Core i5-8400 vs Pentium Gold 8505
Core i5-8400
Pentium Gold 8505
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 i5-8400 is positioned at rank 421 and the Pentium Gold 8505 is on rank 471, so the Core i5-8400 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8400
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8505
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-8400 | Pentium Gold 8505 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($95) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-8400 | Pentium Gold 8505 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($95) | ✅ 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 i5-8400 and Pentium Gold 8505
Core i5-8400
The Core i5-8400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 October 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,229 points. Launch price was $182.
Pentium Gold 8505
The Pentium Gold 8505 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200, LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 9,167 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i5-8400 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Pentium Gold 8505 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Core i5-8400 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i5-8400 versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8505 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8505. The Core i5-8400 is built on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-8400 scores 9,229 against the Pentium Gold 8505's 9,167 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-8400. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-8400 vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8505.
| Feature | Core i5-8400 | Pentium Gold 8505 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 6+20% | 5 / 6 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz | 4.4 GHz+10% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 9 MB (total)+13% | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | — |
| Process | 14 nm | Intel 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) | — |
| PassMark | 9,229 | 9,167 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,550 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 4,055 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-8400 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold 8505 uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Core i5-8400 versus DDR5-4800 on the Pentium Gold 8505 — the Pentium Gold 8505 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-8400 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-8400) vs 20 (Pentium Gold 8505) — the Pentium Gold 8505 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 series (Core i5-8400) and SoC (Pentium Gold 8505).
| Feature | Core i5-8400 | Pentium Gold 8505 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | FCBGA1744 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | DDR5-4800+25% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 20+25% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-8400) vs Yes (Pentium Gold 8505). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-8400) and UHD Graphics (Pentium Gold 8505) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8400 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Core i5-8400 | Pentium Gold 8505 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | UHD Graphics |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | Yes |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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