9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400
- Boost/Base Clock:
- 4.1 GHz Boost Clock
- Core/Thread Count:
- 6C/6T
- Cache:
- 9MB L3
- CPU Socket:
- FCLGA1151
- CPU Series:
- Coffee Lake, 9th Gen Intel Core
- Form Factor:
- Desktop
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Manufacturer: Intel Last updated: September 9, 2026
9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 Review
The 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 is a 6-core mainstream desktop processor built on Coffee Lake, boosting up to 4.1 GHz within a 9MB L3 cache on the LGA 1151 socket.
As the entry point into Intel's 9th Gen i5 lineup, this chip brought genuine 6-core capability to a mainstream, non-overclockable price tier, sharing its base architecture with the F-suffix 9400F variant.
Integrated Graphics
The standard variant includes basic Intel integrated graphics for display output; mainstream desktop builds around this chip typically pair it with a discrete GPU for gaming.
How Is the Core i5 9400 in Terms of Performance
The 6-core layout gives this chip solid mainstream gaming and everyday performance, sharing its core Coffee Lake silicon with the widely recommended F-suffix 9400F variant.
Benchmarks
The benchmarks below are published results for specific applications. They are measured separately and do not feed the two scores above.
Puget Bench for Photoshop v1.0 - points (More is Better)
- Apple M5 Max15043.83 points
- Apple M5 Pro14885.21 points
- Apple M512095.89 points
- AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D12088.31 points
- Intel Core i9-14900KF10029.96 points
- 11th Gen Intel Core i7 11700K7098.88 points
- 10th Gen Intel Core i9-10900KF6892.97 points
- 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 (this product)3746 points
Puget Systems runs a fixed set of real Photoshop jobs: opening and saving large files, resizing, content-aware fill, blurs and filters. A higher score means less waiting on the tasks a retoucher repeats all day.
Photoshop is decided mostly by how fast a few cores are, not how many there are, so a chip with fewer but faster cores often beats one with more cores. Treat a gap under about 5 percent as something you would never notice while working.
Benchmarks
Sharing the same 6-core Coffee Lake silicon as the popular F-suffix i5-9400F, this chip's real-world gaming and productivity performance tracks closely with its integrated-graphics-free sibling, appropriate for buyers wanting a fallback iGPU.
Our verdict
Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.
Best for
- Mainstream desktop builders wanting genuine 6-core performance with a fallback integrated GPU
Not for
- Enthusiasts wanting to overclock, the unlocked i5-9600K offers that flexibility
Specifications
What these specs meanIdentity
| Brand | Intel |
|---|---|
| Product Line | Core i5 |
| Model Number | 9400 |
| Codename | Coffee Lake |
| Release Year | 2019 |
Segment and platform
| Market Segment | Desktop |
|---|---|
| Microarchitecture | Coffee Lake |
| Socket | FCLGA1151 |
| Socket Status | End of Life |
| Process Node | 14 nm |
Core configuration
| Total Cores | 6 |
|---|---|
| Performance Cores | 6 |
| Efficiency Cores | 0 |
| Total Threads | 6 |
| SMT Enabled | No |
Clock speeds
| P-Core Base Clock | 2.9 GHz |
|---|---|
| P-Core Boost Clock | 4.1 GHz |
Cache
| L3 Cache | 9 MB |
|---|
Power and thermal
| Base Power | 65 W |
|---|---|
| Max Turbo Power | 65 W |
Memory
| Memory Type | DDR4-2666 |
|---|---|
| Max Memory Speed | 2666 MT/s |
| Memory Channels | 2 |
| ECC Support | No |
Graphics and AI
| Integrated Graphics | Yes |
|---|---|
| iGPU Model | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| Copilot Plus Certified | No |
Expansion
| PCIe Generation | 3.0 |
|---|---|
| PCIe Lanes | 16 |
Commercial
| Launch MSRP | 182 USD |
|---|---|
| Retail Availability | Retail |
| Form Factor | Desktop |
|---|---|
| TDP | 65 W |
| iGPU | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
FAQs
What are the key specifications of the 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400?
The 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads, a 2.9 GHz base and 4.1 GHz boost clock, 9 MB of L3 cache and a 65 W TDP. Integrated graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630. Socket: FCLGA1151.
Will the 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 work with my current setup?
The 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 lists CPU Socket is LGA 1151. Check that against the hardware you already own before buying, since this is the field that most often decides whether a part fits.
Who is the 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400 best suited to?
Best suited to: Mainstream desktop builders wanting genuine 6-core performance with a fallback integrated GPU.
What are the drawbacks of the 9th Gen Intel Core i5 9400?
Not the best fit for: Enthusiasts wanting to overclock, the unlocked i5-9600K offers that flexibility.