Intel Core i3-10320 vs Intel Core i5-8400

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the full tests Intel Core i3-10320 vs Intel Core i5-8400 and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, programming, rendering, streaming. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A thorough review of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as UserBenchmark, Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, AIDA64, Gears 5, Furmark, Blender, Blender, 3DMark, SuperPi, Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, MATLAB, Handbrake, RealBench, VeraCrypt, Cinebench 23 (20, 15).
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-8400 or Intel Core i3-10320.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-10320

53%

Core i5-8400

52%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i3-10320 is 1% better than Core i5-8400. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-10320

53%

Core i5-8400

53%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.6	93.5
Valorant	106.3	106.3
Cyberpunk 2077	59.6	59.5
Apex Legends	100.0	99.9
Call of Duty Warzone	79.8	79.7
Overwatch	86.1	86.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.4	73.3
DOOM Eternal	53.2	53.1
Warzone	83.0	82.9
Assassin's Creed	89.3	89.3
Valheim	88.3	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 computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-10320

67%

Core i5-8400

56%

To make a final decision 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 i3-10320 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-8400 as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

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

	Intel Core i3-10320	Intel Core i5-8400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	206	161
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1080	954
Cinbench 20 Single-core	477	411
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2444	2291
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1295	1023
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	5028	5457

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

	Intel Core i3-10320	Intel Core i5-8400
Single-Core	2819	2442
Multi-Core	10062	9262

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

	Intel Core i3-10320	Intel Core i5-8400
Single-Core	1307	1106
Multi-Core	5477	5408

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in new games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-10320	Intel Core i5-8400
Announcement date	October 01, 2020	October 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1200	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Comet Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	8
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3.8 MHz	2.8 MHz
Cores	4	6
Threads	8	6
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2600 millions	2470 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	9 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-10320 is 26% better than Core i5-8400 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-8400 has 2 more core than Core i3-10320. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-10320 is better: 23
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-8400 is better: 3
Although it should be realized that all the number in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i3-10320 and Intel Core i5-8400 before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i3-10320 specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-8400 specs and review.