Core i5-9400 vs Ryzen 3 5300U
Core i5-9400
Ryzen 3 5300U
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-9400
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-9400 | Ryzen 3 5300U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-9400 | Ryzen 3 5300U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) | ✅ 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 i5-9400 and Ryzen 3 5300U
Core i5-9400
The Core i5-9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 9,372 points. Launch price was $182.
Ryzen 3 5300U
The Ryzen 3 5300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,453 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i5-9400 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Ryzen 3 5300U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-9400 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-9400 versus 3.8 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5300U — a 7.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-9400 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-9400 uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 5300U uses Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-9400 scores 9,372 against the Ryzen 3 5300U's 9,453 — a 0.9% lead for the Ryzen 3 5300U. L3 cache: 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-9400 vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 5300U.
| Feature | Core i5-9400 | Ryzen 3 5300U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 6+50% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4.1 GHz+8% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.9 GHz+12% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 9 MB (total)+125% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 14 nm | 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) | Lucienne-U (Zen 2) (2021) |
| PassMark | 9,372 | 9,453 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 5,522 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,457 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 3,526 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-9400 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 5300U uses FP6 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-9400 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 i5-9400) vs 12 (Ryzen 3 5300U) — the Core i5-9400 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Core i5-9400 | Ryzen 3 5300U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1151 | FP6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-9400) vs Yes (Ryzen 3 5300U). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-9400) and Radeon Vega 6 (Ryzen 3 5300U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9400 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Core i5-9400 | Ryzen 3 5300U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | Radeon Vega 6 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | Yes |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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