Intel Core i3-1220P vs Intel Core i9-11900H Comparison

The Intel Core i9-11900H and Intel Core i3-1220P are both mobile processors, but they target very different performance tiers within Intel’s lineup. The data shows a clear split: the i9-11900H dominates nearly every multi-threaded and compute-heavy workload, while the i3-1220P counters with a notable single-thread advantage in one specific benchmark suite. Across the 17 head-to-head benchmarks recorded, the i9-11900H takes 15 wins, leaving the i3-1220P with only 2. This page breaks down the exact numbers, architectural reasons, and practical implications of that matchup.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided result comes from PassMark’s prime number search test. The i9-11900H scores 87, while the i3-1220P manages only 33. That is a delta of 163.6%, the largest gap in the entire comparison. This test is highly sensitive to instruction-level parallelism and cache efficiency, where the i9’s larger shared L3 cache and higher boost clock appear to pay off dramatically.

Extended instruction workloads also show a massive divide. The i9-11900H posts 16123 in PassMark’s extended instructions test, versus 10051 for the i3-1220P, a 60.4% advantage. This suggests the Tiger Lake-H chip handles AVX-like workloads with far greater throughput, likely due to its 8 full-size cores and 16 threads compared to the i3’s 10 cores (but only 12 threads) in a hybrid arrangement.

Multithreaded performance consistently favors the i9. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the i9 scores 16772 against the i3’s 13314, a 26% lead. The same 26% delta repeats across Cinebench R15 and R20 multicore tests, indicating a stable scaling advantage in render workloads. PassMark multithread shows an even larger gap: 20162 for the i9 versus 14481 for the i3, a 39.2% difference. Integer math follows suit, with the i9 leading 72882 to 53507 (36.2%).

Physics simulation is another strong suit for the i9, scoring 953 versus 637, a 49.6% advantage. Floating-point math is closer at 15.6% (43094 vs 37294), but still a clear win for the i9. Data compression shows a 32.6% gap (239366 vs 180528), and random string sorting a 35.9% gap (28328 vs 20846). Even data encryption, which often scales with memory bandwidth, favors the i9 by 12% (12232 vs 10923).

The single-thread picture is more nuanced. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core tests, the i9 wins by 25.9% to 26% consistently (238 vs 189, 994 vs 789, 2367 vs 1879 respectively). However, in PassMark’s single-thread test, the i3-1220P flips the script. It scores 3362 against the i9’s 3102, a 7.7% advantage. The same 7.7% delta appears in the duplicate PassMark singlethread entry. This is the only benchmark category where the i3 wins, and it does so twice.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-11900H is the clear winner for any workload that uses multiple cores or heavy compute instructions. Its 15 benchmark wins span rendering (all Cinebench multicore tests), physics simulation, integer and floating-point math, data compression, encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, and random string sorting. The data shows it excels in both throughput and latency-sensitive tasks, with deltas ranging from 12% to 163.6% over the i3.

The i3-1220P wins exclusively in PassMark’s single-thread test, where it beats the i9 by 7.7%. This is notable because the i3 has a lower boost clock (4.40 GHz versus 4.90 GHz) but a higher base clock (1500 MHz versus 2100 MHz as listed). The PassMark single-thread test may favor the i3’s hybrid architecture, which can assign the workload to its performance cores while keeping power draw low. However, this win does not extend to Cinebench single-core tests, where the i9 leads by 26% across the board.

For practical use, the i9 is the choice for content creation, scientific computing, or any task that scales with thread count. The i3’s single-thread win is narrow and isolated to one benchmark suite, so it does not translate into a broad advantage in everyday applications like web browsing or office work, where both processors are likely to perform adequately without hitting extreme limits.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different Intel generations and use different core designs. The i9-11900H is based on Tiger Lake, specifically Tiger Lake-H, built on Intel’s 10 nm process. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, all of which are full-size performance cores. The i3-1220P uses Alder Lake, specifically Alder Lake-P, also on a 10 nm process, but with a hybrid configuration: 10 cores and 12 threads. This implies a mix of performance and efficiency cores, though the FACT PACK does not specify the exact core types.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The i9 has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3 has only 12 MB. Both have the same per-core L1 (80 KB) and L2 (1.25 MB) sizes. The larger L3 on the i9 helps explain its dominance in prime number finding and extended instructions, where larger working sets can stay resident in cache.

