Retailer photo of Intel Core i5-8400. View this offer in Where to buy
Intel · CPU
Intel Core i5-8400
The current Intel Core i5-8400 price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.
Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically
- Cores / threads
- 6C / 6T
- Boost clock
- 4000 MHz
- Socket
- LGA 1151
- TDP
- 154 W
- Memory support
- DDR4
Move a slider and the page re-scores this product against the same market frame.
What does it cost today, and is that a good price?
Market confidence: LowAt $74 the Intel Core i5-8400 is priced in line with its $74 representative market level. Only one retailer currently backs that price, so the level is a single data point rather than a market.
Limited market: only one retailer currently has a verified offer, so treat this price as a single data point.
Prices & availability
Intel Core i5-8400: current price and offers
Compare the offers we track for this model, across variants and retailers.
1 tracked offers · 1 retailers
| Variant | Store | Condition | Price (snapshot) | Value · Balanced | Checked | Offer link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i5-8400 | Newegg | New | $74 | 36 | 2026-10-16 | View offer → |
| Intel Core i5-8400Multiple variants available | Amazon Affiliate | Varies | Find on Amazon | Not tracked | No price snapshot | Find on Amazon → |
Prices are dated snapshots, not live quotes — confirm the final price at the store. New, refurbished and used offers are listed separately; used offers carry warranty and seller risk.
Performance and where it ranks
Two different questions, side by side. Performance compares what the hardware can do; Value compares what that capability costs at today’s price. A product can rank high on one and low on the other — that gap is the point.
Performance Balanced
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#213 of 264 graded processors
- #210 IntelIntel Core i5-9400F 6
- #211 IntelIntel Core i5-9400 5
- #212 IntelIntel Core i3-10300 5
- #213 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 5
- #214 IntelIntel Core i7-6700K 5
- #215 IntelIntel Core i3-10105F 5
- #216 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2400G 5
Value Balanced
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#138 of 264 currently priced processors
- #135 IntelIntel Core i5-12500 36
- #136 IntelIntel Core i5-6500T 36
- #137 IntelIntel Core i5-8600 36
- #138 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 36
- #139 IntelIntel Core i9-12900 36
- #140 IntelIntel Core i7-7740X 35
- #141 IntelIntel Core i5-6600 35
Performance Gaming
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#212 of 264 graded processors
- #209 IntelIntel Core i5-9400 53
- #210 IntelIntel Core i3-10105F 53
- #211 IntelIntel Core i3-10105 53
- #212 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 52
- #213 IntelIntel Core i7-7700 52
- #214 IntelIntel Core i7-4790K 52
- #215 IntelIntel Core i3-10100F 52
Value Gaming
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#188 of 264 currently priced processors
- #185 IntelIntel Core i5-7600 19
- #186 IntelIntel Core i7-7700K 18
- #187 IntelIntel Core i7-8700K 18
- #188 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 18
- #189 IntelIntel Core i7-7700 18
- #190 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G5500 18
- #191 IntelIntel Core i5-7500 17
Performance Productivity
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#213 of 264 graded processors
- #210 IntelIntel Core i5-9400F 6
- #211 IntelIntel Core i5-9400 5
- #212 IntelIntel Core i3-10300 5
- #213 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 5
- #214 IntelIntel Core i7-6700K 5
- #215 IntelIntel Core i3-10105F 5
- #216 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2400G 5
Value Productivity
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#203 of 264 currently priced processors
- #200 IntelIntel Core i3-10100 2
- #201 IntelIntel Core i9-9900 2
- #202 IntelIntel Core i7-8086K 2
- #203 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 2
- #204 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G7400 2
- #205 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 3200G 1
- #206 AMDAMD Ryzen 5 2600 1
Performance Performance per Watt
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#217 of 264 graded processors
- #214 IntelIntel Core i5-8500 11
- #215 IntelIntel Core i5-9400F 11
- #216 IntelIntel Core i5-9400 11
- #217 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 11
- #218 IntelIntel Core i7-4790K 11
- #219 IntelIntel Xeon E5 2620 V3 11
- #220 IntelIntel Xeon E3 1276 V3 11
Value Performance per Watt
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#196 of 264 currently priced processors
- #193 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 1200 9
- #194 IntelIntel Core i3-8350K 9
- #195 IntelIntel Core i5-12600 9
- #196 IntelIntel Core i5-8400 9
- #197 IntelIntel Core i7-7740X 8
- #198 IntelIntel Core i3-9300 8
- #199 IntelIntel Core i9-11900 8
These ladders follow the preset scenario shown above. Your own weights re-score this product, not the whole field.
What it is good for
| Scenario | this productCapability grade · Value at current price | Higher capability | Higher Value with current priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced (all-round)Weighted all-round view | GradeNo grade Value36 | Higher capability AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 42 +96% capability · +12% price | Higher Value with current priorities Intel Core i3-10100F 48 -6% capability · -3% price |
| GamingScenario capability | GradeC Value18 | Higher capability Intel Core i3-9350K C 17 +17% capability · +5% price | Higher Value with current priorities Intel Core i3-10100F C 40 +0% capability · -3% price |
| ProductivityScenario capability | GradeF Value2 | Higher capability AMD Ryzen 5 3600X D 2 +96% capability · +12% price | — |
| Performance per WattScenario capability | GradeF Value9 | Higher capability AMD Ryzen 5 4500 C 51 +200% capability · +18% price | Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 2400G F 20 +65% capability · -26% price |
Balanced has no letter: it is a weighting preset, not a capability rubric. A grade answers “how well does this handle that job?” — price is never part of it. Relative Value puts the current market price back in.
