196 FPS	193 FPS
medium	196 FPS	193 FPS
high	196 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	196 FPS	193 FPS
medium	196 FPS	193 FPS
high	196 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	196 FPS	193 FPS
medium	196 FPS	193 FPS
high	196 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	181 FPS

Open Core i5-8259U Open Ryzen 5 1400

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-8259U	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	196 FPS	193 FPS
medium	196 FPS	193 FPS
high	196 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	196 FPS	193 FPS
medium	196 FPS	193 FPS
high	196 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	196 FPS	193 FPS
medium	196 FPS	193 FPS
high	196 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	196 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core i5-8259U Open Ryzen 5 1400

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8259U and Ryzen 5 1400

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.