AMD Ryzen 9 3950X vs Intel Core i5-8400
38.6Single-core31.1
64.6Multi-core28.6
79Gamingspec-based27.2
18 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 9 3950X2 spec wins — Intel Core i5-8400
InnoReviews verdict
AMD Ryzen 9 3950X wins this desktop processor face-off, 60.4 to 29, pulling ahead mainly in multi-core (+36) and single-core (+8). Intel Core i5-8400 still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
- Stronger single-core score: 39 vs 31
- Stronger multi-core score: 65 vs 29
- 611% higher L3 cache: 64 MB vs 9 MB
- 433% higher threads: 32 vs 6
- 433% higher L2 cache: 8 MB vs 2 MB
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-8400
- 38% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 105 W
- Has Cooler included — the other doesn't
- Lower launch price: $182 vs $749
General
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 3950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019 | 2017 |
| Socket | AM4 | LGA1151-v2 |
| Process | 7 nm+50% | 14 nm |
| Base TDP | 105 W | 65 W+38% |
| Max turbo power | 142 W | — |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | No |
| Cooler included | No | Yes |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 3950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16+167% | 6 |
| Performance cores | 16+167% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 0 | 0 |
| Threads | 32+433% | 6 |
| Base clock | 3.5 GHz+25% | 2.8 GHz |
| Boost clock | 4.7 GHz+18% | 4 GHz |
| L2 cache | 8 MB+433% | 2 MB |
| L3 cache | 64 MB+611% | 9 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 3950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | — | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| iGPU clock | — | 1,050 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 3950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR4-3200 | DDR4-2666 |
| Max memory | 128 GB+100% | 64 GB |
| Memory channels | 2 | 2 |
Platform
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 3950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe version | 4+33% | 3 |
| CPU PCIe lanes | 24+50% | 16 |
Benchmarks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 3950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 1,570+15%Bottom 37% | 1,370Bottom 22% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 13,300+171%Top 39% | 4,900Bottom 19% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 1,320+15%Bottom 35% | 1,150Bottom 22% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 24,700+286%Top 22% | 6,400Bottom 19% |
| PassMark | 39,000+324%Top 27% | 9,200Bottom 14% |
Related comparisons
AMD Ryzen 9 3950Xvs AMD Ryzen 5 7600VSAMD Ryzen 9 3950Xvs AMD Ryzen 5 7600XVSAMD Ryzen 9 3950Xvs Intel Core Ultra 5 225FVSAMD Ryzen 9 3950Xvs Intel Core i5-14500VSIntel Core i5-8400vs Intel Core i7-5820KVSIntel Core i5-8400vs Intel Core i3-10100FVSIntel Core i5-8400vs Intel Core i5-9400FVSIntel Core i5-8400vs Intel Core i7-5930KVS