Core i5-4400E
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Phenom II X6 1045T
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Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook
This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.
Core i5-4400E
2013Why buy it
- ✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 4600, while Phenom II X6 1045T needs a discrete GPU.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Phenom II X6 1045T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 6 MB).
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $266 MSRP, while Phenom II X6 1045T mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.
Phenom II X6 1045T
2010Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).
- ✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,244 vs 3,251).
- ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-4400E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
Core i5-4400E
2013Phenom II X6 1045T
2010Why buy it
- ✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 4600, while Phenom II X6 1045T needs a discrete GPU.
Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.9% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).
- ✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Phenom II X6 1045T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 6 MB).
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $266 MSRP, while Phenom II X6 1045T mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,244 vs 3,251).
- ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-4400E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
Quick Answers
So, is Core i5-4400E better than Phenom II X6 1045T?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 78 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 66 FPS | 70 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 68 FPS | 61 FPS |
| medium | 57 FPS | 55 FPS |
| high | 43 FPS | 43 FPS |
| ultra | 34 FPS | 34 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 66 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 74 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 56 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 66 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 59 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 41 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 28 FPS | 72 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| medium | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| high | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
| ultra | 81 FPS | 81 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4400E and Phenom II X6 1045T
Core i5-4400E
Core i5-4400E
The Core i5-4400E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 3 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,251 points. Launch price was $266.
Phenom II X6 1045T
Phenom II X6 1045T
The Phenom II X6 1045T is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Thuban (2010) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,244 points. Launch price was $175.
Processing Power
The Core i5-4400E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X6 1045T offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Phenom II X6 1045T has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-4400E versus 3.2 GHz on the Phenom II X6 1045T — a 3.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-4400E (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i5-4400E uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X6 1045T uses Thuban (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4400E scores 3,251 against the Phenom II X6 1045T's 3,244 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i5-4400E. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4400E vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X6 1045T.
| Feature | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 6 / 6+200% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+3% | 3.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | 6 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Thuban (2010) |
| PassMark | 3,251 | 3,244 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-4400E uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X6 1045T uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1364 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | Yes | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4400E) / not specified (Phenom II X6 1045T). The Core i5-4400E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Phenom II X6 1045T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4400E targets Embedded.
| Feature | Core i5-4400E | Phenom II X6 1045T |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 4600 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Embedded | — |
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