Intel Core i3-9350K vs Intel Core i5-9400F

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   If there are difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i3-9350K vs Intel Core i5-9400F and see which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, video editing, programming, machine learning. Here you can find useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or different benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as Furmark, Dolphin Emulator, VeraCrypt, MATLAB, 3DMark, PassMark, RealBench, PCMark 10, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, Blender, UserBenchmark, Prime95, GeekBench 6, 5.2, WPrime, Handbrake, 7zip, AIDA64, SuperPi.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-9400F or Intel Core i3-9350K.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-9350K

52%

Core i5-9400F

52%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-9350K

52%

Core i5-9400F

53%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs 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 processors were compared: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), DOTA 2A, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, NBA 2K20, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Battlefield V, Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.2	93.5
Valorant	105.9	106.2
Cyberpunk 2077	59.3	59.5
Apex Legends	99.5	99.8
Call of Duty Warzone	79.4	79.7
Overwatch	85.7	86.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.0	73.3
DOOM Eternal	52.9	53.1
Warzone	82.6	82.8
Assassin's Creed	88.9	89.2
Valheim	87.9	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 video cards and different amounts of RAM. 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. 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 i3-9350K

45%

Core i5-9400F

51%

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 i5-9400F is more energy efficient than the Core i3-9350K as it consumes less power: 91W 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU turns on 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. Because 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 i3-9350K	Intel Core i5-9400F
Cinbench 15 Single-core	165	177
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	832	987
Cinbench 20 Single-core	476	423
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1833	2407
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1000	1115
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3885	4981

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

	Intel Core i3-9350K	Intel Core i5-9400F
Single-Core	2875	2464
Multi-Core	7773	9559

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

	Intel Core i3-9350K	Intel Core i5-9400F
Single-Core	1254	1001
Multi-Core	5053	5360

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce 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 i3-9350K	Intel Core i5-9400F
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	January 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop, Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Coffee Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	9
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	4.1 MHz
Frequency	4 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	4	6
Threads	4	6
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2400 millions	3600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	91 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	9 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 i3-9350K is 27% better than Core i5-9400F in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-9400F has 2 more core than Core i3-9350K. 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 i3-9350K is better: 7
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-9400F is better: 25
The summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i3-9350K and Intel Core i5-9400F before making a selection which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i3-9350K specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-9400F specs and review.