Core i5-8400T vs Ryzen 3 4300U

Core i5-8400T vs Ryzen 3 4300U Performance Spectrum

Core i5-8400T

6 / 6

7,426

+0.9%

7,359

0.0%

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 i5-8400T vs Ryzen 3 4300U 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 i5-8400T vs Ryzen 3 4300U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-8400T

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 3 4300U needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 3 4300U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $182 MSRP, while Ryzen 3 4300U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Ryzen 3 4300U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-8400T across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,359 vs 7,426).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 9 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-8400T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i5-8400T.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-8400T better than Ryzen 3 4300U?

Yes. Core i5-8400T is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.9% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-8400T is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.0% 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 i5-8400T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 125% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core i5-8400T is the better buy right now. Core i5-8400T comes in at an unclear MSRP at $182 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (40.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 3 4300U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i5-8400T vs Ryzen 3 4300U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-8400T

The Core i5-8400T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 7,426 points. Launch price was $182.

Ryzen 3 4300U

The Ryzen 3 4300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,359 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-8400T packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Ryzen 3 4300U offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i5-8400T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-8400T versus 3.7 GHz on the Ryzen 3 4300U — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 3 4300U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-8400T uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 4300U uses Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8400T scores 7,426 against the Ryzen 3 4300U's 7,359 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-8400T. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-8400T vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 4300U.

Feature	Core i5-8400T	Ryzen 3 4300U
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+50%	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	3.7 GHz+12%
Base Clock	1.7 GHz	2.7 GHz+59%
L3 Cache	9 MB (total)+125%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)	Renoir-U (Zen 2) (2020−2021)
PassMark	7,426	7,359
Cinebench R23 Multi	3,737	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,092	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	3,816	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8400T uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 4300U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-8400T	Ryzen 3 4300U
Socket	LGA1151	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i5-8400T) / not specified (Ryzen 3 4300U). The Core i5-8400T includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 3 4300U requires a dedicated GPU.