Intel Core i7-9700 vs Intel Core i5-10400

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   If you are thinking about choosing a CPU, you will be able to make a choice after reading the detailed tests Intel Core i7-9700 vs Intel Core i5-10400 and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, rendering. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A thorough analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests such as MATLAB, Handbrake, Blender, WPrime, SuperPi, Gears 5, PassMark, UserBenchmark, AIDA64, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, Furmark, 3DMark, RealBench, 7zip, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Prime95, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), GeekBench 6, 5.2.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-10400 or Intel Core i7-9700.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-9700

54%

Core i5-10400

53%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-9700 is 1% better than Core i5-10400. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-9700

54%

Core i5-10400

53%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Hitman 3, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Metro Exodus, DOTA 2A, League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Half-Life: Alyx, Ghostrunner, NBA 2K20, Control, Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.8	94.8
Valorant	108.9	107.7
Cyberpunk 2077	61.0	60.3
Apex Legends	102.3	101.2
Call of Duty Warzone	81.6	80.8
Overwatch	88.2	87.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	75.1	74.3
DOOM Eternal	54.4	53.9
Warzone	84.9	84.0
Assassin's Creed	91.4	90.5
Valheim	90.3	89.4

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 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 i7-9700

61%

Core i5-10400

63%

To make a finishing decision 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 i5-10400 is more energy efficient than the Core i7-9700 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 65W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is 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, machine learning, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using 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 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 i7-9700	Intel Core i5-10400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	209	190
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1491	1341
Cinbench 20 Single-core	465	450
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3644	3197
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1181	1110
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	8540	7610

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

	Intel Core i7-9700	Intel Core i5-10400
Single-Core	2835	2626
Multi-Core	13511	12503

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

	Intel Core i7-9700	Intel Core i5-10400
Single-Core	1195	1245
Multi-Core	7637	6654

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-9700	Intel Core i5-10400
Announcement date	April 01, 2019	April 01, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1151-2	FCLGA1200
Core name	Coffee Lake	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	10
Turbo Frequency	4.7 MHz	4.3 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	8	6
Threads	8	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	5600 millions	4800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	65 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	41.6 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	12 MB	12 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 i7-9700 is 3% better than Core i5-10400 in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-9700 has 2 more core than Core i5-10400. 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 i7-9700 is better: 24
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-10400 is better: 4
However, it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i7-9700 and Intel Core i5-10400 before making a selection which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i7-9700 specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-10400 specs and review.