Average Bench: 84.8% (185th of 1442)

Based on 299,482 user benchmarks.  Devices: BFEBFBFF000906EA, BFEBFBFF000906ED Model: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-9400F CPU @ 2.90GHz

Intel’s Core i5-9400F is a hex-core 9th generation Coffee Lake desktop processor. It features base / boost clocks of 2.9 / 4.1 GHz, 9 MB of cache, a 65W TDP and it ships with a cooler but it does not have integrated graphics like the “non-F” variants. Although the 9400F is compatible with the enthusiast grade Z390 chipset it is normally paired with a better value for money B360 motherboard. At its launch the i5-9400F retailed for $180 but prices have dropped to the point ($135) that it now represents an excellent value proposition to gamers. Comparing the i5-9400F to the Ryzen 3600 shows that the 3600 is 8% better for quad-core processing but it costs 40% ($50) more than the 9400F. Ordinarily higher quad-core performance would result in better gaming but the Ryzen 3000 memory controller, although significantly improved over previous Ryzen iterations, still has limited bandwidth and high latency. Gamers can invest the $50 savings in a better GPU, for example by upgrading from a 2060S to a 2070S. Since the GPU makes the most difference to gaming, the end result is a system which offers far superior real world gaming performance for similar money. For those gamers who demand the best of the best, it is necessary to jump to one of the higher frequency SKUs such as the 9600K but for everyone else the i5-9400F offers unparalleled value. [Aug '19 CPUPro]

Poor: 72%Average: 84.8% Great: 91%
Gaming
Gaming 85%
Aircraft carrier
Desktop
Desktop 87%
Aircraft carrier
Workstation
Workstation 69%
Battle cruiser

Very good average bench

The Intel Core i5-9400F averaged just 15.1% lower than the peak scores attained by the group leaders. This is an excellent result which ranks the Intel Core i5-9400F near the top of the comparison list.

Strengths

Avg. Memory Latency 87.8Pts
Avg. Quad Core Speed 450Pts

Very good consistency

The range of scores (95th - 5th percentile) for the Intel Core i5-9400F is just 19.1%. This is a relatively narrow range which indicates that the Intel Core i5-9400F performs reasonably consistently under varying real world conditions.

Weaknesses

Avg. Multi Core Speed 614Pts
Avg. Octa Core Speed 589Pts
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Average Bench

(Based on 299,482 samples)
Min Avg Max
77 Memory 87.8 94.4
98.8 1-Core 117 123
201 2-Core 233 243
82.2% 146 Pts
Min Avg Max
349 4-Core 450 484
454 8-Core 589 685
66.2% 520 Pts
Min Avg Max
476 64-Core 614 696
38% 614 Pts
User Benchmarks BenchNormalHeavyServer
The fastest CPU (mainstream) averages a speed of 100%
LGA1151, 1 CPU, 6 cores, 6 threads
Base clock 2.9 GHz, turbo 3.9 GHz (avg)
Memory 93.9
1-Core 122
2-Core 242
86% 153 Pts
4-Core 478
8-Core 681
73% 580 Pts
64-Core 687
42% 687 Pts
U3E1, 1 CPU, 6 cores, 6 threads
Base clock 2.9 GHz, turbo 3.9 GHz (avg)
Memory 89.9
1-Core 120
2-Core 241
85% 150 Pts
4-Core 477
8-Core 679
72% 578 Pts
64-Core 672
42% 672 Pts
U3E1, 1 CPU, 6 cores, 6 threads
Base clock 2.9 GHz, turbo 3.9 GHz (avg)
Memory 88.2
1-Core 118
2-Core 239
83% 148 Pts
4-Core 478
8-Core 667
72% 572 Pts
64-Core 669
41% 669 Pts
U3E1, 1 CPU, 6 cores, 6 threads
Base clock 2.9 GHz, turbo 3.8 GHz (avg)
Memory 89.9
1-Core 121
2-Core 239
84% 150 Pts
4-Core 444
8-Core 624
67% 534 Pts
64-Core 638
40% 638 Pts
CPUSocket, 1 CPU, 6 cores, 6 threads
Base clock 2.9 GHz, turbo 3.9 GHz (avg)
Memory 80.5
1-Core 123
2-Core 238
82% 147 Pts
4-Core 480
8-Core 694
73% 587 Pts
64-Core 705
44% 705 Pts
299,482 MORE »

 Market Share (See Leaders)

The number of benchmark samples for this model as a percentage of all 67,763,415 CPUs tested

