Pentium U5400 vs Core i7-9700K

CPU

GPU

Pentium U5400

2 Cores2 Thrd18 WWMax: 1.2 GHz2010

Core i7-9700K

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.9 GHz2018

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium U5400

2 / 2

1,286

0.0%

14,397

+1019.5%

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 Pentium U5400 is positioned at rank #1219 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 Pentium U5400

#1207

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6593%

#1208

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6497%

#1209

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5964%

#1210

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5937%

#1211

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5883%

#1213

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5681%

#1214

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5447%

#1215

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5438%

#1216

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5292%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

100%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

100%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

97%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

94%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

91%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

91%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

91%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

90%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

88%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

85%

#1232

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

75%

#1233

Core Duo T2700

MSRP: $663|Avg: N/A

63%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-9700K

#259

Core i3-9100TE

MSRP: $122|Avg: $60

106%

#260

Core i5-12500T

MSRP: $302|Avg: $214

106%

#261

Core i9-13900

MSRP: $549|Avg: $599

105%

#262

Core i7-11700

MSRP: $323|Avg: $274

105%

#262

Core i7-8700K

MSRP: $359|Avg: $160

53%

#263

Core i9-13900T

MSRP: $549|Avg: $570

104%

#264

Processor 300T

MSRP: $82|Avg: $82

103%

#265

Athlon 3000G

MSRP: $49|Avg: $60

103%

#266

Athlon 220GE

MSRP: $65|Avg: $60

103%

#267

Ryzen 9 3900X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $441

102%

#268

Core i5-10500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $178

102%

#269

Celeron G6900T

MSRP: $42|Avg: $50

102%

#270

Core i9-10850K

MSRP: $453|Avg: $300

102%

#271

Core i9-13900E

MSRP: $554|Avg: $554

101%

#272

Core i9-9820X

MSRP: $889|Avg: $280

101%

#273

Core i9-9900X

MSRP: $989|Avg: $300

100%

#274

Ryzen 7 1800X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $120

45%

#274

Core i7-9700K

MSRP: $385|Avg: $200

100%

#275

Core i3-10320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $140

99%

#276

Core i5-9600KF

MSRP: $262|Avg: $150

99%

#277

Ryzen 3 PRO 5355GE

MSRP: $180|Avg: $180

98%

#278

Ryzen Threadripper 1900X

MSRP: $549|Avg: $116

43%

#278

Core i7-14701TE

MSRP: $392|Avg: $390

98%

#279

Ryzen Threadripper 1920X

MSRP: $799|Avg: $265

40%

#279

Core i9-11900KF

MSRP: $513|Avg: $349

98%

#280

Athlon Silver 3050GE

MSRP: $75|Avg: $65

97%

#280

Core i7-7820X

MSRP: $599|Avg: $198

40%

#281

Core i7-9700E

MSRP: $259|Avg: $180

97%

#282

Core i7-11700K

MSRP: $399|Avg: $350

97%

#283

Ryzen Threadripper 1920

MSRP: $799|Avg: $200

38%

#283

Ryzen 7 PRO 3700

MSRP: $329|Avg: $330

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Core i7-9700K (2018) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium U5400	Core i7-9700K
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($214)	✅ More affordable ($200)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium U5400 (2010) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium U5400	Core i7-9700K
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1098%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($214)	✅ More affordable ($200)

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.

Pentium U5400 Benchmark Check

Core i7-9700K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

No prediction data available

Valorant

No prediction data available

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium U5400 and Core i7-9700K

Pentium U5400

The Pentium U5400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,286 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i7-9700K

The Core i7-9700K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.9 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 14,397 points. Launch price was $374.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium U5400 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Core i7-9700K offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-9700K has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.2 GHz on the Pentium U5400 versus 4.9 GHz on the Core i7-9700K — a 121.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-9700K (base: 1.2 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Pentium U5400 uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-9700K uses Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium U5400 scores 1,286 against the Core i7-9700K's 14,397 — a 167.2% lead for the Core i7-9700K. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Pentium U5400 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9700K.

Feature	Pentium U5400	Core i7-9700K
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	8 / 8+300%
Boost Clock	1.2 GHz	4.9 GHz+308%
Base Clock	1.2 GHz	3.6 GHz+200%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	12 MB (total)+300%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Coffee Lake-R (2018−2019)
PassMark	1,286	14,397+1020%
Geekbench 6 Single	170	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	300	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium U5400 uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-9700K uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-800 on the Pentium U5400 versus DDR4-2666 on the Core i7-9700K — the Core i7-9700K supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i7-9700K supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM55 (Pentium U5400) and Intel 300 series (Core i7-9700K).

Feature	Pentium U5400	Core i7-9700K
Socket	BGA1288	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800	DDR4-2666+33%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	128 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Core i7-9700K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: VT-x (Pentium U5400) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9700K). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake) (Pentium U5400) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9700K) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium U5400 targets Legacy Budget Laptop, Core i7-9700K targets Desktop.

Feature	Pentium U5400	Core i7-9700K
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake)	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Legacy Budget Laptop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium U5400 launched at $289 MSRP, while the Core i7-9700K debuted at $385. At current prices ($214 vs $200), the Core i7-9700K is $14 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium U5400 delivers 6.0 pts/$ vs 72.0 pts/$ for the Core i7-9700K — making the Core i7-9700K the 169.2% better value option.