The Intel Core i5 14400 and the 14400F are some of the most popular CPUs these days. These chips continue the lineup of capable but affordable i5 processors that have been Intel's most successful formula for years. For most gamers, this chip is more than enough. It can handle most high-end graphics cards, and support all of the latest hardware like Gen 5 SSDs, DDR5 memory, and more, making it a fan favorite.
Choosing the best graphics cards for the chip can be a bit of a chore. Both AMD and Nvidia have launched several GPUs this generation, and some older options continue to be available at great rates. To help you choose, I have listed the ideal options based on my experience.
Intel Core i5 14400 and the 14400F work with a wide range of GPUs
5) Nvidia Geforce RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB ($389)
The Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti 8 GB wasn't particularly well-received at launch. However, the GPU has risen to be one of the most popular options in the Steam Hardware Survey charts, and for good reason. The GPU supports the latest in Ray Tracing and DLSA 3.5 and is way ahead of the competition in this regard.
The graphics card is available in two variants: 8 GB and 16 GB. The latter is priced at $500. The other option has slightly been discounted to $389 these days, making it a more sensible investment. You get about 10% more performance on average over the last-gen 3060 Ti. The card's biggest selling point, however, is DLSS 3 with frame generation.
Pros
- The 4060 Ti is quite power-efficient at 160W.
- You get support for DLSS 3.5 with frame generation.
Cons
- The GPU isn't much faster than the 3060 Ti.
- Cheaper options from AMD beat it. However, the Team Red GPUs have their set of problems.
3) AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT ($469)
The Intel Core i5 14400 and 14400F work well with the Radeon RX 7800 XT. The GPU is designed for 1440p and 4K gaming and is priced quite competitively at $469. This makes it a strong recommendation for mid-range systems. While the GPU doesn't have the best ray tracing and upscaling performance, it is quite usable given the sheer hardware bundled under the hood.
The card is based on the slightly cut-down Navi 32 graphics processor. You get 60 Compute Units and 60 RT cores with it. It is a bit power-hungry and will draw 263W under full load, slightly higher than the 7900 GRE, which is a more capable video card.
Pros
- The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is a capable 1440p and 4K gaming GPU.
- It is priced well at $469, making it a superb mid-range pair for the Core i5 14400.
Cons
- Ray tracing and upscaling performance is worse than Nvidia's competing options.
4) AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE ($524)
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE has been discounted to just $525 these days, making it more lucrative than ever before. The GPU features tremendous rasterization prowess and is one of the best options for competitive gaming. When paired with the Core i5 14400 or the 14400F, you can expect a well-rounded system for 1440p gaming.
The 7900 GRE is based on the same Navi 31 graphics processor as the flagship 7900 XT and the XTX. The specs sheet, however, has been considerably cut down to fit the cheaper price point. You get 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, which should suffice in all of the latest video games for some time to come.
Pros
- The Radeon RX 7900 GRE is priced competitively at $524.
- The GPU bundles strong rasterization performance, allowing it to deliver 50% more performance than the 4060 Ti.
Cons
- Ray tracing performance of the GPU isn't the best.
2) Nvidia Geforce RTX 4070 Super ($599)
The Nvidia RTX 4070 Super is the latest 70-class offering from Team Green. Although the GPU is marketed as a 1440p gaming card, it's surprisingly capable at 4K resolution. You can play all of the latest AAA releases at this resolution with little compromises to the visual quality. This makes it the best mid-premium recommendation for the Core i5 14400 and the 14400F.
The 4070 Super is based on an almost maxed-out AD104 graphics chip. The CUDA core count has been significantly bumped up from the non-Super variant. In terms of memory, you get 12 GB of GDDR6X VRAM. This suffices for most recent releases but 16 GB would've allowed for future-proofing.
Pros
- The 4070 Super is quite capable at 1440p and 4K resolutions.
- You get best-in-class ray tracing and upscaling features with the GPU.
Cons
- At $599, the card is on the pricey side for what it brings to the table.
1) Nvidia RTX 4080 Super ($999)
The Nvidia RTX 4080 Super is among the fastest and costliest GPUs in the market. You get unmatched 4K gaming performance with this card. While it isn't the best option for a Core i5 14400, the chip can easily handle the 80-class card without major performance issues. Anything beyond this GPU can result in serious bottlenecks with the budget i5.
The 4080 Super maxes out the AD103 graphics chip. You get 10,240 CUDA cores and 320 Tensor cores with the card, which isn't a massive step up from the original 4080. In terms of performance, you can only get about 2% more than the older variant but now it's $200 cheaper. In terms of video memory, you get 16 GB GDDR6X memory. This should easily be able to handle gaming at 4K resolution for a few years.
Pros
- The RTX 4080 Super is a champion at 4K gaming.
- It supports all of the latest innovations in rendering technology like ray reconstruction, frame generation, and others.
- It isn't bottlenecked by the Core i5 14400.
Cons
- At $999, it will drill a solid hole in your pocket.
Overall, these GPUs are some of the best options for playing the latest gaming titles. All of these pair well with the Core i5 14400 and the 14400F, leaving little to no hardware bottlenecks. We have included options for a wide range of budgets, so you can choose based on how much you have to spend.