Intel Core i5-8400 Review

The Core i5-8400 is one of Intel's mid-range Desktop processors. It was released in 2017 with 6 cores and 6 threads. With base clock at 2.8GHz, max speed at 3.8GHz, and a 65W power rating. The Core i5-8400 is based on the Coffee Lake 14nm family and is part of the Core i5 series.

Core i5-8400 is also the successor of Intel's last gen Core i5-7400 processor that was based on the Kaby Lake-S and 14nm process and was released in 2017.

In our mind, the best processors are the ones that deliver outstanding performance at a reasonable price point. And, the Core i5-8400 absolutely nails this concept.

The Intel Core i5-8400 marks yet another blast from Team Intel, ramping up the intensity of the Intel vs AMD processor war. Still, though, there’s more than just core counts when it comes to a mainstream processor, as single-core performance needs to be on point, especially if you’re hoping to play the best PC games.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t quite translate to as strong of a single-core performance, even if Intel is closer than it’s ever been to matching AMD core for core. In our single-core GeekBench and Cinebench tests, the Core i5-8400 scored a 4020 and 161, respectively. This is definitely a huge leap over the Core i5-7400, but it’s slower than the Ryzen 5 2400G, which scored a 4295 and 155 in the same tests. But, that’s still not a huge difference, so the multi-core gains generally outweigh them.

The Intel Core i5-8400 was rolled out on Oct 2017 for $182, which puts it in the same general price range as the last-generation Core i5-7400. This means that at least we're not seeing any considerable price jumps from generation to generation.

Bear in mind, however, that if you already have something like the Core i5-7400, this generation doesn't offer the biggest boost in performance. You might want to wait another year or so before dropping a few hundred bucks, or even opt to splurge on a higher-end but pricier chip.

So which should you buy? Let's get that out of the way. Before this comparison review we updated our Best CPU feature and we said you should go with the Ryzen 5 2400G as it comes with a better stock cooler, can be overclocked, and the AM4 platform offers a significantly better upgrade path.

One of the nice things about the Intel Core i5-8400 processors is that the retail boxed models come with a CPU cooler. So, you can pick something like the Intel Core i5-8400 up for $182 and don’t need to spend any extra money on CPU cooling.

The Intel Core i5-8400 retail boxed processor comes with the traditional ‘pancake’ CPU cooler. Nothing fancy, but it gets the job done on this processor which is rated at 65W TDP. You do not need to have an aftermarket cooling solution unless you want to.

The Intel Core i5-8400 seems to be a decent performing chip that is readily available for $182 at your favorite retailer. The main competition for this processor is the Ryzen 5 2400G 4-Core unlocked desktop processor with Radeon Vega 11 graphics ($169 shipped).

For a 6-core processor, Intel’s $182 flagship Core i5-8400 processor seems downright cheap. On paper, the cost of those 2 extra cores is almost an afterthought when you stack it up against its direct competitor, the $169 4-core AMD Ryzen 5 2400G.

Now the biggest question is can Intel’s Core i5 processor play games? The answer is simply yes as it got a respectable gaming score of 85% in our benchmarks.

There’s a saying that two heads are better than one and, well, 6-cores are better than 4. The extra processing power of the Core i5-8400 puts AMD’s processors to shame, including both its closest competitor and a much higher-spec part.

If you’ve been looking for an affordable, powerhouse CPU that both works and parties hard, this is it.

Fresh from a successful roll-out of mainstream Core i5 CPUs, Intel's attack on AMD now extends down into the mid-range with its Core i5-8400 processors, which the company is making available as of Oct 2017.

AMD's Ryzen 5s are a staple of the high-volume mainstream market. They make up the most popular brand for mid-range-oriented builds by far. Intel is looking to shake that up with true 6-core processors that sell for even less than 4 cores. As if a resource advantage wasn't already compelling enough, Core i5 also enables unlocked multipliers. AMD is ill-prepared to fend off such a combination.