Intel Core i5-10200H vs Intel Core i5-9400 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Core i5-10200H has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-9400 offers more physical cores, whereas the i5-10200H relies on Hyper-Threading to reach 8 threads.

Q: How do the two compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-10200H scores 6795 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i5-9400 scores 6629. That gives the mobile chip a 2.4% lead in this test.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 wins in Geekbench multi-core with a score of 5141 versus 4096 for the Intel Core i5-10200H. This is the largest gap between the two, a 25.5% difference.

Q: Do both processors use the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both are built on Intel's 14 nm process. The i5-9400 is Coffee Lake, and the i5-10200H is Comet Lake-H.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Intel Core i5-10200H has a TDP of 45 watts. The desktop part draws more power, which is typical for its socket.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400 has 9 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i5-10200H has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split is clear: the Intel Core i5-10200H wins all six Cinebench tests, while the Intel Core i5-9400 wins both Geekbench tests. The Cinebench suite favors the mobile chip across R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core. The margins in Cinebench are small, ranging from 2.1% to 2.5%, but they are consistent. Every rendering workload in that suite lands in favor of the i5-10200H.

The Geekbench results tell a different story. The i5-9400 takes a decisive 25.5% lead in multi-core and a narrower 3.1% lead in single-core. The multi-core Geekbench gap is the single largest delta in the entire comparison, far exceeding any Cinebench margin. This suggests the desktop chip's six physical cores are more effective in that particular workload pattern.

For users who prioritize Cinebench-style rendering, the i5-10200H is the stronger choice. For users who prioritize Geekbench-style synthetic load testing, the i5-9400 is clearly ahead. The overall win count favors the i5-10200H at 6 wins to 2, but the magnitude of the i5-9400's Geekbench win is substantial enough to keep the comparison competitive depending on the application mix.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i5-9400 belongs to the Coffee Lake generation, specifically the Coffee Lake Refresh family. It is a desktop part designed for Intel Socket 1151. The Intel Core i5-10200H belongs to the Comet Lake-H generation, a mobile processor on Intel BGA 1440. Both use Intel's 14 nm process and are manufactured by Intel. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The core configurations differ significantly. The i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The i5-10200H has 4 cores and 8 threads, enabling two threads per core. This is why the mobile chip can compete in multi-threaded Cinebench despite having fewer physical cores. The i5-9400 compensates with two additional physical cores.

Cache hierarchies are also different. The i5-9400 has 9 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the i5-10200H has 6 MB. Both chips provide 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core. The larger L3 pool on the desktop chip may help in workloads that repeatedly access a large working set.

Memory support differs. The i5-9400 supports DDR4 only, while the i5-10200H supports both DDR3 and DDR4. Both use a dual-channel memory bus. The measured memory bandwidth is 42.7 GB/s for the i5-9400 and 46.9 GB/s for the i5-10200H. PCIe support also differs: the i5-9400 lists Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i5-10200H lists Gen 3 without a specific lane count.

Integrated graphics differ in naming. The i5-9400 includes UHD 630, while the i5-10200H includes UHD Graphics. Both are integrated solutions, but the desktop chip's variant is more specifically identified in the database.

Specification Differences

The base clock differs: the i5-9400 runs at 2.90 GHz, while the i5-10200H runs at 2.40 GHz. The boost clock is identical at 4.10 GHz for both. The i5-9400 has a higher idle-to-load baseline, but the i5-10200H reaches the same maximum frequency.

TDP is another clear separator. The i5-9400 is rated at 65 watts, the i5-10200H at 45 watts. This reflects their intended environments: desktop cooling versus laptop cooling.

The socket and market segment are opposite. The i5-9400 uses Intel Socket 1151 and is classified as Desktop. The i5-10200H uses Intel BGA 1440 and is classified as Mobile. The i5-9400 is marked End-of-life in production status, while the i5-10200H is marked Active.

Release dates are different. The i5-9400 was released on 2018-10-18, while the i5-10200H was released on 2020-09-16. The part numbers also differ: SR3X5 for the i5-9400 and SRK3X for the i5-10200H.

The i5-9400's memory bandwidth is 42.7 GB/s, while the i5-10200H's is 46.9 GB/s. The i5-10200H also supports DDR3 in addition to DDR4, which the i5-9400 does not. Neither processor has a launch MSRP listed in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the Intel Core i5-9400 comes in Geekbench multi-core. It scores 5141 against 4096 for the i5-10200H, a 25.5% advantage. This is the most lopsided result in the entire comparison. The i5-9400 also wins Geekbench single-core with 1389 versus 1347, a 3.1% lead.

The Intel Core i5-10200H wins every Cinebench test, but by small margins. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 684 to 668, a 2.3% lead. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 96 to 94, a 2.1% lead. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, it scores 2853 to 2784, a 2.4% lead. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 402 to 392, a 2.5% lead. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 6795 to 6629, a 2.4% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 959 to 935, a 2.5% lead.

The pattern is uniform: the i5-10200H is slightly faster in all Cinebench variants, while the i5-9400 is far ahead in Geekbench multi-core and modestly ahead in Geekbench single-core. The Cinebench wins are consistent but narrow, never exceeding 2.5%. The Geekbench multi-core win is dominant and changes the overall picture.

Average benchmark scores reflect this split. The i5-9400 has an average benchmark score of 2254, and the i5-10200H has 2154. Both sit at the 47th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The i5-9400's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-1068NG7 at 2259 (-0.2% delta), the Intel Core i7-10710U at 2248 (0.3% delta), the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 1500 at 2246 (0.4% delta), and the Intel Core i3-10305 at 2264 (-0.4% delta). The i5-10200H's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-5950HQ at 2158 (-0.2% delta), the AMD Ryzen 3 3300X at 2148 (0.3% delta), the Intel Core i5-7640X at 2167 (-0.6% delta), and the Intel Core i5-9400T at 2136 (0.9% delta).

The i5-9400's average score is higher than the i5-10200H's by exactly 100 points. The Geekbench results pull the desktop chip's average up, while the Cinebench results are too close to offset that difference.

The Verdict

The data supports different picks for different workloads. The Intel Core i5-10200H is the better choice for Cinebench-style rendering tasks. It wins all six Cinebench tests, from R15 through R23, in both single-core and multi-core. The margins are small but uniform, and the mobile chip accomplishes this with a 45 watt TDP and four cores with eight threads.

The Intel Core i5-9400 is the better choice for Geekbench-style workloads. Its 25.5% multi-core lead is the defining result of this comparison. The desktop chip's six physical cores give it a substantial advantage in that test, and it also edges ahead in single-core Geekbench by 3.1%.

For users who rely on Cinebench as their primary benchmark, the i5-10200H is the stronger performer. For users who weight Geekbench more heavily, the i5-9400 is the clear winner. The overall average benchmark score favors the i5-9400 at 2254 versus 2154, but both chips sit at the same 47th percentile among all CPUs.

The i5-9400 offers more physical cores, more L3 cache, and a higher base clock. The i5-10200H offers more threads, a lower TDP, higher memory bandwidth, and DDR3 support. The i5-9400 is end-of-life, while the i5-10200H is still active.

In practical terms, the i5-10200H is a mobile processor that matches or slightly exceeds the desktop i5-9400 in Cinebench, while the i5-9400 dominates in Geekbench multi-core. The choice depends entirely on which benchmark suite reflects the user's actual applications. The data does not crown a single overall winner; it splits cleanly along benchmark lines.