AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE vs Intel Core i5-9400 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture across all six recorded Cinebench tests: the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE outperforms the Intel Core i5-9400 in every single workload measured. The margins are remarkably uniform, with the AMD part leading by approximately 11.8% to 11.9% across both multi-core and single-core tests, suggesting a broad architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific strength.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 5 3400GE scores 757 against the i5-9400's 668, a delta of -11.8% from the Intel side. The single-core R15 test shows the same pattern: 106 for the AMD chip versus 94 for Intel, a -11.3% difference. Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD processor posts 3158 multi-core and 445 single-core, while the Intel part manages 2784 and 392 respectively, with deltas of -11.8% and -11.9%. The most recent Cinebench R23 results continue the trend: 7520 multi-core for the AMD versus 6629 for Intel, and 1061 single-core versus 935, both again showing roughly an 11.8% to 11.9% advantage for the Ryzen.

What is notable is the consistency of this margin. The difference between the two processors does not shrink or grow across Cinebench versions, it stays fixed at roughly 12%. This indicates that the performance gap is structural, tied to the fundamental capabilities of each chip, rather than being sensitive to the specific rendering workload or the amount of parallelism involved. The Ryzen 5 3400GE achieves this with four cores and eight threads, while the i5-9400 offers six cores and six threads. Despite having fewer physical cores, the AMD part's SMT technology and higher base clock appear to deliver superior throughput in these tests.

The average benchmark score in the database further corroborates the head-to-head results. The Ryzen 5 3400GE holds an average score of 2175, while the i5-9400 sits at 2254. However, this aggregate figure includes Geekbench results for the Intel chip that are not present for the AMD part, so the direct Cinebench comparisons are the more reliable indicator of relative performance. Both processors occupy the 47th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning that despite the AMD part's consistent wins in these specific tests, the two are placed in the same tier of overall CPU performance.

Where Each One Wins

The data shows no benchmark category where the Intel Core i5-9400 records a victory. Across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core configurations, the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE takes the win every time. This is a decisive sweep, and it means the use-case analysis is largely about understanding the scale of the AMD advantage rather than splitting wins between the two products.

For heavily threaded workloads such as video rendering, 3D scene compilation, or batch image processing, the Ryzen 5 3400GE leads by 11.8% in R15 multi-core and R20 multi-core, and by the same margin in R23 multi-core. The AMD part's eight threads allow it to extract more parallelism from these tasks than the Intel chip's six threads, even though the i5-9400 has two additional physical cores. The per-core efficiency of the Zen+ architecture in the 3400GE, combined with its higher 3.30 GHz base clock versus 2.90 GHz for the Intel part, explains this outcome.

Single-core performance, which matters for lightly threaded applications like older games, spreadsheet calculations, or general desktop responsiveness, also favors the AMD processor. The Ryzen 5 3400GE posts a 106 in R15 single-core, 445 in R20 single-core, and 1061 in R23 single-core, each about 11.3% to 11.9% ahead of the Intel chip. This is noteworthy because Intel's Coffee Lake architecture has traditionally been considered strong in single-threaded workloads, but the recorded data does not support that expectation here.

The only area where the i5-9400 shows any comparative strength is in its average benchmark score, which is higher than the AMD part's average due to the inclusion of Geekbench results. The i5-9400 scores 5141 multi-core and 1389 single-core in Geekbench, while no Geekbench numbers are recorded for the Ryzen 5 3400GE. This makes the average score figure misleading for direct comparison, and the Cinebench suite remains the more complete dataset for this head-to-head.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded benchmark data, the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE is the superior processor for users prioritizing raw Cinebench performance. It wins all six head-to-head tests by a margin of roughly 12%, and it does so in both single-core and multi-core categories. Anyone selecting between these two chips for rendering work, content creation, or CPU-bound tasks should look at the AMD part first.

The Intel Core i5-9400, however, is not without context. It delivers 6 cores and 6 threads, which is a conventional desktop configuration, and its 9 MB of shared L3 cache is substantially larger than the 4 MB found on the Ryzen. Its boost clock reaches 4.10 GHz, which is higher than the AMD chip's 4.00 GHz maximum. Yet none of these specifications translate into a benchmark win in the recorded data. The i5-9400 is listed as end-of-life in the database, while the Ryzen 5 3400GE remains an active product. That production status, combined with the benchmark results, makes the AMD part the more defensible choice on the merits of the measurements alone.

For users who specifically require an Intel platform, perhaps for compatibility reasons or existing motherboard infrastructure, the i5-9400 remains a functional six-core desktop chip, but the data does not show any performance scenario where it beats the Ryzen 5 3400GE. The verdict is straightforward: choose the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE for better Cinebench scores, lower power draw, and an active production status. The 35 W TDP of the AMD part versus 65 W for the Intel chip also makes it the more efficient option, though the database does not include direct power consumption measurements beyond these TDP figures.

Both processors sit at the 47th percentile among all CPUs, so neither is positioned as a high-end part in the broader database context. Within this specific pairing, however, the AMD processor is the clear winner in every measured test.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE wins with a score of 7520, compared to 6629 for the Intel Core i5-9400, a delta of -11.8% from the Intel side.

Q: How do the two chips compare in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE leads in every single-core test: 106 versus 94 in R15, 445 versus 392 in R20, and 1061 versus 935 in R23, with deltas ranging from -11.3% to -11.9%.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has a TDP of 65 W, while the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE has a TDP of 35 W.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i5-9400 and the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE are recorded at the 47th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Does the Intel chip have any benchmark win recorded?

A: No. Across all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE wins every one. The Intel Core i5-9400 records zero wins in the head-to-head data.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages, and the recorded specifications explain why the benchmark results favor the AMD part despite its lower core count. The Intel Core i5-9400 is built on the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, using a 14 nm process node from Intel. It offers 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The cache hierarchy consists of 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, with a recorded bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The chip uses Intel Socket 1151 and provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Integrated graphics are handled by the UHD 630. The processor is marked as end-of-life and was released in October 2018.

The AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE belongs to the 3000 series family, built on the Zen+ architecture with the Picasso codename. It uses a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries and integrates 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die. The chip provides 4 cores and 8 threads, enabling SMT, with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Cache sizes are larger per core: 96 KB of L1, 512 KB of L2, but the shared L3 is only 4 MB, less than half of the Intel part's 9 MB. Memory support is DDR4 on a dual-channel bus with a slightly higher recorded bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The socket is AMD Socket AM4, and PCIe support is Gen 3. Integrated graphics are provided by the Radeon RX Vega 11, a notably more capable iGPU than the UHD 630 on the Intel side. The Ryzen 5 3400GE has an unlocked multiplier, while the i5-9400 does not. It is listed as an active product, released in July 2019.

The architectural differences explain the benchmark outcomes. The AMD part's higher base clock of 3.30 GHz versus 2.90 GHz gives it an advantage in single-threaded tasks, and its eight threads allow better utilization in multi-threaded workloads despite having two fewer physical cores. The larger per-core L1 and L2 caches on the Ryzen may also contribute to its efficiency, even though its L3 cache is smaller. The process node difference, 12 nm for AMD versus 14 nm for Intel, and the newer release date, 2019 versus 2018, likely factor into the performance gap. The TDP figures further differentiate the two: 35 W for the AMD part versus 65 W for the Intel chip, making the Ryzen significantly more power-efficient while still delivering higher benchmark scores.