The Intel Core i5-9400F CPU was first sold on January 8, 2019. It is classified as an entry-level CPU. We will study its characteristics and push our tests further in this article. This processor in any case displays good overall performance and can be used in the office field, gaming and even in the processing of fairly heavy applications. At the time of launch, this CPU was priced at $144 (MSRP). Its current price is $160 online and particularly on Amazon which generally displays a more attractive price.
Overview of the Intel Core i5-9400F processor
Intel Core i5-9400F processor is based on the Coffee Lake . It is the 9th generation of core processors. It was originally designed by Intel for desktop computers. This processor is multi-core and multi-threaded. It has 6 cores and 6 threads . It does not include a dedicated graphics card. As for the manufacturing procedure, the Intel Core i5-9400F CPU was cast with the 14-nanometer . In normal operation, the CPU works at 2.9 GHz. In boost clock, the Intel Core i5-9400F reaches the maximum working frequency of 4.1 GHz. Its size is 149 mm 2 . This processor measures 11.68 x 7.11 x 10.15 cm and weighs 59 grams. In terms of power consumed, it consumes a TDP power of 65 Watts . For comparison, the Xeon Platinum 9282 processor consumes 400 Watts. With these configurations, in addition to office use, this Intel Core i5-9400F processor can be used in the field of gaming and in the processing of fairly heavy applications. If it is coupled with a powerful enough graphics card, your PC will be more and more efficient.
Advanced Features of the Intel Core i5-9400F Processor
The Intel Core i5-9400F processor is connected to the motherboard via the FCLGA1151 socket. It can operate under a maximum case temperature of 72°C (TCase). The core can withstand 100°C. For information, the core of the Atom x7-E3950 processor supports 110°C. The Intel Core i5-9400F CPU is compatible with DDR4-2666 memory which can have a maximum capacity of 128 GB on 2 channels. The memory bandwidth is around 41.6 Gbps. This processor has 384 KB of 1st level (L1) cache. 2nd cache (L2), the Intel Core i5-9400F CPU has 1.5 MB. And for the 3rd level (L3), the cache is 9 MB. This processor supports Turbo boost 2.0 . The latter allows dynamic management of the processor frequency. It can accelerate the working frequency if necessary if there are usable thermal and electrical margins. It can also adjust the working frequency downwards for better energy saving if no heavy processing is in progress.
This CPU incorporates Yes with Intel® ME (SGX) system security technology. Virtualization VT-x / VT-d virtualization technology . This virtualization technology allows a physical resource to be split into several virtual elements. As a result, the servers or virtual PCs are clustered. This allows certain operations to be isolated and thus limit reductions in productivity relating to a general interruption of service. Input/output devices are supported (VT-d) for greater efficiency of virtualized elements. Furthermore, paging table extensions allow acceleration in applications that require a lot of memory. On the Supported Instruction Set side, you have AVX 2.0, SSE 4.1 and SSE 4.2. This processor supports 64-bit architecture. With this new architecture, 64-bit calculations are possible. The 4 GB limit in memory addressing is thus exceeded. Mathematically speaking, with 32 bits, addressing is limited to 2 to the power of 32 (2 32 ) = 4 GB. Thus, with a 64-bit architecture, your machine will be able to support memory greater than 4 GB. The maximum limit with this 64-bit architecture would be 18 million TB.
As for the supported peripherals, the CPU is compatible with PCIe 3.0 with 16 lanes, SATA-3, USB 3.1, M2, HDMI, DisplayPort and many others. Intel integrates Optane memory between system memory and storage. It allows the system to be more responsive and more efficient. Intel provides you with storage technology called Intel Rapide. It therefore provides the interface between memory and storage. A virtual Optane memory drive is thus available to the system in order to store the most used data.
Benchmarking of the Intel Core i5-9400F processor
If we compare it with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX, the leader in CPUs in the gaming field, the Intel Core i5-9400F CPU does not perform well. It is at 10.81%. In the overall performance ranking, this processor occupies 381st place . In terms of value for money, on a scale of 0 to 100, the Intel Core i5-9400F CPU displays a performance of 0.43.
Comparing Intel Core i5-9400F with CPUs of similar performance, it outperforms Core i5-9400 (99.54%), Core i5-8500 (99.07%) and Ryzen 5 PRO 3400G (98 .98%). However, it is less efficient than the Core i5-8600 (102.87%), the Core i7-5820K (102.04%) and the Core i7-7700K (101.30%).
Let's compare processors with similar MSRP prices (Retail Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) on 3DMark. Our Intel Core i5-9400F Processor has a 3DMark score of 5195 . It is less efficient than the processors that follow. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 sold for an introductory price of $199 achieves a 3DMark score of 7040; the Intel Core i7-8700K Processor initially sold at $359 has a 3DMark score of 7912; the Intel Core i7-9700K with its MSRP price of 374 achieves a score of 8063; the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU achieves a 3DMark score of 9673 with its launch price of $329; the $488 Intel Core i9-9900K gets a 3DMark score of 10958; and finally the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X with an MSRP price of $499 has a 3DMark score of 12213.
Comparing the Intel Core i5-9400F CPU to CPUs with similar 3DMark scores, however, our Intel Core i5-9400F is ahead of the Intel Core i5-8400 Processor (3DMark score 5079) and the Intel Core i5-9400 Processor (3DMark score 5145). It is less efficient than the Intel Core i7-7700K Processor (3DMark score 5354) and the Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition Processor (3DMark score 5281)
In short, the Core i5-9400F processor displays good performance thanks, among other things, to SMT's virtual multithreading. This processor can be used in office automation, gaming or to process fairly heavy data. Although it is an entry-level CPU, this 9th generation processor allows you to have a high-performance, efficient and less energy-intensive PC. The Intel Core i5-9400F CPU is available online and in particular on Amazon for the price of around $160.
