Intel Core i5-7400 vs Intel Pentium Gold G6400 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive head-to-head result: the Intel Core i5-7400 wins 14 of the 16 shared benchmark tests, while the Intel Pentium Gold G6400 takes only 2. The margin of victory is often substantial, though the Pentium's two wins reveal a meaningful single-thread advantage.

The biggest gap comes in PassMark extended instructions. The i5-7400 scores 6452, while the G6400 manages only 1784, a delta of 261.7%. This is the largest proportional difference in the entire comparison and points to a significant capability gap in specialized instruction workloads. The i5-7400 also dominates prime number finding, scoring 27 versus 17, a 58.8% advantage, and Cinebench R23 single-core, where it posts 657 against 427, a 53.9% delta.

Across the Cinebench suite, the pattern is consistent. In R15 multi-core, the i5-7400 scores 469 versus 305, a 53.8% lead. R20 multi-core shows the same 53.8% delta, with 1956 against 1272. R20 single-core favors the i5-7400 by 53.6%, and R23 multi-core by 53.7%. These results indicate that the quad-core i5-7400 delivers roughly half again as much performance as the dual-core Pentium in rendering workloads, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded.

Other PassMark tests reinforce the i5-7400's dominance. Floating-point math shows 12042 versus 8788, a 37% advantage. Multi-thread performance is 5475 against 4118, a 33% lead. Physics testing gives 438 versus 356, a 23% gap. Data compression favors the i5-7400 by 21.4%, with 76268 against 62806. Random string sorting goes to the i5-7400 at 9301 versus 8034, a 15.8% margin. Data encryption is closer, 1611 versus 1535, a 5% edge. Integer math is the tightest test, with 14293 versus 13941, just 2.5% apart.

The Pentium Gold G6400's only wins come in the PassMark single-thread tests, where it scores 2457 against 2074, a 15.6% advantage. This appears in both the passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread entries, which record identical scores. The G6400's higher base clock evidently gives it a real edge in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive work.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-7400 is the clear choice for multi-threaded and compute-heavy tasks. Its four physical cores give it a structural advantage over the G6400's two cores, and the benchmark data reflects this across rendering, physics, compression, and encryption. Users running Cinebench-style workloads, data compression pipelines, or floating-point math will see consistently higher scores with the i5-7400.

The G6400's wins are narrow but real. Its single-thread PassMark score of 2457 beats the i5-7400's 2074, and that advantage likely translates to snappier response in applications that rely on one or two threads with minimal parallelization. For older software, lightweight productivity tasks, or workloads that cannot use more than two cores, the G6400 may feel faster despite its lower core count.

The data also shows that the G6400 is not far behind in integer math, trailing by only 2.5%. This suggests that for pure integer arithmetic, the two processors are nearly equivalent, and the Pentium's higher clock speed nearly offsets its missing cores. Similarly, data encryption is close, with just a 5% gap, indicating that the G6400 can hang with the i5-7400 in certain cryptographic workloads.

For content creation, the i5-7400's 53.8% lead in Cinebench R15 and R20 multi-core, plus its 53.7% edge in R23 multi-core, makes it the stronger pick. For general desktop responsiveness and single-threaded legacy software, the G6400's 15.6% single-thread advantage deserves attention.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectural generations. The i5-7400 is built on the Kaby Lake architecture, while the G6400 uses Comet Lake. Both are fabricated on Intel's 14 nm process node and both are produced by Intel as the foundry.

Core counts differ fundamentally. The i5-7400 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the G6400 has 2 cores and 4 threads. Both support simultaneous multi-threading on the Pentium side, but the i5-7400 does not, meaning its 4 threads come solely from its 4 physical cores. The G6400's 2 cores each run 2 threads, giving it 4 threads from half the physical hardware.

Cache configurations also diverge. Both processors have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The shared L3 cache differs: the i5-7400 has 6 MB shared, while the G6400 has 4 MB shared. This 2 MB difference in last-level cache may contribute to the i5-7400's performance lead in multi-threaded workloads.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i5-7400 carries Intel HD 630 graphics, while the G6400 uses UHD Graphics 610. Both are integrated solutions, but the HD 630 is the more capable iGPU on paper based on the naming tier.

Memory bandwidth is another distinguishing factor. The i5-7400 records 38.4 GB/s, while the G6400 reaches 42.7 GB/s. Despite the G6400's higher memory bandwidth, the i5-7400 still wins most benchmark tests, suggesting that core count and cache matter more than raw memory throughput in these workloads.

Specification Differences

The i5-7400 and G6400 differ in several key specifications. The i5-7400 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the G6400 has 2 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are markedly different: the i5-7400 runs at 3.00 GHz, while the G6400 runs at 4.00 GHz. The i5-7400 also has a boost clock of 3.50 GHz, while the G6400 has no listed boost clock, meaning it operates at a fixed 4.00 GHz.

Thermal design power differs slightly. The i5-7400 has a 65 W TDP, while the G6400 has a 58 W TDP. Sockets are incompatible: the i5-7400 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the G6400 uses Intel Socket 1200. This means the two processors cannot be swapped into the same motherboard.

Memory bandwidth differs, with the i5-7400 at 38.4 GB/s and the G6400 at 42.7 GB/s. Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, and neither supports ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes.

The L3 cache is 6 MB shared on the i5-7400 versus 4 MB shared on the G6400. Release dates are also far apart: the i5-7400 launched in January 2017, while the G6400 arrived in April 2020. Both are listed as Active in production status, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. Neither processor has a launch MSRP recorded in the database.

The integrated graphics differ, as noted: HD 630 on the i5-7400 versus UHD Graphics 610 on the G6400. The part numbers are SR32W for the i5-7400 and SRH3Y for the G6400.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-7400 wins 14 of the 16 shared tests, while the Intel Pentium Gold G6400 wins 2.

Q: How much faster is the i5-7400 in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The i5-7400 scores 4658 versus 3030 for the G6400, a 53.7% advantage.

Q: Does the Pentium Gold G6400 beat the i5-7400 in any test?

A: Yes, the G6400 wins both PassMark single-thread tests, scoring 2457 versus 2074, a 15.6% lead.

Q: What is the core and thread difference?

A: The i5-7400 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The G6400 has 2 cores and 4 threads, using Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads.

Q: Are these processors socket-compatible?

A: No. The i5-7400 uses Intel Socket 1151, while the G6400 uses Intel Socket 1200.

Q: How do their L3 caches compare?

A: The i5-7400 has 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the G6400 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Which processor has the higher base clock?

A: The G6400 runs at 4.00 GHz, while the i5-7400 has a 3.00 GHz base clock and a 3.50 GHz boost clock.