Core i7-9850H vs Ryzen 3 5400U

Core i7-9850H vs Ryzen 3 5400U Performance Spectrum

Core i7-9850H

6 / 12

10,862

0.0%

11,002

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

Ryzen 9 7900

Ryzen 9 9950X

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

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 i7-9850H vs Ryzen 3 5400U 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 i7-9850H vs Ryzen 3 5400U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-9850H

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 3 5400U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,862 vs 11,002).
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.

Ryzen 3 5400U

2021

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9850H across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-9850H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 5400U better than Core i7-9850H?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-9850H is ahead with a 15.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 5400U pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark. Core i7-9850H also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 5400U is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Ryzen 3 5400U still makes the most sense overall. Ryzen 3 5400U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.3% better PassMark.

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

Ryzen 3 5400U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-9850H vs Ryzen 3 5400U Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-9850H

The Core i7-9850H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,862 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 3 5400U

The Ryzen 3 5400U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 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: 11,002 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-9850H packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 5400U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9850H has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-9850H versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5400U — a 14% clock advantage for the Core i7-9850H (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i7-9850H uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 3 5400U uses Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9850H scores 10,862 against the Ryzen 3 5400U's 11,002 — a 1.3% lead for the Ryzen 3 5400U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9850H vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 5400U.

Feature	Core i7-9850H	Ryzen 3 5400U
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.6 GHz+15%	4 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+50%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)	Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021)
PassMark	10,862	11,002+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,250	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,000	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-9850H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 5400U uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-9850H	Ryzen 3 5400U
Socket	BGA1440	FP6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
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: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9850H) / not specified (Ryzen 3 5400U). The Core i7-9850H includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 3 5400U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-9850H targets High Performance Laptop.