Intel Core i5-1145G7E vs Intel Core i5-9400T Comparison

The Intel Core i5-1145G7E and the Intel Core i5-9400T represent two very different approaches to the same performance tier. One is a low-power mobile chip built on a modern process, while the other is a desktop part from an older generation. Despite the 9400T having two additional physical cores, the benchmark data consistently favors the newer Tiger Lake silicon. Across every single shared test, the i5-1145G7E comes out ahead, often by a margin of roughly nine percent. This makes for a surprisingly one-sided comparison, where architectural efficiency trumps raw core count.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is that the i5-1145G7E wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The margins are consistent, hovering around nine percent in nearly every test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 1145G7E scores 757 against the 9400T’s 695, a delta of 8.9 percent. The single-core test in R15 shows a similar story, with scores of 106 and 97 respectively, giving the 1145G7E a 9.3 percent edge. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20, where the multi-core score is 3156 versus 2896 (a 9 percent difference) and the single-core score is 445 versus 408 (a 9.1 percent difference).

Moving to the more demanding Cinebench R23 workload, the gap remains remarkably stable. The 1145G7E posts a multi-core score of 7516, while the 9400T manages 6896, again a 9 percent delta. In single-core R23, the scores are 1061 and 973, with the 1145G7E leading by 9 percent. It is worth remembering the 1145G7E only has four cores and eight threads, whereas the 9400T has six cores and six threads. The fact that the smaller chip wins the multi-core tests outright indicates that the Tiger Lake architecture’s per-core performance advantage fully compensates for the two missing cores.

The 9400T does have additional benchmark data for Geekbench, where it scores 3969 multi-core and 1152 single-core. However, since the 1145G7E has no corresponding Geekbench entry, this cannot be directly compared. The percentile rankings are identical at 47 for both parts, suggesting that despite the consistent wins, neither chip leaps far ahead of the broader CPU market. The average benchmark scores tell a similar tale: the 1145G7E averages 2174, while the 9400T averages 2136. This is a small overall margin, even though the Cinebench suite shows a clearer advantage for the mobile chip.

FAQ

Q: Does the i5-9400T’s six-core design beat the i5-1145G7E’s four-core design in multi-threaded work?

A: No. The benchmark data shows the opposite. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 1145G7E scores 7516 compared to the 9400T’s 6896, a 9 percent advantage for the smaller chip. The same holds true in R20 (3156 vs 2896) and R15 (757 vs 695). The newer architecture’s efficiency more than makes up for the two fewer cores.

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1145G7E boosts to 4.10 GHz, which is significantly higher than the i5-9400T’s 3.40 GHz boost. This clock advantage helps explain the consistent single-core wins in the benchmark results.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The i5-1145G7E has a TDP of 28 watts, while the i5-9400T has a TDP of 35 watts. This is notable because the lower-power chip delivers higher performance in the Cinebench tests, making it the more efficient part in this comparison.

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No. The i5-1145G7E is listed as Active in production status, while the i5-9400T is marked as End-of-life. This could matter for long-term availability and platform support.

Q: How does the i5-1145G7E compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The data shows it sits at an average score of 2174, with the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE right next to it at 2175 (0 percent delta). The Intel Core i7-1185GRE scores 2178, which is 0.2 percent higher, and the Intel Core i5-7640X scores 2167, 0.3 percent lower.

Q: Which CPU has better integrated graphics?

A: The i5-1145G7E features Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 execution units, whereas the i5-9400T has the older UHD 630. This makes the mobile chip substantially more capable for graphics tasks that rely on the iGPU.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-1145G7E wins every benchmark that was run on both CPUs. In multi-threaded workloads, it leads by roughly nine percent across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. This is unexpected given the 9400T’s six physical cores, but the 1145G7E’s higher clocks and newer architecture deliver superior throughput. In single-threaded tasks, the 1145G7E also dominates, with margins between 9 and 9.3 percent. Applications that rely heavily on single-core performance will clearly favor the Tiger Lake part.

