After the intense central processing unit (CPU) showdown between Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), a winner has finally appeared, and unfortunately for AMD, Intel has taken the crown again.
Intel has unleashed its 8th-generation Coffee Lake processor with flying colors, as the Core i5-8400 has been dubbed and awarded with the best CPU of 2017. PC Gamer has announced its best choice for an all-rounder CPU, choosing the i5-8400 due to its 50 percent increased performance over Intel's previous Kaby Lake generation processors. Apart from that, they have also praised the 8400's increased core count from four cores to six despite being a mid-range i5 CPU. The best part of all is that it only costs below $200, an easy win for Intel.
A disclaimer is in order though for people looking to upgrade their Intel CPUs since the Coffee Lake generation requires a new motherboard, which can easily cost at least half the price of the CPU. This means that the i5-8400 is best for users looking to buy a new PC or are at least more than four generations behind in terms of CPU and motherboard.
Regardless, the investment spent on an i5-8400 will not disappoint, as it matches the performance of an i7-7700k which is Intel's top-tier CPU for the Kaby Lake. What's more impressive for the 8400 is that it has a lower clock speed than that of the 7700k and cannot be overclocked. The i5-8400 only has a base frequency speed of 2.8 gigahertz (GHz) but can easily boost to 3.8 GHz when needed with two of its cores being able to reach 4.0 GHz.
Still, PC Gamer has given credit to AMD due to their highly competitive Ryzen processors which were released in the first quarter of this year. Without them, Intel apparently would not be compelled to make Coffee Lake better and more competitive than its rival. With the rate things are between the two CPU manufacturers, however, things may change fast since AMD is drumbeating the release of its Ryzen 2 processors, which might put Intel on edge once again.
