Intel Core i5-6400 vs Intel Core i7-4790K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i5-6400 vs Intel Core i7-4790K tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, video editing, programming, streaming, rendering. Here is all information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Blender, PassMark, Prime95, VeraCrypt, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, AIDA64, SuperPi, MATLAB, 7zip, Blender, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, Gears 5, RealBench, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, Furmark, PCMark 10.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

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 i7-4790K or Intel Core i5-6400.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-6400

51%

Core i7-4790K

52%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-4790K is 1% better than Core i5-6400. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-6400

51%

Core i7-4790K

52%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.3	92.8
Valorant	103.7	105.5
Cyberpunk 2077	58.1	59.1
Apex Legends	97.5	99.2
Call of Duty Warzone	77.8	79.1
Overwatch	84.0	85.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.6	72.8
DOOM Eternal	51.9	52.8
Warzone	80.9	82.3
Assassin's Creed	87.1	88.6
Valheim	86.1	87.6

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: 2K, 4K or FullHD. 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 i5-6400

49%

Core i7-4790K

46%

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 i5-6400 is more energy efficient than the Core i7-4790K as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 88W. 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor turns on 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 software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can 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

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-4790K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	140	169
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	497	854
Cinbench 20 Single-core	275	411
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1061	1982
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1001	1069
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3997	4936

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

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-4790K
Single-Core	1957	2491
Multi-Core	5167	8030

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

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-4790K
Single-Core	959	1230
Multi-Core	3221	4747

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!

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-4790K
Announcement date	April 01, 2015	April 01, 2014
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA 1151	LGA1150
Core name	Skylake	Devil's Canyon
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	6	4
Turbo Frequency	3.3 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	2.7 MHz	4 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	4	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	5 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	22 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	1420 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	88 W
Memory type	DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V	DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V
Max. Memory	64 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	34.1 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 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 i7-4790K is 32% better than Core i5-6400 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 i5-6400 is better: 8
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-4790K is better: 25
However, it should be understood that all the figures in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-6400 and Intel Core i7-4790K before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i5-6400 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-4790K specs and review.

