Intel Core i3-8100 vs Intel Core i5-7400

The Intel Core i5-7400 (Kaby Lake S) and the Intel Core i3-8100 (Coffee Lake S) are both 14nm desktop processors from Intel with 4 cores and 4 threads.

The Intel Core i5-7400 was aimed at mainstream users, while the Intel Core i3-8100 was aimed at budget-conscious users. Both support PCIe 3.0, offer 6 MB of Level 3 Cache, and a maximum memory bandwidth of 38 GB/s. The Intel Core i5-7400 uses Intel HD Graphics 630, while the Intel Core i3-8100 uses the slightly improved Intel UHD Graphics 630.

In terms of performance, thanks to its newer Coffee Lake S architecture, the Intel Core i3-8100 shows noticeably better single-core performance than the Intel Core i5-7400. For applications that benefit from faster single cores, such as many games, the Intel Core i3-8100 is therefore more advantageous.

The multi-core performance of both processors, however, is comparable, with differences below the 10 percent mark. Details on detailed power consumption or specific TDP values are not available. Both CPUs are designed to be energy-efficient for their respective performance class. The Intel Core i3-8100's price-performance ratio was attractive at its launch, as its single-core performance even surpassed an older Intel Core i5.

In summary, the Intel Core i5-7400 is a solid choice for general tasks. For higher performance per core, especially in games, the Intel Core i3-8100 is the better recommendation due to its newer architecture and superior single-core performance.