Intel Core i3-9100F vs Intel Core i5-7400

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   If you are thinking about choosing a processor, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i3-9100F vs Intel Core i5-7400 tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for programming, machine learning, rendering, streaming, video editing. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A thorough review of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like VeraCrypt, Dolphin Emulator, AIDA64, Furmark, SuperPi, 3DMark, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Gears 5, Prime95, Handbrake, PCMark 10, Blender, RealBench, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, DaVinci Resolve Studio, UserBenchmark, WPrime.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-7400 or Intel Core i3-9100F.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-9100F

52%

Core i5-7400

51%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i3-9100F is 1% better than Core i5-7400. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-9100F

52%

Core i5-7400

51%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. 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. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, Ghostrunner, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hitman 3, DOTA 2A, Metro Exodus, Half-Life: Alyx, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Horizon Zero Dawn.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.8	91.4
Valorant	104.4	103.9
Cyberpunk 2077	58.4	58.2
Apex Legends	98.1	97.6
Call of Duty Warzone	78.3	77.9
Overwatch	84.5	84.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.0	71.7
DOOM Eternal	52.2	51.9
Warzone	81.4	81.0
Assassin's Creed	87.7	87.3
Valheim	86.6	86.2

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, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance 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

Core i3-9100F

57%

Core i5-7400

49%

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 i3-9100F is more energy efficient than the Core i5-7400 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, programming, streaming, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages 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 i3-9100F	Intel Core i5-7400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	168	149
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	660	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	445	345
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1630	1266
Cinbench 23 Single-core	877	820
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3405	2853

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

	Intel Core i3-9100F	Intel Core i5-7400
Single-Core	2502	2131
Multi-Core	6813	5499

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

	Intel Core i3-9100F	Intel Core i5-7400
Single-Core	1130	959
Multi-Core	3769	3349

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-9100F	Intel Core i5-7400
Announcement date	April 01, 2019	January 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	FCLGA1151
Core name	Coffee Lake	Kaby Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	7
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	3.5 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	4	4
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2400 millions	2460 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	6 MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-9100F is 16% better than Core i5-7400 in terms of CPU frequency. 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 i3-9100F is better: 27
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-7400 is better: 1
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i3-9100F and Intel Core i5-7400 before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i3-9100F specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-7400 specs and review.