Intel Core i3-9100T vs Intel Core i7-8560U Comparison

The Intel Core i7-8560U and Intel Core i3-9100T represent two distinct approaches to low-power computing, yet benchmark data reveals a surprisingly consistent performance hierarchy between them. The i7-8560U, a mobile-oriented Whiskey Lake part, holds a decisive advantage across every single Cinebench workload recorded, while the i3-9100T, a desktop Coffee Lake chip, counters with a higher base clock and desktop platform features. Across the six head-to-head Cinebench tests, the i7-8560U wins all six, with margins that remain remarkably stable, indicating a fundamental architectural performance gap rather than workload-specific quirks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the uniformity of the i7-8560U's victory margins. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-8560U scores 568 against the i3-9100T's 482, a 17.8% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows an even larger gap, with the i7-8560U at 80 versus 67, a 19.4% lead. This trend continues in Cinebench R20, where the i7-8560U posts 2369 multi-core against 2010 for the i3-9100T (17.9% delta) and 334 single-core versus 283 (18% delta). The R23 results mirror this exactly: 5641 versus 4788 in multi-core (17.8%) and 796 versus 675 in single-core (17.9%). No single benchmark closes the gap below 17.8%, and none widens it beyond 19.4%.

This consistency suggests the performance difference stems from the i7-8560U's higher boost clock of 4.60 GHz versus 3.70 GHz on the i3-9100T, combined with Hyper-Threading support. The i7-8560U doubles the thread count from 4 to 8, which directly benefits multi-threaded Cinebench workloads. However, the single-core results also favor the i7-8560U, indicating that its turbo headroom of 2.80 GHz over base is more effective than the i3-9100T's 0.60 GHz boost range.

For context, the i7-8560U's average benchmark score of 1631 places it 0.7% above the i3-9100T's 1620. Both chips sit at the 39th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier overall. The nearest rivals for the i7-8560U include the Intel Xeon E5-2623 v3 (1630, +0.1%) and the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200G (1640, -0.6%), while the i3-9100T's closest competitors are the Intel Core i7-970 (1613, +0.4%) and the Intel Core i7-10610U (1611, +0.6%). The 0.7% average score delta between the two chips is almost negligible, yet their Cinebench results show a much larger, consistent gap, highlighting how different benchmark suites can paint different pictures.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-threaded performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-8560U consistently outperforms the i3-9100T in single-core workloads. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 796 versus 675, a 17.9% advantage. The R15 single-core test shows the largest gap at 19.4% (80 versus 67).

Q: How do the multi-core scores compare between the two?

A: The i7-8560U leads in every multi-core test. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 5641 against 4788 for the i3-9100T, a 17.8% delta. The R15 multi-core test confirms the trend with 568 versus 482, also a 17.8% difference.

Q: Do both CPUs support the same memory configurations?

A: No. The i7-8560U supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the i3-9100T supports only DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses and offer identical 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Q: Are these processors still in production?

A: No. Both the i7-8560U and the i3-9100T are marked as end-of-life production status. The i3-9100T was released in August 2018, while the i7-8560U followed in September 2018.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between them?

A: The i7-8560U has an average benchmark score of 1631, which is 0.7% higher than the i3-9100T's 1620. Despite this small average difference, the Cinebench-specific tests show a much larger, consistent 17.8-19.4% gap.

Q: Which CPU has the higher thermal design power (TDP)?

A: The i3-9100T has a TDP of 35 watts, more than double the i7-8560U's 15 watts. This reflects their different market segments, with the i7-8560U designed for mobile platforms and the i3-9100T for desktop systems.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-8560U wins decisively in all pure processing benchmarks. Its 8 threads provide a clear advantage in multi-threaded rendering tasks, evidenced by its 17.8-17.9% edge across all three Cinebench multi-core versions. The single-core wins of 17.9-19.4% also make it the better choice for lightly-threaded applications like web browsing, office productivity, and older games that rely on a single strong core. The i7-8560U's 4.60 GHz boost clock is the highest boost frequency in this comparison, making it the superior performer for any workload where the processor can sustain turbo operation.

The Intel Core i3-9100T wins in the platform and efficiency categories, though not in raw compute. Its desktop Socket 1151 platform offers upgradeability and standard desktop cooling solutions, whereas the i7-8560U's BGA 1528 socket is soldered to the motherboard. The i3-9100T supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the i7-8560U, making it suitable for entry-level workstations where data integrity is critical. Its higher 3.10 GHz base clock means more consistent performance under sustained loads when turbo boost may not be available, even if its peak performance is lower. The i3-9100T also features a larger die at 126 mm², which may indicate different thermal characteristics, and its UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is a generation newer than the i7-8560U's UHD Graphics 620.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge significantly in their core specifications. The i7-8560U features 8 threads from 4 cores, while the i3-9100T offers only 4 threads from 4 cores. The i7-8560U has a base clock of 1800.00 MHz with a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, whereas the i3-9100T starts at a much higher 3100.00 MHz base but only boosts to 3.70 GHz. This creates an interesting dynamic: the i3-9100T is faster at stock speeds, but the i7-8560U has a turbo headroom of 2.80 GHz versus the i3-9100T's 0.60 GHz.

The TDP ratings differ dramatically, with the i7-8560U drawing 15 watts against the i3-9100T's 35 watts. The i7-8560U uses the mobile Intel BGA 1528 socket, while the i3-9100T uses the desktop Intel Socket 1151. Cache configurations also differ, with the i7-8560U offering 8 MB of shared L3 cache versus 6 MB on the i3-9100T. Memory support varies, with the i7-8560U accepting DDR3 and DDR4, while the i3-9100T is restricted to DDR4 only. ECC memory support is exclusive to the i3-9100T. The integrated graphics differ as well: UHD Graphics 620 on the i7-8560U versus UHD Graphics 630 on the i3-9100T. The i3-9100T has a documented die size of 126 mm², while the i7-8560U's die size is not listed.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is clear: the i7-8560U is built on Whiskey Lake (Whiskey Lake-U codename), while the i3-9100T uses Coffee Lake (Coffee Lake Refresh). Both are manufactured on Intel's 14 nm process at Intel's own foundry, but the microarchitectural updates in Whiskey Lake provide the i7-8560U with its performance edge. The i7-8560U belongs to the Core i7 generation for Whiskey Lake, whereas the i3-9100T is part of the Core i3 generation for Coffee Lake Refresh.

The i7-8560U's Whiskey Lake architecture is optimized for mobile efficiency, evidenced by its 15-watt TDP and BGA 1528 socket. Despite this power constraint, it achieves higher peak performance through aggressive boost clocks. The i3-9100T's Coffee Lake architecture targets desktop efficiency at 35 watts, with a focus on stable base-clock operation. The i7-8560U's Hyper-Threading support is a major architectural differentiator, allowing each physical core to handle two threads simultaneously, effectively doubling its multi-threading capability. The i3-9100T lacks this feature, which explains its consistent multi-core deficit despite similar core counts.

Both processors support PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, but the i7-8560U's mobile platform typically routes these differently than the desktop i3-9100T. The i3-9100T's ECC memory support suggests its Coffee Lake design includes additional reliability features not present in the Whiskey Lake mobile part. The i7-8560U was released one month after the i3-9100T (September 2018 versus August 2018), indicating these are contemporaries from the same era. The i3-9100T carries a launch MSRP of $122, while the i7-8560U has no listed launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, limiting overclocking on both platforms.