Intel Core i5-1038NG7 vs Intel Core i5-8600T Comparison

The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 and Intel Core i5-8600T represent two distinct approaches to mid-range processing, with the former being a 10 nm Ice Lake-U mobile part and the latter a 14 nm Coffee Lake desktop chip. Benchmark data shows a near-identical overall average score, with the i5-1038NG7 at 2398 and the i5-8600T at 2383, a difference of only 0.6%. Both CPUs sit at the 48th percentile among all processors, placing them in the same performance tier. However, the distribution of wins across specific workloads reveals clear specialization: the i5-8600T dominates every Cinebench iteration, while the i5-1038NG7 counters with decisive victories in Geekbench, particularly in multi-core testing where it leads by 15%.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-8600T is the consistent winner in rendering and compute-heavy workloads that use the Cinebench suite. It takes the lead in all six Cinebench tests, from R15 to R23, with margins that remain tightly clustered between 4.3% and 4.5%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5-8600T scores 7787 against the i5-1038NG7’s 7441, a 4.4% advantage. Single-core results follow the same pattern, with the i5-8600T posting 1099 in R23 single-core versus 1050 for the i5-1038NG7, a 4.5% edge. This consistency across all Cinebench versions indicates a fundamental architectural advantage in sustained multi-threaded rendering workloads, likely stemming from the i5-8600T’s two additional physical cores.

The i5-1038NG7’s wins are concentrated in Geekbench, where it reverses the trend decisively. In Geekbench multi-core, the i5-1038NG7 scores 4919 compared to the i5-8600T’s 4277, a substantial 15% lead. The single-core Geekbench result also favors the i5-1038NG7, with 1354 versus 1278, a 5.9% advantage. These results suggest that the Ice Lake architecture excels in workloads that benefit from higher instructions per clock and efficient thread scheduling, even with fewer physical cores. The Geekbench multi-core victory is particularly notable because it occurs despite the i5-1038NG7 having only 4 cores and 8 threads against the i5-8600T’s 6 cores and 6 threads.

For users prioritizing Cinebench-style rendering tasks, the i5-8600T is the clear choice, winning 6 out of 8 head-to-head benchmarks. Conversely, the i5-1038NG7 is the better option for Geekbench-style general-purpose and mixed workloads, where it wins 2 out of 2 tests. The data shows a classic trade-off: raw core count favors the desktop part in heavily parallelized rendering, while architectural efficiency favors the mobile part in more diverse benchmark scenarios.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different process nodes and microarchitectures. The i5-1038NG7 uses Intel’s 10 nm process with the Ice Lake-U architecture, while the i5-8600T uses the older 14 nm process with Coffee Lake. This node difference is reflected in die size, with the i5-1038NG7 measuring 123 mm² and the i5-8600T at 154 mm². Despite the smaller die, the Ice Lake part integrates a more capable GPU, featuring Iris Plus graphics, whereas the Coffee Lake part uses UHD Graphics 630.

Core configuration differs significantly. The i5-1038NG7 has 4 cores and 8 threads, leveraging Hyper-Threading, while the i5-8600T has 6 cores and 6 threads with no Hyper-Threading. Cache hierarchies also diverge: the i5-1038NG7 provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, with 6 MB of shared L3. The i5-8600T offers 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but a larger 9 MB shared L3 cache. The additional L3 cache on the i5-8600T likely contributes to its Cinebench performance, providing more room for frequently accessed data.

Clock speeds are similar but not identical. The i5-1038NG7 runs at a 2000 MHz base clock and boosts to 3800 MHz, while the i5-8600T has a 2300 MHz base and a 3700 MHz boost. The i5-8600T’s higher base clock is partially offset by the i5-1038NG7’s higher boost clock. Thermal design power differs markedly, with the mobile i5-1038NG7 rated at 28 W and the desktop i5-8600T at 35 W. Memory bandwidth also favors the Ice Lake part, with 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for the Coffee Lake chip, though both support dual-channel DDR4.

