Intel Core i5-7400T vs Intel Processor N100

The Intel Core i5-7400T (Kaby Lake S, Q1 2017) was introduced for energy-efficient desktop PCs. The Intel Processor N100 (Alder Lake N, Q1 2023) targets energy-efficient mini PCs.

The Intel Core i5-7400T (14 nm) has 4 cores, 4 threads, and 6 MB Level 3 Cache. The Intel Processor N100 (10 nm) also offers 4 cores, 4 threads, 4 MB Level 2 Cache, and 6 MB Level 3 Cache. Both support PCIe 3.0 and have 38 GB/s memory bandwidth. The Intel Processor N100 surpasses the Intel Core i5-7400T in single-core performance by over 10 percent; multi-core performance is comparable for both.

For gaming, both integrated graphics units (Intel HD Graphics 630 and Intel UHD Graphics 24 EUs, respectively) are only suitable for very simple titles, with the N100 potentially being slightly better here. The Intel Core i5-7400T has a TDP of 35W and is primarily available on the used market. The Intel Processor N100 is characterized by an extremely low TDP of 6W and, as a newer model, offers better performance per watt in new, energy-efficient systems.

The Intel Core i5-7400T delivers solid performance with moderate consumption. For maximum energy efficiency and modern basic performance (Office, web, media), the Intel Processor N100 is the recommendation, thanks to its higher energy efficiency and superior single-core performance.