Intel Core i5-9400T vs Intel Core i5-8260U

Processor comparisons 18-01-2022

   For example there are difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-9400T vs Intel Core i5-8260U and see which is better for games or normal use for video editing, programming, machine learning, streaming, rendering. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A careful analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests like 3DMark, SuperPi, Handbrake, Prime95, WPrime, DaVinci Resolve Studio, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, MATLAB, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Blender, VeraCrypt, PCMark 10, AIDA64, Furmark, 7zip, Dolphin Emulator, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, RealBench, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-8260U or Intel Core i5-9400T.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-9400T

52%

Core i5-8260U

52%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-9400T

52%

Core i5-8260U

52%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	92.5	92.3
Valorant	105.1	104.9
Cyberpunk 2077	58.9	58.7
Apex Legends	98.8	98.6
Call of Duty Warzone	78.9	78.7
Overwatch	85.2	85.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.6	72.4
DOOM Eternal	52.6	52.4
Warzone	82.0	81.8
Assassin's Creed	88.3	88.1
Valheim	87.3	87.1

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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-9400T

91%

Core i5-8260U

221%

To make a final 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 i5-8260U is more energy efficient than the Core i5-9400T since it has less power consumption: 35W vs. 15W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because 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 i5-9400T	Intel Core i5-8260U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	150	157
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	710	596
Cinbench 20 Single-core	417	409
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2087	2046
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1050	1029
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4114	4033

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

	Intel Core i5-9400T	Intel Core i5-8260U
Single-Core	2074	2385
Multi-Core	7805	7652

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

	Intel Core i5-9400T	Intel Core i5-8260U
Single-Core	965	997
Multi-Core	4439	4222

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 in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-9400T	Intel Core i5-8260U
Announcement date	April 01, 2019	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FCBGA1528
Core name	Coffee Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	8
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.9 MHz
Frequency	1.8 MHz	1.6 MHz
Cores	6	4
Threads	6	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	4 GT/s OPI
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	1900 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	35 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	128 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	9 MB	6 MB
Overclocking	No	No
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 i5-9400T is 11% better than Core i5-8260U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-9400T has 2 more core than Core i5-8260U. 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 i5-9400T is better: 26
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-8260U is better: 7
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 i5-9400T and Intel Core i5-8260U before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-9400T - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-9400T specs and review.

Intel Core i5-8260U - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-8260U specs and review.