AMD Ryzen 3 1200 vs Intel Core i5-9400

Processor comparisons   31-01-2023
   For example you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the AMD Ryzen 3 1200 vs Intel Core i5-9400 tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for video editing, streaming, machine learning, programming, rendering. Here you can find all information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special testing software such as GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt, RealBench, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, Furmark, 7zip, 3DMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PassMark, Dolphin Emulator, WPrime, Gears 5, UserBenchmark, Blender, SuperPi, Handbrake, AIDA64, Prime95, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), MATLAB.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Watch Dogs Legion
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Valheim
Fortnite
Borderlands 3
Cyberpunk 2077
Overwatch
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Apex Legends
DOOM: Eternal
Red Dead Redemption 2
Grand Theft Auto V
Rainbow Six Siege
Halo Infinite
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Death Stranding
Last Man Standing
Valorant
Fallout 76

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-9400 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Ryzen 3 1200

51%

Core i5-9400

52%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-9400 is 1% better than Ryzen 3 1200. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Ryzen 3 1200

52%

Core i5-9400

53%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Monster Hunter World, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Horizon Zero Dawn, DOTA 2A, Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, Metro Exodus, NBA 2K20, League of Legends (LOL), Battlefield V, Ghostrunner, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Forza Horizon 4, Microsoft Flight Simulator, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Control.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.9	93.5
Valorant	104.4	106.3
Cyberpunk 2077	58.5	59.5
Apex Legends	98.2	99.9
Call of Duty Warzone	78.3	79.7
Overwatch	84.6	86.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.1	73.3
DOOM Eternal	52.2	53.1
Warzone	81.5	82.9
Assassin's Creed	87.7	89.3
Valheim	86.7	88.2

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Ryzen 3 1200

55%

Core i5-9400

56%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-9400 is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 3 1200 as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i5-9400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	129	177
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	477	987
Cinbench 20 Single-core	333	403
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1191	2284
Cinbench 23 Single-core	885	1051
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3368	5606

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i5-9400
Single-Core	1894	2474
Multi-Core	6325	9515

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i5-9400
Single-Core	1083	1107
Multi-Core	3839	5420

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i5-9400
Announcement date	July 27, 2017	January 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	AM4	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Summit Ridge	Coffee Lake
Architecture	Zen	x86
Generation	1	9
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	4.1 MHz
Frequency	3.1 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	4	6
Threads	4	6
Bus rate		8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography		14 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	3600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory		128 Gb
Memory Frequency	2667
Memory bandwidth		41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache		9 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	YD1200BBM4KAE

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 3 1200 is 6% better than Core i5-9400 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-9400 has 2 more core than Ryzen 3 1200. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 3 1200 is better: 3
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-9400 is better: 30
Although it should be realized that all the figures in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought AMD Ryzen 3 1200 and Intel Core i5-9400 before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

AMD Ryzen 3 1200 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• AMD Ryzen 3 1200 specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-9400 specs and review.