The i5-9400T has no benchmark wins to point to, but its data set includes Geekbench scores that were not measured on the 1145G7E. It also offers a different set of platform features, including a desktop socket and 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, which could matter for expansion in a stationary build. For users who need a CPU that fits into an existing Socket 1151 motherboard, the 9400T is the only option between the two. However, based strictly on compute performance, there is no workload in the shared benchmark suite where the 9400T comes out ahead.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ substantially in core configuration. The i5-1145G7E has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-9400T has 6 cores and 6 threads. This means the 9400T has more physical cores but lacks hyper-threading, while the 1145G7E has fewer cores but double the threads per core. The base clocks also differ, with the 9400T starting at 1.80 GHz compared to the 1145G7E’s 1.50 GHz. However, the boost clocks reverse this trend, with the 1145G7E reaching 4.10 GHz versus the 9400T’s 3.40 GHz.

The cache layouts are also different. The 1145G7E has 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, plus 8 MB of shared L3. The 9400T has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, with 9 MB of shared L3. Notably, the 9400T has one more megabyte of L3 cache, despite the 1145G7E’s more generous per-core allocations. Memory support differs as well: the 1145G7E supports both DDR4 and LPDDR4X, while the 9400T only officially supports DDR4. The 9400T has a listed memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the 1145G7E does not have a bandwidth figure in the data.

The sockets are completely incompatible. The 1145G7E uses Intel BGA 1449, which is a soldered mobile socket, while the 9400T uses the desktop Intel Socket 1151. The PCIe support also differs, with the 1145G7E offering Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes and the 9400T offering Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. The launch MSRP for the 1145G7E is $312, while the 9400T has no listed price.

Architecture Differences

These chips come from different architectural generations. The i5-1145G7E is built on Tiger Lake, specifically the Tiger Lake-U codename, and belongs to the Willow Cove-U core generation. It is fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process node with a die size of 144 mm². The i5-9400T, in contrast, uses the older Coffee Lake architecture and Coffee Lake Refresh generation, built on Intel’s 14 nm process. The 9400T has no listed die size.

The process node difference is significant, as the 10 nm Tiger Lake design allows for higher transistor density and better power efficiency. The 1145G7E’s integrated graphics are Iris Xe Graphics G7 with 80 execution units, a major upgrade over the 9400T’s UHD 630. The 1145G7E is also a mobile part, while the 9400T is a desktop part, which explains the different TDP targets and socket types. Neither CPU has an unlocked multiplier, and both lack ECC memory support.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i5-1145G7E is the faster CPU in every test that both chips share. If you are choosing between these two based purely on compute performance, the 1145G7E is the clear winner, despite having fewer physical cores. Its nine percent advantage across the Cinebench suite, combined with a lower 28-watt TDP, makes it the more efficient and capable processor for both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads.

However, the choice is not purely about performance. The 9400T is a desktop part with a Socket 1151 interface and 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, making it suitable for traditional desktop builds with discrete GPUs and expansion cards. The 1145G7E is a mobile chip on BGA 1449, meaning it is soldered to the motherboard and only offers 4 PCIe Gen 4 lanes. For a user building a new desktop system, the 9400T’s platform flexibility is a real consideration, even if its performance lags.

The architectural differences also point to different use cases. The 1145G7E’s Iris Xe graphics and LPDDR4X support make it well-suited for compact, power-efficient laptops or embedded systems where integrated graphics matter. The 9400T’s higher TDP and desktop socket make it a better fit for budget-oriented desktop PCs where upgradeability and PCIe expansion are priorities. Given that the 9400T is end-of-life and the 1145G7E is active, the newer part also has a longer production horizon. Ultimately, the 1145G7E wins on performance and efficiency, while the 9400T retains relevance only through its desktop platform and larger core count.