The socket and die details also differ. The i9 uses Intel BGA 1787, while the i3 uses Intel BGA 1744. The i9 has a listed die size of 190 mm², while the i3’s die size is not provided. Both support PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), and both have dual-channel memory buses. The i9 supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, while the i3 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, though its memory bandwidth is not listed.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The i9 ships with UHD Graphics 750, while the i3 has UHD Graphics 64EU. Neither is a discrete-class GPU, but the i9’s variant is likely the higher-end option based on its naming. The i9’s launch MSRP is $546, while the i3 has no listed launch MSRP.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The i9-11900H has 8 cores and 16 threads, versus the i3-1220P’s 10 cores and 12 threads. The core count favors the i3, but the thread count favors the i9, indicating that the i3’s extra cores are likely efficiency-oriented with no hyper-threading.

Base clocks are listed as 2.10 GHz for the i9 and 1500 MHz for the i3, though the i3’s value appears unusually low and may be a nominal figure for the efficiency cores. Boost clocks are 4.90 GHz for the i9 and 4.40 GHz for the i3. Thermal design power (TDP) is 35 watts for the i9 and 28 watts for the i3, making the i3 the more power-efficient option on paper.

Socket types differ (BGA 1787 vs BGA 1744), and the i9 uses Tiger Lake architecture while the i3 uses Alder Lake. The i9’s process node is listed as 10 nm, same as the i3, but the die size is only given for the i9 (190 mm²). Memory support differs: the i9 is limited to DDR4, while the i3 supports DDR4 and DDR5. The i9 has a listed memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, which the i3 lacks.

The i9 is marked as end-of-life production status, while the i3 is active. Release dates are May 2021 for the i9 and February 2022 for the i3. The i9 has a launch MSRP of $546, while the i3 has none listed. Both have locked multipliers and no ECC memory support.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i3-1220P has more cores (10 versus 8), but the Intel Core i9-11900H has more threads (16 versus 12).

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark’s find prime numbers test, where the i9-11900H scores 87 versus the i3-1220P’s 33, a 163.6% advantage.

Q: Does the i3-1220P win any benchmarks?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark single-thread and singlethread tests, scoring 3362 versus the i9’s 3102, a 7.7% lead.

Q: How does the i9-11900H perform in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The i9 scores 16772, which is 26% higher than the i3-1220P’s 13314.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The i9-11900H supports DDR4 only, while the i3-1220P supports both DDR4 and DDR5.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The i9-11900H has 24 MB of shared L3 cache, double the i3-1220P’s 12 MB.

The Verdict

The data points to a straightforward conclusion for most users. The Intel Core i9-11900H is the superior processor for any task that leverages multiple threads or heavy compute, winning 15 of 17 benchmarks with deltas ranging from 12% to 163.6%. Its larger L3 cache, higher boost clock, and 16 threads make it a strong choice for rendering, physics simulation, and data processing workloads, even though it draws 35 watts versus the i3’s 28 watts and is now end-of-life.

The Intel Core i3-1220P is a more power-efficient and newer chip (active production, 2022 release) that wins only in PassMark’s single-thread test by 7.7%. Its 10 cores and 12 threads, combined with support for DDR5 memory, make it a viable option for lightweight mobile systems where battery life and lower TDP matter more than raw compute. However, in every Cinebench test and nearly all PassMark workloads, the i9-11900H is decisively ahead.

For users who need maximum performance in professional or enthusiast applications, the i9-11900H is the clear pick from the benchmark data. For those prioritizing efficiency and a modern platform with DDR5 support, the i3-1220P offers a narrow single-thread edge but sacrifices significant multi-core capability. The i9’s average benchmark score of 21367 versus the i3’s 21066 (a 1.4% difference) shows that on average the two are close, but the distribution of wins heavily favors the i9 in demanding scenarios.