Intel Core i5-6400 Processor Comparisons
• Vs Core i5-4590
• Vs Core i7-2600
• Vs Core i5-7400
• Vs Core i5-6500
• Vs FX-8350 Eight-Core
• Vs Core i7-8550U
• Vs Core i5-8250U
• Vs Core i5-8265U
• Vs Core i7-3770
• Vs Core i7-6700HQ
• Vs Core i5-10210U
• Vs Core i3-9100F
• Vs Core i7-7700HQ
• Vs Core i7-4770
• Vs Core i7-10510U
• Vs Core i7-4770K
• Vs Core i7-4790
• Vs Ryzen 5 3500U
• Vs Ryzen 3 3200G
• Vs Core i5-8300H
• Vs Core i5-9300H
• Vs Core i5-1035G1
• Vs Core i7-6700
• Vs Core i7-7700
• Vs Ryzen 5 2400G
• Vs Core i5-10300H
• Vs Core i3-10100
• Vs Core i7-1065G7
• Vs Core i7-6700K
• Vs Core i5-4570
• Vs Core i5-7300HQ
• Vs Core i5-3570K
• Vs Core i5-4460
• Vs Core i5-3470
• Vs FX-6300 Six-Core
• Vs Core i5-2400
• Vs Core i7-7500U
• Vs Core i5-7200U
• Vs Core i5-6300U
• Vs Core i5-6200U
• Vs Core i7-3630QM
• Vs Core i7-8565U
• Vs Core i3-1005G1
• Vs Core i7-3770K
• Vs Ryzen 5 3550H
• Vs Celeron G5920
• Vs Pentium Gold 7505
• Vs Athlon Gold PRO 3150G
• Vs Pentium Gold G6500
• Vs Core i3-9100TE
• Vs Ryzen 5 3450U
• Vs Athlon Silver 3050e
• Vs Core i3-1115G4
• Vs Celeron G5905
• Vs Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE
• Vs Core i3-9350K
• Vs Celeron G5900
• Vs Ryzen Embedded R1305G
• Vs Core i5-9300HF
• Vs Pentium Gold G6605
• Vs Pentium Gold G6505T
• Vs Pentium Gold G6505
• Vs Pentium Gold G6405U
• Vs Pentium Gold G6405T
• Vs Pentium Gold G6405
• Vs Core i3-1110G4
• Vs Core i3-1115GRE
• Vs Core i3-1115G4E
• Vs Athlon Silver 3050GE
• Vs Athlon 300GE
• Vs Athlon 320GE
• Vs Ryzen 3 3250C
• Vs Ryzen 5 3500C
• Vs Ryzen 3 3350U
• Vs Athlon PRO 200U
• Vs Athlon PRO 300U
• Vs Core i5-1030NG7
• Vs Core i5-4470S
• Vs Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE
• Vs Pentium Silver J5040
• Vs Pentium Silver N6005
• Vs Pentium Silver N6000
• Vs Pentium N6415
• Vs Pentium Silver A1030
• Vs Core i3-10110Y
• Vs Celeron N5095
• Vs Athlon Gold 3150U
• Vs Pentium Gold G7400
• Vs Pentium Gold G7400E
• Vs Pentium Gold G7400TE
• Vs Pentium Gold G7400T
• Vs Core i7-10510Y
• Vs Core i5-10310U
• Vs Core i5-7442EQ
• Vs Core i7-8565UC
• Vs Core i3-8145UE
• Vs Core i3-1000NG4
• Vs Core i7-1060NG7
• Vs Core i5-10210Y
• Vs Core i5-8265UC
• Vs Core i5-8365UE
• Vs Core i3-9100T
• Vs Core i3-8300
• Vs Core i5-6442EQ
• Vs Core i5-8365U
• Vs Core i3-9300T
• Vs Core i5-4670R
• Vs Core i3-8100T
• Vs Core i3-8300T
• Vs Core i3-8109U
• Vs Core i3-8121U
• Vs Core i3-7350K
• Vs Core i5-4690K

