Core i7-5950HQ vs Ryzen 5 1400

Intel

Core i7-5950HQ

4 Cores8 Thrd47 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2015
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Ryzen 5 1400

4 Cores8 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2017
Ryzen family
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Core i7-5950HQ vs Ryzen 5 1400 Performance Spectrum

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 i7-5950HQ 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 i7-5950HQ 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 i7-5950HQ

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 47W instead of 65W, a 18W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (7,667 vs 7,731).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 8 MB).

Ryzen 5 1400

2017

Why buy it

  • +0.8% higher PassMark.
  • +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

  • Launch MSRP is still $169 MSRP, while Core i7-5950HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 38.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 47W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 1400 better than Core i7-5950HQ?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-5950HQ is ahead with a 2.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 1400 pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark. Ryzen 5 1400 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 1400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 5 1400 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 1400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $169 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-5950HQ is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (45.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 1400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2015), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 6 MB), 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 i7-5950HQ vs Ryzen 5 1400 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Core i7-5950HQ

The Core i7-5950HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-H (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 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: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 7,667 points. Launch price was $623.

AMD

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.

Processing Power

Both the Core i7-5950HQ and Ryzen 5 1400 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-5950HQ versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 1400 — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-5950HQ (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-5950HQ uses the Broadwell-H (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 1400 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-5950HQ scores 7,667 against the Ryzen 5 1400's 7,731 — a 0.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 1400. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i7-5950HQ vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 1400.

FeatureCore i7-5950HQRyzen 5 1400
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
3.8 GHz+12%
3.4 GHz
Base Clock
2.9 GHz
3.2 GHz+10%
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
8 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
512K (per core)+100%
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Broadwell-H (2015)
Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark
7,667
7,731
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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-5950HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 1400 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-5950HQRyzen 5 1400
Socket
BGA1364
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
24