Intel Core i5-6400
The current Intel Core i5-6400 price from retailers, its key specifications, and how it performs for each job.
Intel · CPU
Retailer photo of Intel Core i5-6400. View this offer in Where to buy
Trade-offs: you want strong value with Balanced priorities specifically
- Cores / threads
- 4C / 4T
- Boost clock
- 3300 MHz
- Socket
- LGA 1151
- TDP
- 154 W
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 CAD 124 the Intel Core i5-6400 is priced in line with its CAD 124 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 i5-6400: 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 i5-6400 | Newegg | New | CAD 124 | 19 | 2026-10-29 | View offer → |
| Intel Core i5-6400Multiple 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.
#224 of 232 graded processors
- #221 IntelIntel Core i5-4690K 3
- #222 IntelIntel Core i5-4690 3
- #223 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 3
- #224 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 3
- #225 IntelIntel Celeron G6900 3
- #226 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G6400 2
- #227 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G5500 2
Value Balanced
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#189 of 232 currently priced processors
- #186 IntelIntel Core i9-10900 20
- #187 IntelIntel Core i9-10920X 20
- #188 IntelIntel Core i3-9300 20
- #189 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 19
- #190 IntelIntel Core i5-9500 19
- #191 IntelIntel Core i7-7820X 19
- #192 IntelIntel Core i5-8600T 19
Performance Gaming
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#221 of 232 graded processors
- #218 IntelIntel Core i3-8100 50
- #219 IntelIntel Core i5-4690 50
- #220 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 50
- #221 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 49
- #222 AMDAMD Ryzen 3 2200G 47
- #223 IntelIntel Core i7-4820K 45
- #224 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G6400 45
Value Gaming
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#208 of 232 currently priced processors
- #205 IntelIntel Core i5-9500 11
- #206 IntelIntel Core i7-6900K 10
- #207 IntelIntel Core i5-8600T 10
- #208 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 10
- #209 IntelIntel Xeon E5 2620 V2 10
- #210 AMDAMD A9700 10
- #211 IntelIntel Core i7-6850K 10
Performance Productivity
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#224 of 232 graded processors
- #221 IntelIntel Core i5-4690K 3
- #222 IntelIntel Core i5-4690 3
- #223 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 3
- #224 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 3
- #225 IntelIntel Celeron G6900 3
- #226 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G6400 2
- #227 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G5500 2
Value Productivity
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#225 of 232 currently priced processors
- #222 IntelIntel Core i5-4690 1
- #223 IntelIntel Celeron G5900 1
- #224 IntelIntel Xeon E5 2430V2 0
- #225 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 0
- #226 IntelIntel Pentium Gold G5400 0
- #227 IntelIntel Core i7-4820K 0
- #228 IntelIntel Xeon E3-1245 V3 0
Performance Performance per Watt
How much it can do. Price plays no part in this ranking.
#228 of 232 graded processors
- #225 IntelIntel Core i5-7500 7
- #226 AMDAMD A9700 7
- #227 IntelIntel Core i5-7400 6
- #228 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 6
- #229 IntelIntel Celeron G5900 6
- #230 IntelIntel Core i7-4820K 5
- #231 AMDAMD Athlon X4 860K 5
Value Performance per Watt
How much of that you get for today’s price.
#220 of 232 currently priced processors
- #217 IntelIntel Core i7-6900K 4
- #218 IntelIntel Core i5-7640X 4
- #219 IntelIntel Xeon E3-1245 V3 4
- #220 IntelIntel Core i5-6400 4
- #221 IntelIntel Core i7 Extreme 6950X 4
- #222 IntelIntel Core i7-6800K 4
- #223 IntelIntel Core i7-6850K 4
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 Value19 | Higher capability Higher capability · Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 5500 84 +271% capability | |
| GamingScenario capability | GradeC Value10 | Higher capability Intel Core i3-14100F C 78 +30% capability · +13% price | Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 5500 B 60 +20% capability |
| ProductivityScenario capability | GradeF Value0 | Higher capability Higher capability · Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 5500 D 8 +271% capability | |
| Performance per WattScenario capability | GradeF Value4 | Higher capability Higher capability · Higher Value with current priorities AMD Ryzen 5 5500 C 61 +589% capability | |
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 specificallycompeting products deliver so much more per dollar that no price this model realistically trades at reaches the strong-value mark for this job
- Not the pick if Productivity is your main useit 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
- Not the pick if Gaming is your main useit grades C there; Intel Core i3-14100F grades C at CAD 140
- 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
- You are buying for Gaming and want no asterisksthe rubric caps this grade: gaming index estimated from single-thread speed, cache and x3d — not a measured game benchmark for this exact chip
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
- Not the pick if Productivity is your main useGraded F; AMD Ryzen 5 5500 reaches D. Check on Amazon.
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
- Not the pick if Performance per Watt is your main useGraded F; AMD Ryzen 5 5500 reaches C. Check on Amazon.
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 i5-6400
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
- 4
- Threads
- 4
- Performance cores
- 4
- Efficiency cores
- 0
- Base clock
- 2700 MHz
- Boost clock
- 3300 MHz
Power / Interface
- TDP
- 154 W
- Maximum turbo power
- 154 W
- Socket
- LGA 1151
- Maximum memory
- 64 GB
- Integrated graphics
- Intel HD Graphics 530
- Process node
- 14 nm
Show all specifications
Core / Performance
- L2 cache
- 1 MB
- L3 cache
- 6 MB
- Unlocked multiplier
- No
Warranty & release
- Warranty
- 3 years
- Release year
- 2014
- Manufacturer part number
- BX80662I56400
Hover any value to see where it came from: a manufacturer specification, or a figure The Comparator calculated.
Sources: Comparator offer frame 2026-10-24–2026-10-29
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.
Unknown
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 i5-6400 offers a balanced view across an all-round mix of priorities. It ranks #224 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 146. Intel Xeon E5 2620 V2 currently clears the same practical bar with stronger Relative Value.
Intel Core i5-6400 offers C-grade capability for Gaming. It ranks #221 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 146. The C grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-6400 offers F-grade capability for Productivity. It ranks #224 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 146. The F grade is the decisive limitation for this workload.
Intel Core i5-6400 offers F-grade capability for Performance per Watt. It ranks #228 by capability in the current modelled field. Its clearest measured strength is multi-thread index 146. 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 listing snapshots can participate in Value while fresh. We show Check on Amazon instead of its price; confirm the current price and availability at the store. When no current listing snapshot exists, Amazon is a search link only.
Useful links & sources
offer frame 2026-10-24–2026-10-29 · formula cpu-value-v1.4 · facts facts-2026-10-29 · 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.