Intel Core i5-9400T vs Intel Core i7-1185GRE Comparison

The Intel Core i7-1185GRE and Intel Core i5-9400T represent two distinct design philosophies from the same manufacturer, targeting different market segments with different priorities. The data shows a clear split: the i5-9400T wins six of eight head-to-head benchmarks, while the i7-1185GRE takes the remaining two. However, the margin and nature of those victories tell a more nuanced story than a simple win count suggests. The i5-9400T scores consistently higher across the Cinebench suite, but the i7-1185GRE delivers a decisive single-core Geekbench victory, pointing to different workload optimizations.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-9400T establishes its advantage in the Cinebench family, which is heavily weighted toward sustained multi-threaded rendering and compute tasks. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 695 against the i7-1185GRE’s 668, a 3.9% lead. That pattern repeats across R20 and R23 multicore tests, with the i5-9400T leading by 3.8% in both cases. Its single-core Cinebench results also edge ahead, with R15 single-core at 97 versus 94 (3.1% lead), R20 single-core at 408 versus 393 (3.7% lead), and R23 single-core at 973 versus 936 (3.8% lead). This consistency suggests the i5-9400T holds a slight but uniform advantage in Cinebench’s rendering workload.

The i7-1185GRE, by contrast, claims dominance in Geekbench, particularly in the single-core test. Its Geekbench single-core score of 1848 dwarfs the i5-9400T’s 1152, a massive 60.4% delta. The multicore Geekbench result also favors the i7-1185GRE at 4060 versus 3969, a 2.3% lead. This indicates the i7-1185GRE’s architecture handles Geekbench’s mixed integer and floating-point workloads more efficiently, especially when only one core is active. For users whose primary applications resemble Geekbench’s test patterns, the i7-1185GRE is the stronger choice despite losing the majority of the benchmark suite.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations and are built for different physical environments. The i7-1185GRE uses the Tiger Lake-U architecture with Willow Cove cores, fabricated on Intel’s 10 nm process, with a die size of 144 mm². The i5-9400T uses the older Coffee Lake architecture with Coffee Lake Refresh cores, built on the 14 nm process, with no die size listed. The i7-1185GRE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-9400T has 6 cores and 6 threads — the i5-9400T has more physical cores but lacks Hyper-Threading, so its thread count is lower than its core count.

Cache layouts also differ substantially. The i7-1185GRE provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-9400T offers 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3. The i7-1185GRE’s larger per-core L2 cache (1.25 MB versus 256 KB) is a significant architectural advantage for workloads that fit within that cache tier. Both support dual-channel memory, but the i7-1185GRE accepts DDR4 and LPDDR4X, while the i5-9400T only supports DDR4; the i5-9400T lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, which the i7-1185GRE does not specify.

The i7-1185GRE is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1449 socket with a 15 W TDP, while the i5-9400T is a desktop chip on Intel Socket 1151 with a 35 W TDP. The i7-1185GRE supports ECC memory and PCIe Gen 4 with 4 CPU lanes; the i5-9400T lacks ECC and uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. Integrated graphics differ: the i7-1185GRE has Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units, while the i5-9400T has the older UHD 630. The i7-1185GRE is listed as Active production status with a launch MSRP of $490, while the i5-9400T is End-of-life with no MSRP provided.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are uniformly close, with the i5-9400T winning every test by roughly the same margin. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-9400T scores 695 against 668, a 3.9% delta. Single-core R15 has it at 97 versus 94, a 3.1% delta. Moving to R20, the multicore gap is 2896 versus 2786 (3.8%), and single-core is 408 versus 393 (3.7%). Cinebench R23 shows the same pattern: multicore 6896 versus 6635 (3.8%) and single-core 973 versus 936 (3.8%). These margins are consistent enough to indicate a stable performance differential rather than a benchmark-specific anomaly.

The Geekbench results flip the narrative dramatically. The i7-1185GRE wins multicore with 4060 versus 3969, a 2.3% delta, but the single-core test is where it runs away: 1848 versus 1152, a 60.4% delta. That single-core Geekbench score is the largest margin in either direction across the entire comparison. The i5-9400T’s Geekbench single-core performance appears to lag far behind its Cinebench single-core showing relative to the i7-1185GRE, suggesting the older Coffee Lake architecture is particularly weak in Geekbench’s single-threaded integer and floating-point tests.