 Prices

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MSRP ≈ $182 @ launch in Feb '19
AmazonUS $1021 min
EbayUS $1268 mins
BHPhotoUS $1653 years
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Typical Core i5-9400F Builds (Compare 7,090 builds) See popular component choices, score breakdowns and rankings
Gaming
Gaming 42%
Speed boat
Desktop
Desktop 87%
Aircraft carrier
Workstation
Workstation 36%
Jet ski

Motherboard: Asus PRIME H310M-K R2.0

EDIT WITH CUSTOM PC BUILDER Value: 80% - Excellent Total price: $359

Popular Core i5-9400F compatible motherboards:

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Processor Rankings (Price vs Performance) April 2024 CPU Rankings

We calculate effective speed which measures real world performance for typical users. Effective speed is adjusted by current prices to yield a value for money rating. Our calculated values are checked against thousands of individual user ratings. The customizable table below combines these factors to bring you the definitive list of top CPUs. [CPUPro]

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Group Test Results

  • Best user rated - User sentiment trumps benchmarks for this comparison.
  • Best value for money - Value for money is based on real world performance.
  • Fastest real world speed - Real World Speed measures performance for typical consumers.

 Specifications

Essentials

DescriptionIntel® Core™ i5-9400F Processor
Launch DateQ1'19
Processor Numberi5-9400F
# of Cores6
# of Threads6
Cache9 MB SmartCache
Instruction Set64-bit
Instruction Set ExtensionsIntel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2
Embedded Options AvailableNo
Lithography14 nm
Clock Speed2.90 GHz
Max Turbo Frequency4.10 GHz
Bus Speed8 GT/s DMI3
Scalability1S Only
Max TDP65 W
Thermal Solution SpecificationPCG 2015C (65W)
Description“engineering new protections into hardware”

Memory

Max Memory Size128 GB
Memory TypesDDR4-2666
Memory Channels2
Memory Bandwidth41.6 GB/s
ECC Memory SupportedNo

Expansion Options

PCI Express Revision3.0
PCI Express ConfigurationsUp to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8+2x4
Max # of PCI Express Lanes16

Data Protection

AES New InstructionsYes
Secure KeyYes

Advanced Technologies

Virtualization Tech (VT-x)Yes
Intel 64Yes
Idle StatesYes
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® TechYes
Thermal Monitoring TechnologiesYes
Turbo Boost Tech2.0
Hyper-Threading TechNo
Virtualization for Directed I/O (VT-d)Yes
VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)Yes
TSX-NINo
Identity Protection TechYes
Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)No

Package

Package Size37.5mm x 37.5mm
Max CPU Configuration1
Sockets SupportedFCLGA1151

Platform Protection

Execute Disable BitYes
OS GuardYes
Trusted Execution TechNo

 Comments

9th generation Coffee Lake processor...

Added 4 years ago.

Disliked

10 days ago.

Comment 

EFPS is better than Ryzen 5 3500x and 5 3600—Feb '21


Good

5 months ago.

It is the worst processor ever


Poor

1 month ago.

cheap but has high performance, enough for video editing and gaming.


Good

3 months ago.

just an obviously better processor than the 8400


Good

3 months ago.

the 9400F has surpassed all my expectations, has stood its own against better cpus and mine is still standing proud in my pc


Excellent

1 month ago.

it is very fasr for its value.


Excellent

1 month ago.

great performance for low price


Excellent

11 months ago.

good for gaming and handle gpus to 2080. after that buy bigger cpu


Poor

6 hrs ago.

mine is underpowered, like 10 percentile worst and I can see it while working, playing


Poor

6 months ago.

my Ryzen 5 2600x outperforms this one in real world, not sure why the stats are waaay off on here


Excellent

2 months ago.

i have thiss cpu it is so fast i can run blue stack and play csgo at 400 fps


Excellent

5 months ago.

I mean, 9th gen is pretty good, higher probably means better but since not everyone can afford that, I thing this is great


Good

4 years ago.


Good

21 months ago.

userbenchmark has the big gaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


Poor

3 years ago.

— I switched to Ryzen 3600 and it feels much better multi-tasking, without stuttering or drops of performance. Don't care about 5 FPS drop in games where I already had +150 FPS on EPIC settings if compared to intel. Ryzen all the WAY!


Poor

2 years ago.

pro ands cons of ryzen processor


Excellent

7 months ago.

