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 i5-9400H

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 1400 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌
7.7% HIGHER MSRP
$182 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

Ryzen 5 1400

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $13 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $182 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-9400H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,731 vs 7,794).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9400H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-9400H

2019

Ryzen 5 1400

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Ryzen 5 1400 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Costs $13 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $182 MSRP).
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
7.7% HIGHER MSRP
$182 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-9400H across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,731 vs 7,794).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-9400H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-9400H better than Ryzen 5 1400?

Yes. Core i5-9400H is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 9.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i5-9400H is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 9.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-9400H is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-9400H is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i5-9400H is 7.7% more expensive on MSRP at $182 MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and it gives you a 9.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 5 1400 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the smarter recommendation now. At roughly 7,731 PassMark with 4 cores and 8 threads, it only makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-9400H is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i5-9400H Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 1400 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	168 FPS	170 FPS
medium	135 FPS	148 FPS
high	107 FPS	119 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	141 FPS
medium	117 FPS	118 FPS
high	92 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	65 FPS
medium	69 FPS	58 FPS
high	54 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	42 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-9400H Open Ryzen 5 1400

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	195 FPS	168 FPS
medium	195 FPS	148 FPS
high	194 FPS	139 FPS
ultra	164 FPS	105 FPS
1440p
low	195 FPS	146 FPS
medium	190 FPS	129 FPS
high	171 FPS	120 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	94 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	114 FPS
medium	153 FPS	103 FPS
high	127 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	103 FPS	58 FPS

Open Core i5-9400H Open Ryzen 5 1400

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	181 FPS

Open Core i5-9400H Open Ryzen 5 1400

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
1080p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core i5-9400H Open Ryzen 5 1400

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-9400H and Ryzen 5 1400

Core i5-9400H

The Core i5-9400H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,794 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 1400

The Ryzen 5 1400 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,731 points. Launch price was $169.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-9400H and Ryzen 5 1400 share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-9400H versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 1400 — a 23.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-9400H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-9400H uses the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 1400 uses Zen (2017−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-9400H scores 7,794 against the Ryzen 5 1400's 7,731 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-9400H. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i5-9400H vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 1400.

Feature	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+26%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache	8 MB	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)	Zen (2017−2020)
PassMark	7,794	7,731
Geekbench 6 Single	1,341	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-9400H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 1400 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-9400H supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-9400H) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 1400) — the Ryzen 5 1400 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM370,QM370 (Core i5-9400H) and AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 5 1400).

Feature	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
Socket	BGA1440	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-9400H) / not specified (Ryzen 5 1400). The Core i5-9400H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Ryzen 5 1400 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9400H targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-9400H rivals Ryzen 5 4600H.

Feature	Core i5-9400H	Ryzen 5 1400
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	High Performance Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-9400H launched at $182 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 1400 debuted at $169. On MSRP ($182 vs $169), the Ryzen 5 1400 is $13 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-9400H delivers 42.8 pts/$ vs 45.7 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 1400 — making the Ryzen 5 1400 the 6.6% better value option.