The Intel Core i7-14700F is the objective winner of this comparison, securing victory in nine out of fourteen measured specifications. Its most significant advantage over the Intel Core i5-8400 is its L2 Cache, which is 1767% larger. While the Intel Core i5-8400 maintains a 70% advantage in Max Turbo Power, the superior cache capacity of the Intel Core i7-14700F establishes it as the more capable component across the majority of the evaluated technical fields.

Users prioritizing high-capacity cache for complex workloads should select the Intel Core i7-14700F to leverage its substantial architectural lead. Conversely, the Intel Core i5-8400 remains the appropriate choice for those who specifically require the efficiency profile provided by its Max Turbo Power advantage. By aligning these distinct technical strengths with your specific computing requirements, you can determine which of these processors better suits your intended use case.