Intel Core i5-7400 vs Intel Core i5-3470

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   For example there are difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-7400 vs Intel Core i5-3470 and see which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, streaming, rendering, video editing, programming. Here is all information from many benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as MATLAB, Dolphin Emulator, Gears 5, AIDA64, Blender, WPrime, PassMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, Handbrake, Blender, 7zip, RealBench, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, 3DMark, Furmark, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, Prime95.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-3470 or Intel Core i5-7400.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-7400

51%

Core i5-3470

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-7400

51%

Core i5-3470

51%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs 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 summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.4	90.8
Valorant	103.9	103.2
Cyberpunk 2077	58.2	57.8
Apex Legends	97.6	97.0
Call of Duty Warzone	77.9	77.4
Overwatch	84.1	83.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	71.7	71.2
DOOM Eternal	51.9	51.6
Warzone	81.0	80.5
Assassin's Creed	87.3	86.7
Valheim	86.2	85.7

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: 4K, 2K 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-7400

49%

Core i5-3470

32%

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 i5-7400 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-3470 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 77W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need 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 machine learning, streaming, programming, 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 achieve maximum efficiency, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can 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 i5-7400	Intel Core i5-3470
Cinbench 15 Single-core	149	127
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	564	460
Cinbench 20 Single-core	345	313
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1266	1010
Cinbench 23 Single-core	820	682
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	2853	2603

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

	Intel Core i5-7400	Intel Core i5-3470
Single-Core	2131	1953
Multi-Core	5499	4620

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

	Intel Core i5-7400	Intel Core i5-3470
Single-Core	959	756
Multi-Core	3349	2781

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 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 benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-7400	Intel Core i5-3470
Announcement date	January 01, 2017	April 01, 2012
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151	LGA1155
Core name	Kaby Lake	Ivy Bridge
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	3
Turbo Frequency	3.5 MHz	3.6 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	3.2 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	4	4
Bus rate	8 GT/s	5 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	22 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	1480 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	77 W
Memory type	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V	DDR3 1333/1600
Max. Memory	64 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth		25.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	6 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 i5-3470 is 6% 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 i5-7400 is better: 28
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-3470 is better: 3
Although it should be realized that all the number that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i5-7400 and Intel Core i5-3470 before making a selection which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-7400 specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-3470 specs and review.