The average benchmark score for the i7-1185GRE is 2178, with a percentile rank of 47 among all CPUs. The i5-9400T has an average score of 2136, also at the 47th percentile. Their nearest rivals reinforce the close overall positioning: the i7-1185GRE’s closest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE at 2175 (0.2% delta), while the i5-9400T’s is the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U at 2135 (0% delta). Both processors sit in a dense cluster of mid-range parts, but the i7-1185GRE’s average score is slightly higher despite its lower TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks overall?

A: The Intel Core i5-9400T wins 6 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-1185GRE wins the remaining 2.

Q: What is the largest single performance gap in the comparison?

A: The i7-1185GRE leads by 60.4% in Geekbench single-core, scoring 1848 versus the i5-9400T’s 1152.

Q: How do the two processors compare in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The i5-9400T scores 6896, which is 3.8% higher than the i7-1185GRE’s 6635.

Q: Do the processors have the same number of cores?

A: No. The i7-1185GRE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-9400T has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i7-1185GRE has a 15 W TDP, while the i5-9400T has a 35 W TDP.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The i7-1185GRE supports ECC memory; the i5-9400T does not.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The i7-1185GRE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-9400T has 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks are identical at 1800 MHz, but boost clocks differ: the i7-1185GRE boosts to 4.40 GHz, while the i5-9400T tops out at 3.40 GHz. TDP is 15 W for the i7-1185GRE versus 35 W for the i5-9400T. The i7-1185GRE uses Intel BGA 1449 socket; the i5-9400T uses Intel Socket 1151. The i7-1185GRE is built on a 10 nm process with a 144 mm² die, while the i5-9400T uses a 14 nm process with no die size listed.

Cache configurations differ across all levels: the i7-1185GRE has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3; the i5-9400T has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3. Memory support shows the i7-1185GRE accepting DDR4 and LPDDR4X, while the i5-9400T only supports DDR4; the i5-9400T lists 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth, which the i7-1185GRE does not. ECC memory is supported only on the i7-1185GRE. PCIe versions and lane counts differ: the i7-1185GRE has Gen 4 with 4 lanes, while the i5-9400T has Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics are distinct: Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 with 96 execution units on the i7-1185GRE, versus UHD 630 on the i5-9400T. Market segments differ (Mobile versus Desktop), as do production statuses (Active versus End-of-life) and release dates (September 2020 versus August 2018). The i7-1185GRE has a launch MSRP of $490; the i5-9400T has no MSRP listed. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear division of use cases. The i5-9400T is the better choice for sustained Cinebench-style rendering workloads, where its 6 physical cores deliver a consistent 3.8–3.9% edge across R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests. It also wins every single-core Cinebench test, though by smaller margins of 3.1–3.8%. For users running CPU-bound rendering or video encoding that scales with core count, the i5-9400T’s benchmark results make it the stronger candidate despite its older architecture and higher 35 W TDP.

The i7-1185GRE is the superior option for single-threaded performance as measured by Geekbench, where its 60.4% lead in single-core and 2.3% lead in multicore indicate a significantly more efficient core design. Its 15 W TDP, ECC memory support, and PCIe Gen 4 connectivity position it for mobile or embedded deployments where power efficiency and platform features matter more than raw Cinebench throughput. The 4.40 GHz boost clock, compared to the i5-9400T’s 3.40 GHz, helps explain the Geekbench single-core dominance.

The overall average benchmark scores are close — 2178 for the i7-1185GRE versus 2136 for the i5-9400T — and both sit at the 47th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-1185GRE’s nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen 5 3400GE, is within 0.2% of its average score, while the i5-9400T’s closest competitor, the AMD Ryzen 3 5300U, is within 0%. Neither processor is definitively faster across the board. The i5-9400T wins more tests, but the i7-1185GRE wins the most lopsided matchups. Users should select based on whether their workload aligns with Cinebench’s rendering model or Geekbench’s mixed integer and floating-point pattern.