Intel Core i5-9400F vs Intel Core i7-4790K

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-9400F vs Intel Core i7-4790K and understand which is better for games or simple use for streaming, rendering, programming, video editing, machine learning. Here is all information from many benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A thorough review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests such as Handbrake, Furmark, UserBenchmark, SuperPi, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, AIDA64, Blender, Gears 5, Prime95, RealBench, 7zip, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, MATLAB, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, 3DMark, VeraCrypt.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-4790K 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%

Core i7-4790K

52%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-9400F

53%

Core i7-4790K

52%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: NBA 2K20, Control, Forza Horizon 4, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, Monster Hunter World, Horizon Zero Dawn, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, League of Legends (LOL), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.5	92.8
Valorant	106.2	105.5
Cyberpunk 2077	59.5	59.1
Apex Legends	99.8	99.2
Call of Duty Warzone	79.7	79.1
Overwatch	86.0	85.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.3	72.8
DOOM Eternal	53.1	52.8
Warzone	82.8	82.3
Assassin's Creed	89.2	88.6
Valheim	88.2	87.6

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%

Core i7-4790K

46%

To make a finishing resolution 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 i5-9400F is more energy efficient than the Core i7-4790K as it consumes less power: 65W vs. 88W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, streaming, programming, machine learning, 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 turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can 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 i5-9400F	Intel Core i7-4790K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	177	169
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	987	854
Cinbench 20 Single-core	423	411
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2407	1982
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1115	1069
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4981	4936

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

	Intel Core i5-9400F	Intel Core i7-4790K
Single-Core	2464	2491
Multi-Core	9559	8030

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

	Intel Core i5-9400F	Intel Core i7-4790K
Single-Core	1001	1230
Multi-Core	5360	4747

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 i5-9400F	Intel Core i7-4790K
Announcement date	January 01, 2019	April 01, 2014
Type	Desktop, Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	LGA1150
Core name	Coffee Lake	Devil's Canyon
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	4
Turbo Frequency	4.1 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	2.9 MHz	4 MHz
Cores	6	4
Threads	6	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	5 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	22 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	1420 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	88 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V
Max. Memory	128 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	25.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	9 MB	8 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 i7-4790K is 27% better than Core i5-9400F in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-9400F has 2 more core than Core i7-4790K. 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: 29
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-4790K is better: 5
Although it should be understood that all the 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 video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-9400F and Intel Core i7-4790K before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-9400F specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-4790K specs and review.