Intel Core i3-1315U vs Intel Core i7-9750H Comparison

The Intel Core i3-1315U and Intel Core i7-9750H are both six-core mobile processors, yet they represent opposite ends of the design spectrum: a modern low-power part versus an older high-performance part. Benchmark data reveals that the i3-1315U wins 13 of 17 head-to-head tests, including every Cinebench workload, while the i7-9750H claims 4 wins, all in specific PassMark subtests. The i3-1315U posts an average benchmark score of 15022 against 14886 for the i7-9750H, a 0.9% advantage, placing both at the 69th percentile among all CPUs. The verdict from the data is clear: the i3-1315U is the faster all-around processor for most tasks, but the i7-9750H retains distinct strengths in compression, extended instructions, integer math, and string sorting.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core i3-1315U as the superior choice for general computing, single-threaded workloads, and most multi-threaded scenarios. It leads by 4.5% in Cinebench R23 multi-core (9374 vs 8973) and by 4.5% in single-core (1323 vs 1266). Its PassMark single-thread score of 3380 dwarfs the i7-9750H's 2404, a 40.6% advantage, which directly benefits everyday responsiveness and lightly-threaded applications. The i3-1315U also wins PassMark multi-thread (11482 vs 10671, +7.6%) and floating-point math (27012 vs 23343, +15.7%), making it the better pick for rendering, spreadsheet calculations, and general productivity.

The i7-9750H, despite being end-of-life and built on an older architecture, is not obsolete. It wins PassMark data compression (150443 vs 126436, +16.0%), extended instructions (9187 vs 7413, +19.3%), integer math (37822 vs 37644, +0.5%), and random string sorting (19862 vs 14028, +29.4%). These wins indicate it handles compression, encryption-related instruction sets, and sorting algorithms faster. However, its overall average score (14886) is lower than the i3-1315U (15022), so these wins do not compensate for its losses elsewhere.

For a buyer choosing between these two today, the i3-1315U is the rational pick unless the workload is heavily weighted toward the specific PassMark tasks the i7-9750H wins. The i3-1315U achieves this with a 15W TDP versus 45W for the i7-9750H, suggesting far better efficiency per unit of performance. The i7-9750H remains relevant only for niche uses like data compression pipelines or extended instruction processing, where its margin is substantial.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are separated by four years and a process node shrink. The Intel Core i3-1315U uses Raptor Lake architecture on a 10 nm process, while the Intel Core i7-9750H uses Coffee Lake on a 14 nm process. This node difference explains much of the performance gap: the i3-1315U achieves higher scores despite a lower base clock (1200 MHz vs 2600 MHz) and a much lower TDP (15W vs 45W). Both share a 4.50 GHz boost clock, but the newer architecture extracts more instructions per cycle.

Cache layouts differ notably. The i3-1315U has 80 KB L1 per core and 1.25 MB L2 per core, with 10 MB shared L3. The i7-9750H has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. The i3-1315U's larger per-core L2 (1.25 MB vs 256 KB) likely helps its single-thread performance, while the i7-9750H's larger L3 (12 MB vs 10 MB) may benefit certain multi-threaded workloads. The i7-9750H also lists a die size of 149 mm², a figure not provided for the i3-1315U.

Thread counts differ: the i3-1315U has 8 threads (6 cores), while the i7-9750H has 12 threads (6 cores). Hyper-threading on the i7-9750H gives it 50% more threads, yet it still loses multi-threaded Cinebench tests, indicating architectural efficiency gains in the i3-1315U outweigh the thread deficit. The i3-1315U supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the i7-9750H supports only DDR4. The i7-9750H specifies a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s; no such figure exists for the i3-1315U. PCIe support also differs: the i3-1315U uses Gen 4 with 8 lanes, while the i7-9750H uses Gen 3.

Integrated graphics differ, with the i3-1315U featuring UHD Graphics 64EU and the i7-9750H featuring UHD 630. The i3-1315U is an active production part released in January 2023, while the i7-9750H is end-of-life, released in April 2019. The i3-1315U carries a launch MSRP of $309; the i7-9750H has no listed launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-1315U wins every Cinebench test, which measures real-world rendering and 3D workloads. It leads Cinebench R15 multi-core by 4.4% (944 vs 904), R15 single-core by 4.7% (133 vs 127), R20 multi-core by 4.5% (3937 vs 3768), R20 single-core by 4.5% (555 vs 531), R23 multi-core by 4.5% (9374 vs 8973), and R23 single-core by 4.5% (1323 vs 1266). It also wins PassMark multi-thread (11482 vs 10671, +7.6%), physics (706 vs 670, +5.4%), floating-point math (27012 vs 23343, +15.7%), find prime numbers (41 vs 32, +28.1%), data encryption (7583 vs 3756, +101.9%), and both single-thread tests (3380 vs 2404, +40.6%). These wins make the i3-1315U the clear choice for rendering, encryption, scientific calculations, and any single-threaded application.