Excelente lo tengo con una rtx 2060 y se garcha todooo SI ESTAS EN DUDAS TE LO RECOMIENDO DE VERDAD SUPERO MIS EXPECTATIVAS LEJOS


Excellent

3 months ago.

Overall cheap price with great results for non overclockers.


Good

6 months ago.

itisveryfreakingnotveryawsomenesssupercalifragilesticexpicallidocious


Good

4 years ago.

Found a PC for $888 with this CPU and an RTX 2060 and I am planning to buy it, from the videos that I have watched on YouTube it looks like it's very good!


Good

4 years ago.

Possesses very good value for budget gamers , 6 core 6 thread CPU with 2.9GHz base clock and 4.1GHz boost clock is enough for most games. Some users may worry low base clock but high boost clock compensates for it.


Excellent

4 years ago.

over-hyped cpu


Excellent

4 years ago.

notbuy


Good

4 years ago.

While it's good for gaming, it might get hampered from future AAA games, where the Ryzen 5 3600 will shine better in.


Good

4 years ago.

It's actually a good processor for a budget build. I'd have preferred Ryzen over it for several reasons; but it's for those intel fans out there.


Excellent

5 years ago.

If you're looking for the best price to performance Intel CPU, this is the one. I had a GTX 1070 with this CPU and it was an overall well-balanced build. However, when I upgraded to a 1080 TI, the GPU was bottlenecked in some cases with the 9400F.


Good

2 years ago.

Très bon processeur pour les jeux !


Excellent

4 years ago.

A cheap, reliable beast. It's as much of a CPU as any gamer actually needs.


Excellent

4 years ago.

Better than all amd CPU's. No heating problem. On and cpu's you could rather cook an egg. Ninja gamer22 first check your ryzen series then comment. Duh ryzen 5 2600x or 7 1700 x doesnt support 128 GB ram while this thing does.


Terrible

4 years ago.

no longer price to performance king


Average

3 years ago.

Great budget gaming CPU, no on-board display and somewhat low boost clock speeds but my go-to suggestion for people without much money.


Excellent

4 years ago.

Really enjoy without buffering on Games and Workstation


Excellent

4 years ago.

With the massive price drops it has gone through in my country, it's become a fantastic option for a new gaming PC build. Put the savings towards a better GPU!


Excellent

3 years ago.

good


Average

2 years ago.

Don't buy this processor in 2021 year! Realy expensive.


Good

4 years ago.

Paired with a GTX 1660 Ti, runs all games @ 1080p, max settings, 60 fps. With the stock cooler. Probably going to upgrade to a Hyper 212 Evo Black, but it's not necessary in a well-ventilated case. Why pay for integrated graphics if you don't need them?


Good

3 years ago.

The 9400F is a good option for those looking to game at 1080p and have a limited budget or simply don’t need a powerful processor. It has better memory performance and better (if not equal) single, dual, quad, and hexa core performance than comparable Ryzen processors, among other things, while also being about $15 cheaper than the Ryzen 5 2600 (as of yesterday). That extra $15 can easily be put towards something like well rated aftermarket cooler.


Excellent

2 years ago.

Great cpu to gaming and record at HD 60fps Great to render my blender photos Its very cheap for its price


Terrible

4 years ago.

Bad value


Excellent

3 years ago.

Big bang for yr Buck


Excellent

2 years ago.

BETTER THAN ALL THE PROCESSORS COMBINED TOGETHER


Excellent

5 years ago.

Best cost efficiency


Excellent

4 years ago.

100th percentile baby. good single core performance!


Good

4 years ago.

gud processor


Excellent

3 years ago.

For a $150, it makes sense for how well it does


Excellent

3 years ago.

really ocool


Your
opinion?
1442 Processors (Compared) Thousands of user benchmarks compiled into one comparison list

See how consistently different CPUs perform with varying real world conditions. The charts also illustrate overall performance, popularity and rank.

 Frequently Asked Questions

 Best User Rated

The Best.
CPUGPUSSD
Intel Core i5-13600K $269Nvidia RTX 4060 $295Crucial MX500 250GB $40
Intel Core i5-12400F $133Nvidia RTX 4060-Ti $385Samsung 850 Evo 120GB $80
Intel Core i5-12600K $178Nvidia RTX 4070 $539Samsung 860 Evo 250GB $52
HDDRAMUSB
Seagate Barracuda 1TB (2016) $39Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3200 C16 2x8GB $45SanDisk Extreme 64GB $72
WD Blue 1TB (2012) $37Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 3000 C15 2x8GB $43SanDisk Extreme 32GB $28
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