CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-9100HL and Intel Core i3-4350 are two desktop processors separated by five years of architecture evolution, yet benchmark results place them nearly neck-and-neck. The 9100HL wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, but the margins are remarkably slim, ranging from 0.5% to 0.6%. The 9100HL achieves an average benchmark score of 1065, while the 4350 scores 1058, a difference of less than 1%. Both processors sit at the 29th percentile of all CPUs, indicating they belong to the same performance tier despite their different designs. The data suggests that architectural improvements in the newer chip barely offset the older chip’s much higher base clock speed, making this a comparison of design philosophy rather than outright generational dominance.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear, if narrow, victory for the Intel Core i3-9100HL. It wins every single head-to-head test, from the Cinebench R15 multicore score of 311 versus 309 to the R23 single-core score of 436 versus 434. The largest margin is a 0.6% advantage in multicore workloads, which is statistically significant but practically minor. The 9100HL also holds a slight edge in average benchmark score, 1065 against 1058, and its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon W3580 (deltaPct 0.1%) and Intel Core i5-2380P (deltaPct 0.2%). For the 4350, its nearest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 5 2500U with a deltaPct of 0%, meaning it performs essentially identically to that mobile chip.

Given these numbers, the 9100HL is the better choice for anyone who prioritizes raw compute performance, even if the gains are marginal. Its four physical cores provide a structural advantage over the 4350’s two cores, and the higher L3 cache (6 MB shared versus 4 MB shared) likely contributes to its consistent wins. However, the 4350 is not obsolete by any measure; its 3.60 GHz base clock compensates for its older architecture, keeping it within striking distance in every workload. The 4350’s performance profile is better suited for single-threaded tasks where clock speed dominates, while the 9100HL excels in multi-threaded scenarios thanks to its additional cores. For a user upgrading from an older Haswell system, the 4350 remains a viable option, but for new builds, the 9100HL’s modern platform support makes it the more future-proof selection.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-9100HL wins in all five benchmark categories, but the nature of its victories reveals where it truly excels. The multicore tests show the largest deltas: 0.6% in Cinebench R15 (311 versus 309), 0.6% in R20 (1299 versus 1291), and 0.6% in R23 (3094 versus 3076). These gains stem from its four physical cores versus the 4350’s two, allowing better parallel processing even at lower clock speeds. The 9100HL’s 1.60 GHz base clock and 2.90 GHz boost clock are modest, but the extra cores compensate, delivering a 0.6% advantage in every multicore workload.

The single-core tests tell a different story. The 9100HL wins by only 0.5% in both Cinebench R20 (183 versus 182) and R23 (436 versus 434). These margins are so thin they fall within normal run-to-run variance, suggesting that the two chips are effectively equal in single-threaded performance. The 4350’s 3.60 GHz base clock, which has no boost clock, nearly neutralizes the architectural advantages of the newer Coffee Lake design. In practice, the 4350 is the better choice for older software or lightly threaded applications where clock speed is king, while the 9100HL is preferable for modern multi-threaded workloads like video rendering or compilation, where its core count provides a consistent, if small, edge.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras of Intel’s roadmap. The 9100HL is built on the Coffee Lake architecture using a 14 nm process node, while the 4350 uses the older Haswell design on a 22 nm node. The 9100HL’s die size is 126 mm², significantly smaller than the 4350’s 177 mm², and the 4350 contains 1,400 million transistors, a figure not listed for the 9100HL. The newer chip also features a lower thermal design power of 25 watts compared to the 4350’s 54 watts, making it substantially more power-efficient despite delivering marginally better performance.

Cache configurations differ notably. The 9100HL provides 6 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 4350 offers only 4 MB. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the 9100HL’s larger L3 pool benefits multi-threaded workloads that need to share data between cores. Memory support also diverges: the 9100HL uses DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the 4350 uses DDR3 with dual-channel support but no listed bandwidth figure. The 9100HL supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the 4350, making it more suitable for error-sensitive workloads. Integrated graphics differ as well, with the 9100HL featuring UHD Graphics 630 and the 4350 using Intel HD 4600. The 9100HL’s PCIe implementation is Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, whereas the 4350 lists only "Gen 3" without lane details. Finally, the 9100HL uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, while the 4350 uses Intel Socket 1150, meaning they are not platform-compatible.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100HL has 4 cores, while the Intel Core i3-4350 has 2 cores. Both have 4 threads.

Q: Is the 9100HL faster in every benchmark?

A: Yes, the 9100HL wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, with deltas ranging from 0.5% to 0.6% over the 4350.

Q: What is the base clock difference?

A: The 4350 has a much higher base clock of 3.60 GHz, while the 9100HL has a base clock of 1.60 GHz but boosts up to 2.90 GHz.

Q: Do these CPUs support the same memory type?

A: No, the 9100HL supports DDR4 memory, while the 4350 supports DDR3. Both use dual-channel configurations.

Q: Which CPU is more power-efficient?

A: The 9100HL has a TDP of 25 watts, compared to the 4350’s 54 watts, making it the more power-efficient option.

Q: Are they on the same socket?

A: No, the 9100HL uses Intel BGA 1440, while the 4350 uses Intel Socket 1150. They are not interchangeable.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multicore test sets the tone for the entire comparison. The 9100HL scores 311 against the 4350’s 309, a 0.6% difference that rounds to just 2 points. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multicore, where the 9100HL posts 1299 versus 1291, again a 0.6% gap. The largest absolute difference appears in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the 9100HL reaches 3094 and the 4350 trails at 3076, an 18-point spread that still works out to only 0.6%. Across all three multicore tests, the 9100HL’s four cores provide a consistent, measurable advantage over the 4350’s two cores, even though the 4350’s higher clock speed narrows the gap.

Single-core results are even tighter. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the 9100HL scores 183 versus 182, a 0.5% delta. The R23 single-core test shows 436 versus 434, also a 0.5% difference. These 1-2 point margins are within the noise of typical benchmark runs, indicating that neither chip has a meaningful edge in single-threaded performance. The 4350’s 3.60 GHz base clock effectively matches the 9100HL’s 2.90 GHz boost clock in real-world single-threaded tasks, making the newer architecture’s IPC gains almost irrelevant here. Overall, the 9100HL’s 5-0 sweep in winsA versus winsB is decisive but not emphatic, with every victory coming by less than one percent.

Specification Differences

The most glaring difference is core count: the 9100HL has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the 4350 has 2 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks diverge sharply, with the 4350 running at 3.60 GHz and the 9100HL at 1.60 GHz, though the latter boosts to 2.90 GHz; the 4350 has no boost clock listed. Thermal design power favors the 9100HL at 25 watts against the 4350’s 54 watts. The 9100HL uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, whereas the 4350 uses Intel Socket 1150. Process technology differs, with the 9100HL on 14 nm versus the 4350’s 22 nm, and die size shrinks from 177 mm² to 126 mm². The 4350 has 1,400 million transistors; the 9100HL’s count is not listed. L3 cache increases from 4 MB shared on the 4350 to 6 MB shared on the 9100HL, while L1 and L2 remain identical at 64 KB and 256 KB per core. Memory support moves from DDR3 to DDR4, with the 9100HL listing 42.7 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support, neither of which appears for the 4350. Integrated graphics upgrade from Intel HD 4600 to UHD Graphics 630. The 9100HL specifies PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, while the 4350 only lists "Gen 3." The 9100HL has a launch MSRP of $225, and its release date is 2019-03-31, whereas the 4350 launched on 2014-04-30 with no MSRP provided.