The Intel Core i7-9750H wins exactly four tests. Its largest margin is in random string sorting (19862 vs 14028, +29.4%), followed by extended instructions (9187 vs 7413, +19.3%), data compression (150443 vs 126436, +16.0%), and integer math (37822 vs 37644, +0.5%). These results indicate the i7-9750H excels at data compression algorithms, SIMD-style instruction sets, and sorting tasks. However, these wins are narrow in the overall average: the i7-9750H's avg score is 14886, just 136 points below the i3-1315U's 15022. The i7-9750H also wins the comparison against the i3-1315U in its own nearestRivals list, showing a -0.9% deltaPct, meaning the i3-1315U is 0.9% ahead.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher single-thread performance?

A: The Intel Core i3-1315U is significantly faster. Its PassMark single-thread score is 3380 versus 2404 for the i7-9750H, a 40.6% advantage. Cinebench R23 single-core also favors the i3-1315U at 1323 versus 1266, a 4.5% lead.

Q: Does the i7-9750H outperform the i3-1315U in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the i7-9750H wins four tests: data compression (150443 vs 126436, +16.0%), extended instructions (9187 vs 7413, +19.3%), integer math (37822 vs 37644, +0.5%), and random string sorting (19862 vs 14028, +29.4%).

Q: Which processor is better for multi-core workloads?

A: The i3-1315U wins all multi-core Cinebench tests, including R23 multi-core (9374 vs 8973, +4.5%) and PassMark multi-thread (11482 vs 10671, +7.6%). Despite having only 8 threads versus 12, it leads in these tests.

Q: What are the TDP differences between these two CPUs?

A: The i3-1315U has a TDP of 15W, while the i7-9750H has a TDP of 45W. This means the i3-1315U delivers higher benchmark scores while consuming significantly less power.

Q: Which CPU supports newer memory and PCIe standards?

A: The i3-1315U supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the i7-9750H supports only DDR4. The i3-1315U uses PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes, while the i7-9750H uses PCIe Gen 3.

Q: How do their overall benchmark averages compare?

A: The i3-1315U has an average benchmark score of 15022, which is 0.9% higher than the i7-9750H's 14886. Both CPUs sit at the 69th percentile of all CPUs. The i3-1315U is listed as 0.9% ahead of the i7-9750H in its nearestRivals data.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the i3-1315U is in PassMark data encryption, where it scores 7583 versus 3756 for the i7-9750H, a massive 101.9% advantage. This means the i3-1315U encrypts data more than twice as fast. The next biggest win is in PassMark single-thread, where the i3-1315U scores 3380 against 2404, a 40.6% lead. This single-thread advantage is consistent across Cinebench, where the i3-1315U leads by 4.5-4.7% in every single-core test. In floating-point math, the i3-1315U wins 27012 to 23343, a 15.7% margin, and in find prime numbers it wins 41 to 32, a 28.1% margin. The i3-1315U also wins PassMark multi-thread (11482 vs 10671, +7.6%) and physics (706 vs 670, +5.4%).

The i7-9750H's biggest win is in random string sorting, scoring 19862 against 14028, a 29.4% advantage. It also wins extended instructions decisively (9187 vs 7413, +19.3%) and data compression (150443 vs 126436, +16.0%). Its narrowest win is in integer math, where it edges out the i3-1315U 37822 to 37644, a slim 0.5% margin. The i7-9750H loses no Cinebench test, but its closest overall competition is in integer math, where the two are nearly identical.

Across all 17 head-to-head benchmarks, the i3-1315U wins 13 and the i7-9750H wins 4. The i3-1315U's wins include all 6 Cinebench tests and 7 PassMark tests, while the i7-9750H's wins are concentrated in 4 PassMark subtests. The average benchmark scores confirm the i3-1315U's edge: 15022 versus 14886, a 0.9% difference that aligns with the head-to-head win tally.

Specification Differences

The core counts are identical at 6, but threads differ: the i3-1315U has 8 threads, the i7-9750H has 12. Base clocks differ dramatically: the i3-1315U runs at 1200 MHz, the i7-9750H at 2600 MHz. Boost clocks are identical at 4.50 GHz. TDP is a major differentiator: 15W for the i3-1315U versus 45W for the i7-9750H. The i3-1315U uses socket Intel BGA 1744, while the i7-9750H uses Intel BGA 1440. Architecture and codename differ: Raptor Lake (Raptor Lake-U) versus Coffee Lake (Coffee Lake-HR). Process node is 10 nm for the i3-1315U and 14 nm for the i7-9750H. The i7-9750H lists a die size of 149 mm²; the i3-1315U does not provide one.

Cache configurations differ across all levels: L1 is 80 KB per core for the i3-1315U versus 64 KB for the i7-9750H; L2 is 1.25 MB per core versus 256 KB; L3 is 10 MB shared versus 12 MB shared. Memory support: the i3-1315U supports DDR4 and DDR5, the i7-9750H supports only DDR4. The i7-9750H lists 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth; the i3-1315U does not specify a figure. PCIe: the i3-1315U uses Gen 4 with 8 lanes, the i7-9750H uses Gen 3. Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 64EU for the i3-1315U, UHD 630 for the i7-9750H. Production status: the i3-1315U is active, the i7-9750H is end-of-life. Release dates differ (January 2023 versus April 2019). The i3-1315U has a launch MSRP of $309; the i7-9750H has no launch MSRP listed. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.