Intel Core i3-9100T vs Intel Core i5-7600T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a complete sweep for the Intel Core i5-7600T across all eight recorded tests. While the margins are narrow in some workloads, the consistency of the results paints a clear picture of the performance hierarchy between these two 35W parts.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-7600T scores 500 against 482 for the i3-9100T, a 3.7% advantage. The single-core portion of the same test shows a 4.5% lead, with scores of 70 and 67 respectively. Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore gap widens slightly to 3.8%, as the i5-7600T posts 2086 versus 2010 for the i3-9100T. The single-core R20 result follows a similar pattern: 294 against 283, a 3.9% edge for the older part.

Cinebench R23 confirms the trend. The i5-7600T reaches 4968 in multicore, while the i3-9100T manages 4788, another 3.8% difference. Single-core R23 scores of 701 and 675 give the i5-7600T a 3.9% lead. These consistent margins across three generations of the Cinebench suite indicate a steady, architecture-level advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

Geekbench tells a slightly different story. In multicore, the two processors are virtually inseparable: 3447 for the i5-7600T versus 3443 for the i3-9100T, a delta of just 0.1%. That is effectively a tie. Single-core Geekbench shows a more meaningful 2.6% gap, with 1246 against 1215. The near-identical multicore Geekbench result suggests that the i3-9100T's higher base clock helps it close the gap in certain integer-heavy workloads, even though it cannot overtake the i5-7600T.

The average benchmark score places the i5-7600T at 1664, which sits 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-6700TE (1666) and 0.3% ahead of the Intel Core i7-4770HQ (1660). The i3-9100T averages 1620, placing it 0.4% behind the Intel Xeon E5-2623 v3 (1630) and 0.5% behind the Intel Pentium Gold G7400T (1628). The raw delta between the two parts is 44 points on average, roughly 2.7%.

In the overall CPU percentile rankings, the i5-7600T lands at the 40th percentile of all processors, one point above the i3-9100T at the 39th percentile. That single-point gap understates the consistency of the head-to-head results, where the i5-7600T wins all eight tests, but it does reflect how close these two CPUs are in the broader landscape.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the majority of benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-7600T wins all eight head-to-head benchmark comparisons against the Intel Core i3-9100T, with deltas ranging from 0.1% in Geekbench multicore to 4.5% in Cinebench R15 single-core.

Q: Is there any test where the i3-9100T comes close to winning?

A: The closest result is Geekbench multicore, where the i3-9100T scores 3443 against 3447 for the i5-7600T, a margin of only 0.1%. This is well within typical run-to-run variance.

Q: How do these CPUs compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: The i5-7600T's average score of 1664 is 0.1% below the Intel Core i7-6700TE (1666) and 0.3% above the Intel Core i7-4770HQ (1660). The i3-9100T's average of 1620 is 0.5% below the Intel Pentium Gold G7400T (1628) and 0.4% below the Intel Core i7-970 (1613).

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread configuration?

A: Yes, both are 4-core, 4-thread parts. They also share the same 35W TDP, the same 6 MB shared L3 cache, and identical 64 KB per-core L1 and 256 KB per-core L2 caches.

Q: What is the difference in their base clock speeds?

A: The i3-9100T has a base clock of 3.10 GHz, while the i5-7600T runs at 2.80 GHz. Both boost to 3.70 GHz.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100T supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-7600T does not.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different Intel architectural generations despite sharing the same 14 nm process node. The i5-7600T is built on Kaby Lake, while the i3-9100T uses Coffee Lake. Both are manufactured by Intel at 14 nm, but the Coffee Lake die is measured at 126 mm², a figure not recorded for the Kaby Lake part.

Both processors use the Intel Socket 1151 and offer identical PCIe configurations: Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Memory support is also the same on paper, with DDR4, dual-channel operation, and a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The cache hierarchy matches as well: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3.

The integrated graphics differ in naming. The i5-7600T pairs with HD 630, while the i3-9100T carries UHD Graphics 630. Both are Intel integrated solutions, but the branding reflects the newer generation on the Coffee Lake part.

Production status separates the two clearly. The i5-7600T is listed as Active, while the i3-9100T is End-of-life. The release dates reflect the generational gap: the i5-7600T launched in January 2017, and the i3-9100T followed in August 2018. The i3-9100T carries a launch MSRP of $122.

The i3-9100T adds ECC memory support, a feature absent from the i5-7600T. That is the only functional capability difference beyond the integrated graphics branding and the architectural generation.

Specification Differences

The table below captures only the fields where these two processors differ.

| Specification | Intel Core i5-7600T | Intel Core i3-9100T |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Kaby Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Generation | Core i5 (Kaby Lake) | Core i3 (Coffee Lake Refresh) |

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 3.10 GHz |

| Die Size | Not recorded | 126 mm² |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| Integrated Graphics | HD 630 | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2017-01-02 | 2018-08-31 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $122 |

| Part Number | SR336 | SRCZX |

| Avg Benchmark Score | 1664 | 1620 |

| Percentile vs All CPUs | 40 | 39 |

Boost clocks are identical at 3.70 GHz. TDP matches at 35W. Core count, thread count, L1/L2/L3 cache sizes, socket, process node, memory type, memory bus, memory bandwidth, PCIe configuration, and multiplier unlock status are all the same. Both are locked parts.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward recommendation for most users: the Intel Core i5-7600T is the faster processor in nearly every recorded benchmark. It wins all eight head-to-head tests, and its margins are consistent, ranging from 3.7% to 4.5% in Cinebench workloads. The Geekbench multicore result is a near tie at 0.1%, but the i5-7600T still comes out ahead.

Users who prioritize raw performance in rendering and CPU-bound tasks should choose the i5-7600T. Its higher average benchmark score of 1664 versus 1620, combined with the 40th versus 39th percentile ranking, gives it a measurable, if modest, edge. The i5-7600T also remains in active production, which may matter for system builders looking for current availability.

The i3-9100T has its own case. It supports ECC memory, which the i5-7600T does not, making it the only choice here for systems that require error-correcting memory. It also has a higher base clock at 3.10 GHz versus 2.80 GHz, and its Coffee Lake architecture is newer. For workloads that are lightly threaded and sensitive to base clock behavior, the i3-9100T may feel snappier in day-to-day use, even though the benchmark data shows the i5-7600T winning single-core tests.

The i3-9100T is listed as End-of-life, while the i5-7600T remains Active. That production status difference could influence long-term availability and platform support decisions. The i3-9100T does have a recorded launch MSRP of $122, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the i5-7600T.

For buyers who need ECC support, the choice is forced: the i3-9100T. For everyone else, the benchmark data points to the i5-7600T. The performance gap is not large, but it is consistent across multiple test suites and generations of Cinebench. When two 35W quad-core parts are this close, the one that wins every test is the one to pick.