Compare these grades with the full tier list
Browse shortlists for different uses
Trade-offs
Works well if
- Gaming is your main prioritygraded C for Gaming on the same rubric as the tier list
Consider other options if
- You want strong value with Balanced priorities specificallyat today's market no realistic price for this model reaches strong value with Balanced priorities — the calculation only gets there near $24, against a cheapest tracked $74
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelIntel Core i3-10100F holds Relative Value 48 against its 36 with Balanced priorities, at $72
- Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades only F there
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Consider other options if
- Gaming is what you actually need it forit grades C there; Intel Core i3-9350K grades C at $78
- You want strong value for Gaming specificallycompeting products deliver so much more for Gaming per dollar that no price this model realistically trades at reaches the strong-value mark for this job
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelIntel Core i3-10100F holds Relative Value 40 against its 18 for Gaming, at $72
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Works well if
- Productivity is not actually your main job — Gaming isit grades F for Productivity, but C for Gaming
Consider other options if
- Productivity is what you actually need it forit grades F there; AMD Ryzen 5 3600X grades D at $84
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelAMD Ryzen 5 2400G holds Relative Value 2 against its 2 for Productivity, at $55
For the selected scenario this is not a strong fit — the grade above is the reason, and the models below suit it better.
Works well if
- Performance per Watt is not actually your main job — Gaming isit grades F for Performance per Watt, but C for Gaming
Consider other options if
- Performance per Watt is what you actually need it forit grades F there; AMD Ryzen 5 4500 grades C at $88
- Value for money matters more to you than this exact modelAMD Ryzen 5 2400G holds Relative Value 20 against its 9 for Performance per Watt, at $55
Models that suit Performance per Watt better, at this budget
Every line states the fact it was derived from, for the scenario selected above. Thresholds are calculated points on our value curve — information about where the maths turns, not instructions about what to pay.
Similar options to the Intel Core i5-8400
Chosen for Balanced
Chosen for Gaming
Chosen for Productivity
Chosen for Performance per Watt
Alternatives stay near this product’s price range. Step-up options may exceed the standard budget envelope when the capability gain is meaningful.
More head-to-head comparisons in this category
Upgrade planner
Judge the change in the active scenario, then make the cash gap explicit.
Using page scenarioWhat are you upgrading from? These are the axes we compare on, and where this product stands in the current market.
We rank upgrades by out-of-pocket cost — the new price minus what yours is worth — not by sticker price.
Only candidates that clear the configured meaningful-upgrade gate will be shown; roles are omitted rather than filled.
Capability differences are expressed as tiers and index points, not as benchmark percentages we did not measure.
Specifications and compatibility
What this product is, and what to check before it goes into your build.
Core / Performance
- Cores
- 6
- Threads
- 6
- Performance cores
- 6
- Efficiency cores
- 0
- Base clock
- 2800 MHz
- Boost clock
- 4000 MHz
Power / Interface
- TDP
- 154 W
- Maximum turbo power
- 154 W
- Socket
- LGA 1151
- Memory support
- DDR4
- Maximum memory
- 128 GB
- Integrated graphics
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- Process node
- 14 nm
Show all specifications
Core / Performance
- L2 cache
- 1 MB
- L3 cache
- 9 MB
- Unlocked multiplier
- No
Warranty & release
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Release year
- 2017
- Manufacturer part number
- BX80684I58400
Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure The Comparator calculated.
Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-10-10–2026-10-17
What to check in your build
LGA 1151 required
Your motherboard must use socket LGA 1151. A different socket does not fit — this is a physical constraint, not a preference.
Board BIOS must list this model
A matching socket is necessary but not sufficient — check the vendor CPU support list.
DDR4 memory
This processor takes DDR4. Memory of another generation does not fit the slots, even on a board with the right socket.
Cooler rated for 154 W or more
No cooler is included. Your cooler must be rated for at least 154 W on socket LGA 1151.
Found an error? Report this specification Email the field, corrected value and an optional source.
Compatibility guidance is practical help, not a score. Missing data is shown as unknown, never invented.
Summary
Intel Core i5-8400 offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #213 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 260. AMD Ryzen 5 2400G currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.
Intel Core i5-8400 offers C-grade capability for Gaming. It ranks #212 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 260. The C grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-8400 offers F-grade capability for Productivity. It ranks #213 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 260. The F grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-8400 offers F-grade capability for Performance per Watt. It ranks #217 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 260. The F grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
FAQ
Why does Relative Value change when I choose another scenario?
Each scenario changes the weights applied to capability, price and the other published factors. The hardware facts stay fixed, but the value question changes, so its score and rank can change too.
Why can Amazon appear without a tracked price?
Amazon is shown as a discovery link when we do not have a permitted verified price snapshot. It is excluded from price comparisons, rankings and Relative Value until a compliant tracked price exists.
Useful links & sources
offer frame 2026-10-10–2026-10-17 · formula cpu-value-v1.4 · facts facts-2026-10-17 · Relative Value is an estimate from our current dataset, the selected weights and dated market prices — not an official product rating and not a price forecast. Target prices are calculation thresholds, not predictions. Methodology We are not a shop. Affiliate links may earn us a commission; they never change the calculations or the ranking.