AMD Ryzen 9 9950X vs Intel Core i5-8400
93Single-core31.1
99Multi-core28.6
85.2Gaming27.2
19 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 9 9950X2 spec wins — Intel Core i5-8400
InnoReviews verdict
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X wins this desktop processor face-off, 93.7 to 29, pulling ahead mainly in Multi-core (+70) and Single-core (+62). 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 9950X
- Stronger Single-core score: 93 vs 31
- Stronger Multi-core score: 99 vs 29
- Stronger gaming score: 85 vs 27
- 967% higher L2 cache: 16 MB vs 2 MB
- 623% higher PassMark: 66,500 vs 9,200
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i5-8400
- 62% lower Base TDP: 65 W vs 170 W
- Has Cooler included — the other doesn't
- Lower launch price: $182 vs $649
General
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024 | 2017 |
| Socket | AM5 | LGA1151-v2 |
| Process | 4 nm+71% | 14 nm |
| Base TDP | 170 W | 65 W+62% |
| Max turbo power | 230 W | — |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | No |
| Cooler included | No | Yes |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 16+167% | 6 |
| Performance cores | 16+167% | 6 |
| Efficiency cores | 0 | 0 |
| Threads | 32+433% | 6 |
| Base clock | 4.3 GHz+54% | 2.8 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.7 GHz+43% | 4 GHz |
| L2 cache | 16 MB+967% | 2 MB |
| L3 cache | 64 MB+611% | 9 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | AMD Radeon Graphics (2 CU RDNA 2) | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| iGPU clock | 2,200 MHz+110% | 1,050 MHz |
Memory
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-5600 | DDR4-2666 |
| Max memory | 192 GB+200% | 64 GB |
| Memory channels | 2 | 2 |
Platform
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe version | 5+67% | 3 |
| CPU PCIe lanes | 28+75% | 16 |
Benchmarks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 9 9950X | Intel Core i5-8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,400+148%Top 2% | 1,370Top 75% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 23,000+369%Top 2% | 4,900Top 78% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,280+98%Top 3% | 1,150Top 75% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 42,000+556%Top 2% | 6,400Top 77% |
| PassMark | 66,500+623%Top 2% | 9,200Top 80% |
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