Intel Core i5-6400 vs Intel Core i7-7500U

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-6400 vs Intel Core i7-7500U and understand which is better for games or simple use for machine learning, streaming, rendering, programming, video editing. Here you can find useful information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough analysis 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 joint testing in synthetic type tests like GeekBench 6, 5.2, PCMark 10, WPrime, Blender, VeraCrypt, Dolphin Emulator, UserBenchmark, RealBench, 3DMark, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Handbrake, MATLAB, SuperPi, Blender, Gears 5, Furmark, Prime95, 7zip, AIDA64, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-7500U 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 i7-7500U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-6400

51%

Core i7-7500U

51%

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 the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think 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 other games in which processors were compared: League of Legends (LOL), Ghostrunner, Forza Horizon 4, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Horizon Zero Dawn, Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Metro Exodus, Control, DOTA 2A, Battlefield V, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Hitman 3, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, NBA 2K20, Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.3	90.3
Valorant	103.7	102.6
Cyberpunk 2077	58.1	57.4
Apex Legends	97.5	96.4
Call of Duty Warzone	77.8	76.9
Overwatch	84.0	83.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.6	70.8
DOOM Eternal	51.9	51.3
Warzone	80.9	80.0
Assassin's Creed	87.1	86.2
Valheim	86.1	85.1

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 comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K 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 i7-7500U

215%

To make a final 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 i7-7500U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-6400 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially 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

For example you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, machine learning, programming, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU turns on all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account 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. Since there are still many programs that can 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 i5-6400	Intel Core i7-7500U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	140	149
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	497	376
Cinbench 20 Single-core	275	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1061	739
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1001	519
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3997	2492

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

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-7500U
Single-Core	1957	1956
Multi-Core	5167	3649

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

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-7500U
Single-Core	959	971
Multi-Core	3221	2214

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 in your computer. 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 continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-6400	Intel Core i7-7500U
Announcement date	April 01, 2015	October 01, 2016
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	LGA 1151	FCBGA1356
Core name	Skylake	Kaby Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	6	7
Turbo Frequency	3.3 MHz	3.5 MHz
Frequency	2.7 MHz	2.7 MHz
Cores	4	2
Threads	4	4
Bus rate	8 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	1700 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-1866/2133, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V	DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600
Max. Memory	64 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	34.1 GB/s	34.1 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	4 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. Another difference is that Core i5-6400 has 2 more core than Core i7-7500U. 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: 23
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-7500U is better: 7
However, it should be realized that all the number that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Be sure to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i5-6400 and Intel Core i7-7500U before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-6400 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-7500U specs and review.