Intel Core i7-3770K vs Intel Core i5-2400

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i7-3770K vs Intel Core i5-2400 and understand which is better for games or normal use for rendering, programming, streaming, machine learning, video editing. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. 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 special test applications like Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 3DMark, Blender, AIDA64, VeraCrypt, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, PCMark 10, Prime95, Gears 5, RealBench, Handbrake, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 7zip, WPrime, Furmark, SuperPi, MATLAB, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, PassMark, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-2400 or Intel Core i7-3770K.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-3770K

51%

Core i5-2400

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-3770K

52%

Core i5-2400

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	92.1	90.5
Valorant	104.7	102.9
Cyberpunk 2077	58.6	57.6
Apex Legends	98.4	96.7
Call of Duty Warzone	78.5	77.2
Overwatch	84.8	83.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.2	71.0
DOOM Eternal	52.4	51.4
Warzone	81.7	80.2
Assassin's Creed	88.0	86.4
Valheim	86.9	85.4

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 amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. 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 i7-3770K

42%

Core i5-2400

26%

To make a finishing resolution 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 Core i7-3770K is more energy efficient than the Core i5-2400 as it consumes less power: 77W vs. 95W. Power consumption is especially 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, streaming, machine learning, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using 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 run, and all the benefit 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 i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-2400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	137	104
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	672	378
Cinbench 20 Single-core	286	267
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1391	941
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1016	635
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3503	2350

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

	Intel Core i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-2400
Single-Core	2049	1589
Multi-Core	6445	3799

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

	Intel Core i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-2400
Single-Core	979	756
Multi-Core	4061	2483

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 i7-3770K	Intel Core i5-2400
Announcement date	April 01, 2012	October 01, 2010
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA1155	LGA1155
Core name	Ivy Bridge	Sandy Bridge
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	3	2
Turbo Frequency	3.9 MHz	3.4 MHz
Frequency	3.5 MHz	3.1 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	8	4
Bus rate	5 GT/s	5 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	32 nm
Transistors count	2460 millions	2480 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	77 W	95 W
Memory type	DDR3 1333/1600	DDR3 1066/1333
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	21 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 i7-3770K is 11% better than Core i5-2400 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 i7-3770K is better: 30
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-2400 is better: 1
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i7-3770K and Intel Core i5-2400 before making a decision which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i7-3770K specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-2400 specs and review.