Intel Core i7-4790K Processor Comparisons
• Vs Ryzen 5 2400G
• Vs Core i7-8750H
• Vs Core i7-9750H
• Vs Core i7-10750H
• Vs Ryzen 5 2600
• Vs Ryzen 5 PRO 2600
• Vs Core i7-8700K
• Vs Core i7-7700HQ
• Vs Core i9-10850K
• Vs Ryzen 5 2600X
• Vs Core i7-3770
• Vs Core i7-6700K
• Vs Ryzen 5 1600
• Vs Ryzen 5 3500U
• Vs Core i5-9400F
• Vs Core i7-8700
• Vs Core i5-3470
• Vs Ryzen 5 3400G
• Vs Core i5-10400F
• Vs Core i7-4790
• Vs Core i7-7700K
• Vs Core i7-6700HQ
• Vs Core i9-10900K
• Vs Ryzen 7 3800X
• Vs Ryzen 7 3700X
• Vs Ryzen 5 5600X
• Vs Core i7-10700K
• Vs Ryzen 7 4800H
• Vs Core i9-9900K
• Vs Ryzen 5 3600X
• Vs Ryzen 5 3600
• Vs Ryzen 7 2700X
• Vs Core i7-10700
• Vs Core i7-1065G7
• Vs FX-8350 Eight-Core
• Vs Ryzen 5 4600H
• Vs Core i7-6700
• Vs Core i5-10400
• Vs Core i5-6500
• Vs Ryzen 5 3600XT
• Vs Core i5-8250U
• Vs Core i5-10210U
• Vs Core i5-9600K
• Vs Core i7-4770
• Vs Core i5-8400
• Vs Core i5-9300H
• Vs Core i7-1165G7
• Vs Core i7-10510U
• Vs Core i7-2600
• Vs Ryzen 7 4700U
• Vs Core i5-4590
• Vs Ryzen 5 3500X
• Vs Core i7-8550U
• Vs Core i7-9700K
• Vs Ryzen 5 4500U
• Vs Ryzen 3 3100
• Vs Core i5-1035G1
• Vs Core i5-4570
• Vs Core i5-4460
• Vs Core i5-10300H
• Vs Core i7-7700
• Vs Core i7-10875H
• Vs Core i5-1135G7
• Vs Core i5-8265U
• Vs Core i3-10100
• Vs Ryzen 3 3200G
• Vs Core i5-8300H
• Vs FX-6300 Six-Core
• Vs Core i5-7400
• Vs Core i7-9700
• Vs Core i7-4770K
• Vs Core i5-7300HQ
• Vs Core i3-9100F
• Vs Core i5-3570K
• Vs Core i5-9400
• Vs Core i7-3630QM
• Vs Core i7-8565U
• Vs Core i3-1005G1
• Vs Core i7-3770K
• Vs Ryzen 5 3550H
• Vs Ryzen 3 3300X
• Vs Pentium Gold 7505
• Vs Core i5-1145G7
• Vs Ryzen 3 4300GE
• Vs Core i7-1160G7
• Vs Athlon Gold PRO 3150G
• Vs Core i3-10320
• Vs Core i7-9700E
• Vs Core i3-10100F
• Vs Ryzen 5 3350G
• Vs Core i3-9100TE
• Vs Ryzen 5 3450U
• Vs Ryzen 3 PRO 4200GE
• Vs Core i5-10200H
• Vs Core i3-1115G4
• Vs Core i3-10300T
• Vs Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE
• Vs Core i3-9350K
• Vs Core i5-9300HF
• Vs Ryzen 5 3550U
• Vs Core i5-10600T
• Vs Core i3-10325
• Vs Core i3-10305
• Vs Core i3-10305T
• Vs Core i3-10105T
• Vs Core i3-10105
• Vs Core i3-10105F
• Vs Core i5-1145GRE
• Vs Core i5-1145G7E
• Vs Core i5-1130G7
• Vs Core i7-1185GRE
• Vs Core i7-1185G7E
• Vs Core i7-1180G7
• Vs Core i3-1110G4
• Vs Core i3-1115GRE
• Vs Core i3-1120G4
• Vs Core i3-1125G4
• Vs Ryzen 5 3500C
• Vs Ryzen 7 3700C
• Vs Ryzen 3 5400U
• Vs Ryzen 3 5300U
• Vs Core i3-10100T
• Vs Core i5-8260U
• Vs Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U
• Vs Core i5-10400T
• Vs Ryzen 5 3350GE
• Vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3350GE
• Vs Ryzen 5 PRO 3350G
• Vs Xeon E-2234
• Vs Ryzen 5 3400GE
• Vs Core i7-10810U
• Vs Ryzen 5 3580U
• Vs Core i3-10300
• Vs Core i7-10610U
• Vs Core i5-10310U
• Vs Core i5-1038NG7
• Vs Core i5-9500TE
• Vs Core i5-10400H
• Vs Core i5-9400T
• Vs Core i7-8557U
• Vs Core i7-9850HL
• Vs Core i5-1035G7
• Vs Core i5-1035G4
• Vs Core i5-9500T
• Vs Core i5-8257U
• Vs Core i5-8279U
• Vs Core i3-9320
• Vs Core i3-9300
• Vs Core i7-8809G
• Vs Core i7-8705G
• Vs Core i3-9350KF
• Vs Core i5-8600T
• Vs Core i5-9400H
• Vs Core i7-8559U
• Vs Core i7-8709G
• Vs Core i5-8400T
• Vs Core i5-8500T
• Vs Core i7-8706G
• Vs Core i5-8400H
• Vs Core i5-8259U
• Vs Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE
• Vs Core i5-7500
• Vs Core i3-8100
• Vs Core i5-6600K
• Vs Ryzen 5 4500
• Vs Ryzen 5 5600GE
• Vs Ryzen 3 5300GE
• Vs Ryzen 7 4700GE
• Vs Ryzen 5 4600G
• Vs Ryzen 5 4600GE
• Vs Ryzen 5 PRO 5645
• Vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• Vs Ryzen 3 PRO 4355G
• Vs Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE