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Intel Core i5-8400

Intel Core i5-8400: Budget Six-Core Processor for Basic Tasks in 2025

Review, Build Tips, and Relevance of the Processor After Years

1. Key Specifications: Coffee Lake in Detail

Architecture and Manufacturing Process

The Intel Core i5-8400, released in 2017, belongs to the Coffee Lake generation. Despite its age, it remains relevant for budget PCs in 2025. The manufacturing process is 14 nm, which is outdated by today's standards (new Intel and AMD processors use 5-7 nm), but it ensures stability and low heat output.

Performance

- 6 Cores / 6 Threads: Suitable for multitasking, but the lack of Hyper-Threading limits performance in resource-intensive applications.

- Base Frequency — 2.8 GHz, Boost Frequency — 4.0 GHz: Adequate speed for office tasks and less demanding games.

- Geekbench 6: 1348 (Single-Core) and 4741 (Multi-Core). For comparison, the Ryzen 5 5500 (2022) scores around ~1500/6000 but is more expensive.

Key Features

- Integrated UHD 630 Graphics: Allows building a PC without a dedicated graphics card for basic tasks (e.g., office PC or media center).

- TDP 65 W: Low power consumption, suitable for compact builds.

2. Compatible Motherboards

Socket and Chipsets

The processor uses the LGA 1151 v2 socket. Compatible chipsets include:

- H310 / B360 / H370: Budget boards (price in 2025: $50–$80). Suitable for basic tasks but do not support overclocking.

- Z370 / Z390: Premium boards ($100–$150). Excessive for the i5-8400, as it does not support overclocking.

Model Examples

- ASUS Prime B360M-A: A compact board with M.2 support (price: ~$70).

- Gigabyte Z390 UD: An option for upgrading to more powerful processors (e.g., i7-9700K).

Tip: In 2025, new boards for LGA 1151 v2 are rarely produced, but leftovers can be found. Check for BIOS compatibility!

3. Supported Memory

Types and Frequencies

The i5-8400 works with DDR4-2666 MHz (official support). Higher frequencies (e.g., 3000 MHz) will work at the standard speed.

Volume Recommendations

- 16 GB: Optimal for gaming and multitasking (e.g., two 8 GB modules).

- 32 GB: For work tasks (video editing, 3D modeling).

Configuration Example: Kingston Fury DDR4-2666 16GB (2x8) — $45.

4. Power Supply Units: Power Calculation

Power Consumption

With a TDP of 65 W, even with a discrete graphics card (e.g., GTX 1660 Super, 125 W) the system consumes around ~250–300 W.

Recommended PSUs

- 450–550 W: for example, Corsair CV550 (80+ Bronze, $60) or be quiet! System Power 10 (450W, $50).

- Important: Don't skimp on the PSU! Cheap models can damage components.

5. Pros and Cons

Advantages

- Energy Efficiency: Ideal for low-power builds.

- Integrated Graphics: Saves on a dedicated graphics card.

- Stability: Proven architecture without "growing pains."

Disadvantages

- No Hyper-Threading: Loses to Ryzen 5 in multi-threaded tasks.

- DDR4-2666 Limitation: Slower than modern standards.

- Outdated Socket: Challenges with upgrading.

6. Use Cases

Gaming

- With Discrete Graphics Card: Comfortable performance in Full HD (e.g., CS2 — 100+ FPS, Cyberpunk 2077 — ~40 FPS on medium settings with GTX 1660 Super).

- Integrated Graphics: Only suitable for older games (Dota 2 — 30–40 FPS on low settings).

Work Tasks

- Office Applications, Browser: Ideal.

- Video Editing / 3D Rendering: Acceptable for small projects (Rendering in Premiere Pro will take twice as long compared to Ryzen 5 5600).

Multimedia

Streaming video (4K via HDMI 1.4), working with photos in Lightroom.

7. Comparison with Competitors

AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (2018)

- Pros: 12 threads, unlocked multiplier.

- Cons: Lower IPC, requires a dedicated graphics card.

- Price: ~$90 (new units are rare).

Intel Core i3-12100F (2022)

- Pros: Higher IPC, DDR5 support.

- Cons: Only 4 cores.

- Price: ~$110.

Conclusion: The i5-8400 excels over competitors in budget builds with integrated graphics.

8. Build Tips

- Motherboard: Choose B360 for savings or H310 for minimalism.

- Cooling: The stock cooler is sufficient, but the Deepcool GAMMAXX 400 ($20) is a good option for quieter operation.

- Storage: SSD is a must (e.g., Kingston A400 480GB — $35).

- Case: Micro-ATX for compactness (Zalman S2 — $45).

Example Budget:

- Processor: $100 (new, leftover stock).

- Motherboard: $70.

- Memory: $45.

- PSU: $50.

- Total: ~$265 without a graphics card.

9. Final Conclusion: Who is the i5-8400 Suitable for in 2025?

This processor is the choice for:

1. Budget Office PCs: Low price, integrated graphics.

2. Media Centers: 4K support, quiet operation.

3. Beginner Gamers: In combination with a GPU like the GTX 1660 Super.

Why You Shouldn't Buy It?

If you need performance in modern games or work applications — it’s better to invest a bit more in a Ryzen 5 5600G or i3-13100.

Final Verdict: The i5-8400 is a "workhorse" for non-demanding tasks, still finding its niche even 8 years post-release.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Desktop

Launch Date

October 2017

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i5-8400

Code Name

Coffee Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

2.80 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

4.00 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 Frequency

4.00 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

L3 Cache

9 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCLGA1151

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

65 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2666

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

128 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

41.6 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.05 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096x2304@24Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096x2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096x2304@60Hz

Number of Displays Supported

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

9 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Boot Guard

Intel® Device Protection Technology with Boot Guard helps protect the system’s pre-OS environment from viruses and malicious software attacks.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1348

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

4741

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

1026

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

4082

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2388

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

9241

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i9-9900T

1429 +6%

Core i5-9400H

1381 +2.4%

Core i5-8400

1348

EPYC 7252

1298 -3.7%

Xeon Platinum 8276

1263 -6.3%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Core i7-10850H

5397 +13.8%

Ryzen 3 3100

5033 +6.2%

Core i5-8400

4741

Pentium 8505

4491 -5.3%

Core i5-9400H

4195 -11.5%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i7-4790K

1072 +4.5%

Core i9-9880H

1055 +2.8%

Core i5-8400

1026

Ryzen 5 2600

1006 -1.9%

Core i3-10300T

982 -4.3%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon E5-2637 v2

4539 +11.2%

Xeon E5-2620 v2

4315 +5.7%

Core i5-8400

4082

Xeon E3-1515M v5

3869 -5.2%

Ryzen Embedded V2A46

3722 -8.8%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Core i9-8950HK

2452 +2.7%

Xeon Gold 6242R

2424 +1.5%

Core i5-8400

2388

Core i3-10105T

2353 -1.5%

Athlon Gold PRO 3150G

2321 -2.8%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i7-11390H

10099 +9.3%

Core i3-1215UE

9643 +4.4%

Core i5-8400

9241

Xeon E3-1245 v6

8783 -5%

Core i7-1065G7

8392 -9.2%