Intel Core i5-9300HF vs Intel Core i5-7400

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   You may have difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i5-9300HF vs Intel Core i5-7400 and see which is better for games or simple use for streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing, rendering. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or several benchmarks. A step-by-step 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 parallel examination in software tests such as Dolphin Emulator, PCMark 10, 7zip, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, MATLAB, SuperPi, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Prime95, Gears 5, PassMark, Furmark, Handbrake, 3DMark, VeraCrypt, AIDA64, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, WPrime, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-7400 or Intel Core i5-9300HF.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-9300HF

52%

Core i5-7400

51%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-9300HF is 1% better than Core i5-7400. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-9300HF

52%

Core i5-7400

51%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	92.3	91.4
Valorant	104.9	103.9
Cyberpunk 2077	58.7	58.2
Apex Legends	98.6	97.6
Call of Duty Warzone	78.7	77.9
Overwatch	85.0	84.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.4	71.7
DOOM Eternal	52.5	51.9
Warzone	81.8	81.0
Assassin's Creed	88.1	87.3
Valheim	87.1	86.2

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 computers that were in the comparisons not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-9300HF

81%

Core i5-7400

49%

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 i5-9300HF is more energy efficient than the Core i5-7400 as it consumes less power: 45W 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. 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 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 i5-9300HF	Intel Core i5-7400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	156	149
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	593	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	422	345
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2111	1266
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1024	820
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4015	2853

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

	Intel Core i5-9300HF	Intel Core i5-7400
Single-Core	2332	2131
Multi-Core	7619	5499

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

	Intel Core i5-9300HF	Intel Core i5-7400
Single-Core	1100	959
Multi-Core	4228	3349

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. 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 the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-9300HF	Intel Core i5-7400
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	January 01, 2017
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1440	FCLGA1151
Core name	Coffee Lake	Kaby Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	7
Turbo Frequency	4.1 MHz	3.5 MHz
Frequency	2.4 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	4
Bus rate	8 GT/s DMI	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	2460 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	45 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666, LPDDR3-2133	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	128 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	8 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 i5-7400 is 20% better than Core i5-9300HF 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 i5-9300HF is better: 31
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-7400 is better: 1
Although it should be realized that the summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-9300HF and Intel Core i5-7400 before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i5-9300HF specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-7400 specs and review.