The i5-1038NG7 uses the BGA 1344 socket and belongs to the Sunny Cove-U generation, while the i5-8600T uses Socket 1151 and belongs to the Coffee Lake generation. PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, but the i5-8600T specifies 16 lanes for the CPU, whereas the i5-1038NG7 does not list a lane count. Both processors are end-of-life and have locked multipliers, but their release dates differ by roughly two years, with the i5-8600T launching in April 2018 and the i5-1038NG7 in May 2020.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-8600T has 6 physical cores, while the Intel Core i5-1038NG7 has only 4 cores. However, the i5-1038NG7 supports Hyper-Threading, giving it 8 threads, whereas the i5-8600T has 6 threads total.

Q: Why does the i5-8600T win in Cinebench but lose in Geekbench?

A: The i5-8600T wins all six Cinebench tests by margins of 4.3% to 4.5%, likely due to its two extra physical cores and larger 9 MB L3 cache. The i5-1038NG7 wins Geekbench multi-core by 15% and single-core by 5.9%, indicating that the Ice Lake architecture provides better efficiency in Geekbench’s workload mix.

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

A: The i5-1038NG7 has an average benchmark score of 2398, while the i5-8600T scores 2383. The difference is 0.6%, placing them in the same performance tier at the 48th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, neither the i5-1038NG7 nor the i5-8600T supports ECC memory. Both support dual-channel DDR4 memory.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i5-1038NG7 boosts to 3800 MHz, while the i5-8600T boosts to 3700 MHz. The i5-8600T has a higher base clock at 2300 MHz versus 2000 MHz for the i5-1038NG7.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No, both are end-of-life. The i5-8600T was released in April 2018, and the i5-1038NG7 followed in May 2020.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-1038NG7 | Intel Core i5-8600T |

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

| Cores | 4 | 6 |

| Threads | 8 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 2000 MHz | 2300 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 3800 MHz | 3700 MHz |

| TDP | 28 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1344 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Ice Lake | Coffee Lake |

| Process Node | 10 nm | 14 nm |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 154 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 80 KB (per core) | 64 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 9 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 42.7 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | Iris Plus | UHD Graphics 630 |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | May 2020 | April 2018 |

| Launch MSRP | $320 | $213 |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i5-8600T establishes its dominance in Cinebench R15 multi-core, scoring 784 against the i5-1038NG7’s 750, a 4.3% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a similar gap, with 110 versus 105, a 4.5% difference. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i5-8600T again wins multi-core with 3270 versus 3125 (4.4% ahead) and single-core with 461 versus 441 (4.3% ahead). The pattern persists in Cinebench R23, where the i5-8600T scores 7787 in multi-core and 1099 in single-core, compared to 7441 and 1050 for the i5-1038NG7, representing 4.4% and 4.5% advantages respectively.

The i5-1038NG7’s counterattack comes in Geekbench, where it delivers its largest margin of any test. In Geekbench multi-core, the i5-1038NG7 scores 4919, beating the i5-8600T’s 4277 by a substantial 15%. This is a remarkable reversal given that the i5-8600T has 50% more physical cores. The single-core Geekbench result also goes to the i5-1038NG7, with 1354 versus 1278, a 5.9% margin.

The overall win count favors the i5-8600T at 6 wins out of 8 benchmarks, but the magnitude of the i5-1038NG7’s Geekbench multi-core victory is nearly three times larger than any single Cinebench margin. The average benchmark scores confirm the near-equivalence: 2398 for the i5-1038NG7 and 2383 for the i5-8600T, with a 0.6% delta. The nearest rivals for the i5-1038NG7 include the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U at 2413 (0.6% higher) and the Intel Xeon E5-2630L v3 at 2409 (0.5% higher). For the i5-8600T, the closest competitors are the Intel Xeon E-2234 at 2374 (0.4% lower) and the Intel Xeon E-2226GE at 2365 (0.8% lower). These figures place both processors in a tightly contested mid-range segment where benchmark-specific workload characteristics matter more than raw averages.