Intel Core i5-8500 vs Intel Core i5-8400

Processor comparisons   20-01-2022
   Perhaps you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-8500 vs Intel Core i5-8400 tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for programming, streaming, video editing, rendering, machine learning. Here you can find all information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A step-by-step 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 parallel examination in synthetic type tests like UserBenchmark, PCMark 10, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, Prime95, Blender, WPrime, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Handbrake, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, 7zip, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, VeraCrypt, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, AIDA64, 3DMark, Furmark, MATLAB, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

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 i5-8400 or Intel Core i5-8500.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-8500

52%

Core i5-8400

52%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-8500

53%

Core i5-8400

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 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, 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: DOTA 2A, Battlefield V, Half-Life: Alyx, Metro Exodus, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), League of Legends (LOL), Control, Monster Hunter World, Ghostrunner, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Forza Horizon 4, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.6	93.5
Valorant	106.4	106.3
Cyberpunk 2077	59.6	59.5
Apex Legends	100.0	99.9
Call of Duty Warzone	79.8	79.7
Overwatch	86.2	86.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.4	73.3
DOOM Eternal	53.2	53.1
Warzone	83.0	82.9
Assassin's Creed	89.4	89.3
Valheim	88.3	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 amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. So 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-8500

57%

Core i5-8400

56%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-8500 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-8400 as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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

Let's say 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 achieve maximum performance, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages 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 i5-8500	Intel Core i5-8400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	174	161
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	934	954
Cinbench 20 Single-core	403	411
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2287	2291
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1052	1023
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	5612	5457

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

	Intel Core i5-8500	Intel Core i5-8400
Single-Core	2461	2442
Multi-Core	9554	9262

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

	Intel Core i5-8500	Intel Core i5-8400
Single-Core	1114	1106
Multi-Core	5496	5408

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 newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-8500	Intel Core i5-8400
Announcement date	July 07, 2018	October 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FCLGA1151-2
Core name	Coffee Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	8	8
Turbo Frequency	4.1 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	2.8 MHz
Cores	6	6
Threads	6	6
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	2470 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	9 MB	9 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-8500 is 6% better than Core i5-8400 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 i5-8500 is better: 21
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-8400 is better: 5
All the figures in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-8500 and Intel Core i5-8400 before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-8500 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i5-8500 specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-8400 specs and review.