CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-7400 vs Intel Core i5-7600K
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-7400 is a mainstream desktop processor launched in early 2017 as part of the 7th Generation Kaby Lake lineup. Designed as the entry point for the Core i5 desktop family, it features four physical cores operating at a base frequency of 3.0 GHz, with the ability to boost up to 3.5 GHz. Manufactured on Intel's mature 14nm process, it fits into the standard 65-watt TDP envelope, making it compatible with a wide range of cooling solutions and motherboards. The chip lacks Hyper-Threading, handling four threads simultaneously, which was standard for i5 processors of this generation. It integrates Intel HD 630 graphics, providing adequate performance for everyday multimedia tasks and hardware-accelerated video decoding. Supporting dual-channel DDR4 memory at 2400 MT/s and featuring 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes, the i5-7400 was widely adopted in budget gaming rigs and office PCs. While it has been surpassed by modern processors, it remains a functional solution for basic computing needs and legacy system builds.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Solid performance for standard office tasks, but limited by 4 threads in heavy multitasking.
Snappy for daily tasks but fails in multi-threaded rendering.
Gaming
Can run older games well but will bottleneck modern GPUs significantly.
High clocks help older games, but 4 threads cause severe stuttering in modern titles.
Virtualization
Basic VM support is possible, but performance is restricted by core count.
Poor for VMs due to lack of threads.
Efficiency
65W TDP is well-managed and easy to cool.
91W TDP increases significantly when overclocked.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No AI acceleration hardware
- Will struggle with any local AI inference
- No AI hardware
- Unusable for modern AI tasks
Content Creation
Gaming
- Heavily bottlenecked by 4 threads in modern titles
- Acceptable for retro or e-sports titles with a low-end GPU
- HD 630 not suitable for modern gaming without a dedicated GPU
- Overclocking to 5GHz doesn't fix stuttering caused by 4 threads
- Bottlenecks modern GPUs heavily
- Only suitable for retro or eSports titles
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Good single-core performance for basic tasks
- Low 65W TDP is easy to cool
- Hardware video decoding for modern codecs
- Widely compatible with LGA 1151 motherboards
- Affordable on the used market
Cons
- Only 4 threads limits modern multitasking
- Locked multiplier prevents overclocking
- No PCIe Gen 4 support
- Bottlenecks modern mid-range GPUs
- Not supported on Windows 11 officially
Pros
- Unlocked multiplier for overclocking
- High 4.2 GHz turbo boost
- Can easily hit 5.0 GHz with good cooling
- Strong single-thread performance
- Fun chip for legacy enthusiast builds
Cons
- Only 4 cores and 4 threads
- Severely bottlenecks modern games
- No official Windows 11 support
- 91W TDP gets hot when overclocked
- Quickly replaced by 6-core i5-8600K
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-7400
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200Rival
Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 5 1400Rival
Desktop
- Intel Core i3-7100Rival
Desktop
- Intel Core i5-6400Rival
Desktop
- AMD FX-8350Rival
Desktop
Successor with 6 cores, offering vastly superior modern performance.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 1600Alt
Contemporary AMD alternative with 6 cores and 12 threads.
A slight step up in clock speeds if sticking to 7th Gen.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 3600Alt
A much better modern alternative for a budget build.
A modern budget CPU that destroys this chip in every metric.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i5-7600K
- AMD Ryzen 5 1600Rival
Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 5 1500XRival
Desktop
- Compare head-to-headIntel Core i5-6600KRival
Desktop
- Intel Core i7-7700KRival
Desktop
- AMD FX-8350Rival
Desktop
Successor with 6 cores, offering much better modern performance.
Compare head-to-headThe locked version if you don't plan to overclock.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i5-12400FAlt
A modern budget CPU that vastly outperforms it.
- AMD Ryzen 5 3600Alt
A vastly superior modern CPU for a similar used price.
Our Verdict on Each
A standard quad-core CPU of its era that handles basic tasks well, but lacks Hyper-Threading and is heavily bottlenecked in modern multi-threaded workloads.
Best for: Keeping an existing LGA 1151 system alive for basic office work.
Read the full reviewA fun chip for overclocking, but its 4-core/4-thread design makes it obsolete for modern gaming and productivity workloads.
Best for: Buying a used chip for a legacy LGA 1151 retro gaming rig or overclocking experimentation.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-7400 or Intel Core i5-7600K?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-7600K leads with a gaming performance score of 55/100 among Intel Core i5-7400 and Intel Core i5-7600K.
Which uses less power?
The Intel Core i5-7400 has the lowest rated TDP. Power draw across these chips: Intel Core i5-7400 (65 W), Intel Core i5-7600K (91 W).
Do Intel Core i5-7400 and Intel Core i5-7600K use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the Intel Socket 1151 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i5-7600K posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i5-7400 (5,200), Intel Core i5-7600K (6,500). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.