Intel Core i9-9900T vs Intel Core i5-10400

Processor comparisons 24-03-2021

   Let's say you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i9-9900T vs Intel Core i5-10400 tests and see which is better for games or normal use for video editing, machine learning, rendering, streaming, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or various benchmarks. A step-by-step 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 software tests like VeraCrypt, Gears 5, AIDA64, Prime95, MATLAB, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, SuperPi, Blender, UserBenchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, Furmark, 7zip, DaVinci Resolve Studio, RealBench, 3DMark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PCMark 10, WPrime.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-10400 or Intel Core i9-9900T.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-9900T

54%

Core i5-10400

53%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-9900T 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 i9-9900T

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	95.4	94.8
Valorant	108.4	107.7
Cyberpunk 2077	60.7	60.3
Apex Legends	101.9	101.2
Call of Duty Warzone	81.3	80.8
Overwatch	87.8	87.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	74.8	74.3
DOOM Eternal	54.2	53.9
Warzone	84.5	84.0
Assassin's Creed	91.0	90.5
Valheim	89.9	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 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: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-9900T

106%

Core i5-10400

63%

To make a final 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 Core i9-9900T is more energy efficient than the Core i5-10400 since it has less power consumption: 35W vs. 65W. 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

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, machine learning, streaming, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor includes all cores and threads that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program 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 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 i9-9900T	Intel Core i5-10400
Cinbench 15 Single-core	191	190
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1644	1341
Cinbench 20 Single-core	449	450
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3920	3197
Cinbench 23 Single-core	951	1110
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	9218	7610

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

	Intel Core i9-9900T	Intel Core i5-10400
Single-Core	2489	2626
Multi-Core	13885	12503

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

	Intel Core i9-9900T	Intel Core i5-10400
Single-Core	1113	1245
Multi-Core	7212	6654

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. 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 new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-9900T	Intel Core i5-10400
Announcement date	October 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	4.4 MHz	4.3 MHz
Frequency	2.1 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	8	6
Threads	16	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	8600 millions	4800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	35 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	16 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	No	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 i5-10400 is 27% better than Core i9-9900T in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-9900T 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 i9-9900T is better: 23
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-10400 is better: 8
Although it should be understood that all the data in the article above do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-9900T and Intel Core i5-10400 before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i9-9900T - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-9900T specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-10400 specs and review.