Core i5-9400
Model frame rate limit of 89 FPS. That is roughly the fastest this processor can feed a graphics card in a modern AAA title, no matter which card you fit.
The Core i5-9400 is one of the slowest gaming processor in our database, with a model frame rate limit of 89 FPS.
With 6 cores and 6 threads it handles most games, but streaming or heavy background apps at the same time will compete for it.
It uses the LGA 1151 socket with DDR4 memory, and at 1440p it can keep up with a card as fast as the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB.
Frame Rate Limit in Popular Games
| Game (settings) | Most FPS the Core i5-9400 can feed |
|---|---|
| Cyberpunk 2077 (High, no ray tracing) | ~75 |
| Fortnite (High, DirectX 12) | ~110 |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (High) | ~100 |
| Counter-Strike 2 (High) | ~195 |
Modelled estimates with an unlimited graphics card, rounded to the nearest 5 FPS. Your real frame rate is the lower of this and what your card can render. See the methodology.
Best match at each resolution
| Resolution | Closest matched card | Estimated FPS |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | GeForce RTX 2080 | 89 |
| 1440p | GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB | 88 |
| 4K | GeForce RTX 4080 Super | 88 |
"Closest matched" means the two parts run out of headroom at about the same frame rate, so neither is obviously wasted. A faster card is still worth buying if you plan to raise the resolution later.
The cards it lands closest to
The 24 graphics cards whose frame rate limit sits nearest this processor's, fastest first. Anything faster than the top of this table is wasted on it at 1080p, and anything slower is a card it will never trouble. For any other combination, use the calculator.
| Graphics card | 1080p | 1440p | 4K |
|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 5070 | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 65 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4070 Super | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 64 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3080 12GB | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 65 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7900 GRE | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 65 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3080 | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 62 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6900 XT | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 62 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7800 XT | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 60 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6800 XT | 89 cpu | 89 cpu | 59 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB | 89 cpu | 89 even | 54 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4070 | 89 cpu | 89 even | 54 gpu |
| Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB | 89 cpu | 89 even | 53 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB | 89 cpu | 88 even | 52 gpu |
| Radeon RX 7700 XT | 89 cpu | 88 even | 52 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3070 Ti | 89 cpu | 86 even | 51 gpu |
| Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB | 89 cpu | 86 even | 51 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6800 | 89 cpu | 86 even | 51 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3070 | 89 cpu | 82 gpu | 48 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB | 89 cpu | 80 gpu | 46 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 4060 Ti | 89 cpu | 80 gpu | 46 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 2080 Ti | 89 cpu | 80 gpu | 47 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 5060 | 89 cpu | 77 gpu | 44 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6750 XT | 89 cpu | 75 gpu | 43 gpu |
| GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | 89 cpu | 72 gpu | 41 gpu |
| Radeon RX 6700 XT | 89 cpu | 71 gpu | 40 gpu |
The tag after each number says which part hits its limit first.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | Intel |
| Generation | Intel 9th Gen (Coffee Lake Refresh) |
| Cores | 6 |
| Threads | 6 |
| Released | 2018 |
Other Intel 9th Gen (Coffee Lake Refresh) Processors
- Core i5-9400F bottleneck and GPU pairing
- Core i3-9100F bottleneck and GPU pairing
- Core i5-9600K bottleneck and GPU pairing
- Core i7-9700K bottleneck and GPU pairing
Common Questions
Is the Core i5-9400 good for an RTX 5070?
It holds the card back at 1440p. In our model the Core i5-9400 tops out near 89 FPS while the RTX 5070 could reach about 106, leaving roughly 16% of the card unused. It is a reasonable pairing at 4K, where the card does more work per frame.
What is the best GPU for the Core i5-9400?
At 1440p, the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB is the closest match: the two run out of headroom at about the same frame rate, so neither is wasted. A faster card still makes sense if you play at 4K, where the processor matters less.
Is the Core i5-9400 still good for gaming?
For older or lighter games, yes. Its 89 FPS frame rate limit and 6 threads mean modern AAA games run, but it will limit any recent mid-range or better card.
Will the Core i5-9400 bottleneck an RTX 5080?
Yes, at 1440p. It leaves about 40% of the RTX 5080 unused in our model (89 FPS from the processor against 149 from the card). At 4K the gap shrinks a lot.