Breaking Downwardly the Data

First up, everyone'due south favorite... the 720p data. Hither nosotros tin come across the Core i5-8400 was 11% faster on average than the overclocked Ryzen 5 1600 when comparison the minimum frame charge per unit. Not a massive margin simply the 8400 is clearly faster overall. Information technology's also worth noting that it matched the minimum result of the 7700K.

If nosotros check out the cost per frame, this is what we observe... (Delight annotation I'chiliad combining both the CPU and motherboard cost here, so the 8400 is paired with a inexpensive Z370 board and the R5 1600 with a B350 lath. Both use the same memory, graphics card and all the remainder of the hardware.)

Based on the 720p data of the Cadre i5-8400 combo, information technology really ends upwardly costing 2% less per frame than the competition despite costing 9% more thank you to its superior overall performance. That's non a huge deviation of course so it'due south fair to say the 8400 and R5 1600 are similar in terms of value, bold you're willing to overclock the Ryzen CPU.

Moving to 1080p we see that while the 8400 was i% faster previously, it's now but 4% faster at 1080p. This means when comparison the price per frame, the 8400 now costs 5% more, making the overclocked Ryzen 5 1600 slightly better value.

At 1440p where we are heavily GPU-spring there is zero functioning difference between the R5 1600 and 8400, which means the cost per frame of the 8400 is 9% more expensive as the combo costs 9% more than, no surprises in that location.

Based on that data, the worst case for the Cadre i5-8400 is that it costs 9% more and delivers the same performance. That figure is just bookkeeping for the CPU and motherboard, remember the Intel philharmonic is just $25 more than expensive. So those building a total system can safely add another $1,000 to the full and at present the 8400 costs slightly less than 2% more.

What I'm getting at here is regardless of how you lot wait at it, they're very similar. If nosotros focus on non-GPU bound results which I feel we actually ought to, the 8400 is the better value option as the performance increase outweighs the slight toll increase. At 1080p they're much of a muchness and naturally when GPU jump at 1440p the cheapest combo delivers the most value. The Core i3-8100 or Ryzen 3 1300X would win here if included and then I'll let you decided on how much weight those 1440p results should bear.

Now I realize it'due south extremely difficult to buy the Cadre i5-8400 currently and getting ane for $190 is even harder. However, this doesn't invalidate the results or my opinion. The MSRP is $182 and it won't be long before yous can readily purchase the 8400 at effectually that cost.

If this upsets you lot so much that you just tin can't become over information technology, recollect of it this way: You're getting a preview of what's to come. Intel volition shortly release the Core i5-8400 and this is how it will perform. Aught about the operation data I've shown here will change and the 8400 volition get available at around $190.

Armed with that data, you have a option: take the ruddy pill, or patiently wait for your chemist's shop to restock the blueish pill. That is to say, buy the Ryzen 5 1600 at present or wait and go the Core i5-8400 one time supply meets need.

I know in that location's going to be AMD fans screaming that I'm biased because I included low resolution results or because I didn't base of operations my pricing analysis on today'due south special at Microcenter. On the other side of that argue, Intel fans volition be upwards in arms that I didn't utilise a GTX 1080 Ti for testing or that 1440p limits CPU functioning and therefore AMD paid me.

The truth is, I don't intendance either style. Purchase the Ryzen v, buy the Core i5, information technology's withal to me. I'm just trying to provide the all-time information I tin can on the discipline for potential buyers. Only for fun though and something a niggling unlike, let's make a instance for buying the Ryzen 5 1600 and then the Core i5-8400.

I'd consider buying the Ryzen 5 1600 because it's cheaper overall including platform costs and the savings could buy y'all a decent libation or some flashy RGB lights. It's likewise available correct now for the MSRP or a little less when on sale, and is supported past a massive range of affordable B350 motherboards. If you're using anything less than a GTX 1080 Ti or play at realistic resolutions the experience is going to be like or identical to that of more expensive Intel CPUs.

The included cooler is good enough to support a 4GHz overclock with a custom fan curve and near fries hit at least three.9GHz with the correct voltage setting. Ryzen's efficiency is also great and the R5 1600 is rather power efficiency for a 6-cadre/12-thread CPU. Speaking of which, it does back up 12-threads and that could be handy in the future. Gaming aside, the R5 1600 is the superior CPU for productivity fifty-fifty before information technology's overclocked (vastly superior in some tests).

And I'd consider buying the Cadre i5-8400 because it'due south the stronger gaming CPU for the vast majority of titles available right now. Stronger low resolution operation could signal to it existence a better CPU downward the rails and a better pairing for futurity generation GPUs. That said, a loftier refresh charge per unit monitor will surely be better served by the 8400 correct now. Information technology'due south also a brute out of the box, no demand to fine tune or overclock -- not that you can, but yous're getting superior operation in games anyway.

Although Z370 motherboards are the only option right now, going this route is just slightly more expensive and it provides a flexible upgrade path in the future, so it might not even be worth saving $30 to $50 on a B360 board for a lot of gamers. In the stop, the 8400 is a simple, yet powerful selection for gamers.

I'm trying to look at this equally considerately as I tin can and y'all can certainly make a strong case for ownership either the Ryzen 5 1600 or the Core i5-8400. The only hiccup is that you tin really buy the Ryzen CPU right now whereas you can't get the 8400. This is likely to change in the coming weeks however, and so let's not complicate the issue. Y'all'll just accept to cross that bridge when it comes time to update or build your new gaming PC.

Yous have the operation data and you've seen how information technology translates when measuring the cost per frame based on the MSRP of each chip. If pricing is different in your region, take the average data and recalculate to determine the best value for you.

Shopping Shortcuts:

  • Intel Core i5-8400 on Amazon, Newegg
  • AMD Ryzen 5 1600 on Amazon, Newegg