M1 vs Core i5-9400T

CPU

GPU

M1

8 Cores8 Thrd−WMax: 3.2 GHz2020

Core i5-9400T

6 Cores6 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

8 / 8

8,207

+0.3%

Core i5-9400T

6 / 6

8,180

0.0%

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. The M1 is positioned at rank #1004 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar M1

#992

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2145%

#993

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2113%

#994

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1940%

#995

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1931%

#996

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1914%

#998

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1848%

#999

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1772%

#1000

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1769%

#1001

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1721%

#1004

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1005

Pentium P6000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

100%

#1007

Core i7-3630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1008

Core i7-3610QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1009

Core i3-1115GRE

MSRP: $338|Avg: $480

99%

#1010

Pentium A1020

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

99%

#1011

Core i7-4702MQ

MSRP: $383|Avg: $50

99%

#1012

Pentium N4200

MSRP: $161|Avg: $30.89

98%

#1013

Pentium J2900

MSRP: $94|Avg: $20

98%

#1014

Celeron T1700

MSRP: $80|Avg: $5

97%

#1015

Celeron T3500

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

96%

#1016

A12-9720P

MSRP: $200|Avg: $25

96%

#1017

Core i5-4300M

MSRP: $227|Avg: N/A

95%

#1018

Celeron 1005M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

95%

#1019

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-9400T

#70

Ryzen 5 7600

MSRP: $229|Avg: $185

107%

#71

Core i5-14490F

MSRP: $209|Avg: $190

107%

#72

Core i5-12600KF

MSRP: $264|Avg: $190

107%

#73

Core i5-13600KF

MSRP: $249|Avg: $258

106%

#74

Ryzen 5 5500GT

MSRP: $125|Avg: $130

106%

#75

Ryzen 7 1700

MSRP: $140|Avg: $185

77%

#75

Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G

MSRP: $309|Avg: $140

106%

#76

Ryzen 7 7700X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $249

105%

#77

Ryzen 9 5900XT

MSRP: $349|Avg: $311

104%

#78

Core i5-12500

MSRP: $212|Avg: $140

103%

#79

Core i5-14600K

MSRP: $329|Avg: $275

103%

#80

Ryzen 7 7700

MSRP: $329|Avg: $246

103%

#81

Core i5-13400F

MSRP: $196|Avg: $180

102%

#82

Core i3-12100T

MSRP: $125|Avg: $90

102%

#83

Core i7-11700F

MSRP: $298|Avg: $150

102%

#84

Core i3-10105F

MSRP: $97|Avg: $65

101%

#85

Core i5-9400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $60

100%

#86

Core i7-12700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $250

100%

#87

Core i5-12490F

MSRP: $250|Avg: $150

100%

#88

Ryzen 5 5600GT

MSRP: $140|Avg: $150

99%

#89

Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G

MSRP: $146|Avg: $146

99%

#90

Ryzen 7 PRO 5755G

MSRP: $300|Avg: $180

99%

#91

Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G

MSRP: $209|Avg: $120

98%

#92

Ryzen 5 8600G

MSRP: $229|Avg: $190

97%

#93

Core i7-13700KF

MSRP: $384|Avg: $350

96%

#94

Ryzen 7 9700X

MSRP: $359|Avg: $285

96%

#95

Ryzen 9 7900

MSRP: $429|Avg: $370

95%

#96

Core Ultra 5 235T

MSRP: $247|Avg: $247

95%

#97

Ryzen 9 5950X

MSRP: $799|Avg: $350

95%

#98

Ryzen 9 7900X3D

MSRP: $599|Avg: $389

95%

#99

Core i5-14400F

MSRP: $196|Avg: $199

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-9400T leads in gaming performance. However, the M1 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	M1	Core i5-9400T
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($60)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Legacy / 5 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	M1	Core i5-9400T
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($60)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

M1 Benchmark Check

Core i5-9400T Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 and Core i5-9400T

M1

The M1 is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 10 November 2020 (5 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.064 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 16 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Passmark benchmark score: 8,207 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-9400T

The Core i5-9400T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 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: 8,180 points. Launch price was $182.

⚡

Processing Power

The M1 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-9400T offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the M1 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the M1 versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i5-9400T — a 6.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-9400T (base: 2.064 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i5-9400T is built on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. In PassMark, the M1 scores 8,207 against the Core i5-9400T's 8,180 — a 0.3% lead for the M1. L3 cache: 16 MB on the M1 vs 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-9400T.

Feature	M1	Core i5-9400T
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+33%	6 / 6
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz	3.4 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.064 GHz+15%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	16 MB+78%	9 MB (total)
L2 Cache	16 MB+6300%	256K (per core)
Process	5 nm-64%	14 nm
Architecture	—	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	8,207	8,180

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (M1) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-9400T). The Core i5-9400T includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the M1 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9400T targets Desktop.