Intel Core i5-9400F vs AMD Ryzen 5 3600

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i5-9400F vs AMD Ryzen 5 3600 tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for programming, video editing, streaming, rendering, machine learning. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications such as AIDA64, MATLAB, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, WPrime, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, Blender, 3DMark, VeraCrypt, Gears 5, RealBench, Prime95, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PCMark 10, Furmark, 7zip, PassMark, Handbrake, UserBenchmark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-9400F.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-9400F

52%

Ryzen 5 3600

55%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 5 3600 is 5% better than Core i5-9400F. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-9400F

53%

Ryzen 5 3600

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.5	94.7
Valorant	106.2	107.6
Cyberpunk 2077	59.5	60.3
Apex Legends	99.8	101.2
Call of Duty Warzone	79.7	80.7
Overwatch	86.0	87.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.3	74.3
DOOM Eternal	53.1	53.8
Warzone	82.8	83.9
Assassin's Creed	89.2	90.4
Valheim	88.2	89.3

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 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. 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 i5-9400F

51%

Ryzen 5 3600

63%

To make a finishing 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 Ryzen 5 3600 is more energy efficient than the Core i5-9400F since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. 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

For example you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, streaming, video rendering or video editing, 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 reach 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 check whether the program 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 i5-9400F	AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Cinbench 15 Single-core	177
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	987	1578
Cinbench 20 Single-core	423	472
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2407	3689
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1115	1253
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4981	9412

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

	Intel Core i5-9400F	AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Single-Core	2464	2611
Multi-Core	9559	17872

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

	Intel Core i5-9400F	AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Single-Core	1001	1238
Multi-Core	5360	6578

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-9400F	AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Announcement date	January 01, 2019	July 07, 2019
Type	Desktop, Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	AM4
Core name	Coffee Lake	Matisse
Architecture	x86	Zen 2
Generation	9	3
Turbo Frequency	4.1 MHz	4.2 MHz
Frequency	2.9 MHz	3.6 MHz
Cores	6	6
Threads	6	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	4200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache		384KB
L2 cache		3MB
L3 cache	9 MB	32MB
Overclocking	Yes	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		100-000000031 100-100000031BOX 100-100000031MPK

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 5 3600 is 19% better than Core i5-9400F 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 i5-9400F is better: 7
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is better: 29
However, it should be understood that all the data in the article above 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 real owners of Intel Core i5-9400F and AMD Ryzen 5 3600 before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-9400F specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 5 3600 specs and review.