Intel Core i5-1038NG7 vs Intel Core i5-9500T Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly into two distinct profiles. The Intel Core i5-9500T dominates the Cinebench suite, winning all six Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 tests, both single-core and multi-core. The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 takes both Geekbench tests, and it does so with notably larger margins than the 9500T's Cinebench advantages.

Looking at the win distribution, the 9500T claims 6 of the 8 head-to-head benchmarks. Its Cinebench victories range from 9.8% to 10.3% ahead, a remarkably consistent margin across every rendering workload. The 1038NG7 counters with a 13% lead in Geekbench single-core and an 11.6% lead in Geekbench multi-core.

This is a workload-dependent pairing. The 9500T is the processor for rendering tasks, content creation pipelines, and any software that scales with Cinebench-style multi-threaded execution. The 1038NG7 is the processor for Geekbench-style workloads, which tend to emphasize different instruction paths and memory behavior.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the split. The 9500T sits at 2493 average across all recorded tests, placing it in the 49th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The 1038NG7 averages 2398, placing it in the 48th percentile. The 9500T holds a 95-point average advantage, yet the 1038NG7's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U at 2413 and the Intel Xeon E5-2630L v3 at 2409, both within 0.6% of its score. The 9500T's nearest rivals cluster similarly tightly: the Intel Core i5-1155G7 at 2496 is just 0.1% ahead, while the Intel Core i3-12100TE at 2475 sits 0.7% behind.

The practical takeaway is that neither chip is a universal winner. The 9500T wins where sustained multi-core rendering matters, and the 1038NG7 wins where Geekbench's particular mix of integer, floating-point, and memory tests matter. The margins are substantial in both directions, so the application suite determines which processor is faster.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel design families with fundamentally different priorities. The 1038NG7 is built on Ice Lake-U, a 10 nm mobile architecture using the Sunny Cove core design. The 9500T is Coffee Lake Refresh on 14 nm, a desktop part using the older Skylake-derived core.

Core counts differ. The 1038NG7 has 4 cores and 8 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to reach 8 concurrent threads. The 9500T has 6 physical cores and 6 threads, with no Hyper-Threading. That two-core advantage explains much of the 9500T's Cinebench multi-core lead, despite the 1038NG7's newer architecture.

Clock speeds are close but favor the 9500T in base clock. The 9500T runs at 2.20 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost. The 1038NG7 runs at 2.00 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. The 1038NG7 has a 100 MHz higher boost ceiling, but the 9500T's 200 MHz higher base clock helps sustain workloads that do not reach boost.

Cache layouts diverge. The 1038NG7 has 80 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The 9500T has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3. The 1038NG7's larger per-core L1 reflects the Sunny Cove design's emphasis on reducing memory latency, while the 9500T's 3 MB larger shared L3 pool benefits its six cores.

Memory bandwidth differs significantly. The 1038NG7 supports 51.2 GB/s of dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth, while the 9500T supports 42.7 GB/s. That bandwidth advantage likely contributes to the 1038NG7's Geekbench wins, as Geekbench includes memory-intensive subtests.

Process node and die size tell the manufacturing story. The 1038NG7 uses Intel's 10 nm process with a 123 mm² die. The 9500T uses 14 nm, with no die size recorded in the database. The 1038NG7's smaller, denser process allows the newer CPU to fit into a 28 W TDP, while the 9500T carries a 35 W TDP.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The 1038NG7 ships with Iris Plus graphics, while the 9500T ships with UHD Graphics 630. The sockets are incompatible: the 1038NG7 uses Intel BGA 1344 for mobile, and the 9500T uses Intel Socket 1151 for desktop. Both support DDR4 and PCIe Gen 3, though the 9500T's PCIe is listed as 16 lanes CPU-only. Neither supports ECC memory, and both are end-of-life production parts.

Release timing spans two years. The 9500T launched in early 2018, while the 1038NG7 launched in mid-2020. The 1038NG7's launch MSRP was $320, while the 9500T's launch MSRP was $192.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a consistent 9500T advantage across all three versions of the benchmark. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 9500T scores 832 against 750 for the 1038NG7, a 9.9% lead. In R15 single-core, the 9500T scores 117 against 105, a 10.3% lead. The pattern holds in R20 multi-core: 3470 versus 3125, a 9.9% lead. R20 single-core sees 489 versus 441, a 9.8% lead. R23 multi-core shows 8264 versus 7441, a 10% lead. R23 single-core shows 1166 versus 1050, a 9.9% lead.

The consistency is striking. Every Cinebench delta falls between 9.8% and 10.3%. This suggests the 9500T's advantage in these workloads comes from its two extra physical cores and its higher base clock, not from any workload-specific quirk. The 1038NG7's Hyper-Threading cannot close the gap created by two missing physical cores.

Geekbench flips the result. In Geekbench multi-core, the 1038NG7 scores 4919 against 4407 for the 9500T, an 11.6% lead. In Geekbench single-core, the 1038NG7 scores 1354 against 1198, a 13% lead. These are larger margins than the 9500T achieved in any Cinebench test.

The Geekbench results are notable for two reasons. First, the 1038NG7 wins multi-core despite having only 4 cores against 6, which means its per-core efficiency advantage is substantial. Second, the single-core gap of 13% is the largest delta in any benchmark, and it comes despite the 9500T having a higher base clock. The Sunny Cove architecture's IPC advantage over Coffee Lake appears to be the deciding factor.

The average benchmark scores place the 9500T ahead overall, 2493 versus 2398. The 9500T's nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-1155G7, averages 2496, just 0.1% higher. The 1038NG7's nearest rival, the Intel Xeon E5-2630L v3, averages 2409, just 0.5% higher. Both processors sit in a dense cluster of comparable CPUs, with all nearest rivals within 0.9% of their respective averages.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear division of use cases. The Intel Core i5-9500T is the better choice for Cinebench-style rendering workloads, multi-threaded content creation, and any software that scales with physical cores. Its 6 cores and 9 MB of shared L3 give it a consistent 10% advantage across every rendering benchmark in the database.

The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 is the better choice for Geekbench-style workloads, where its 10 nm Sunny Cove architecture, 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, and 80 KB per-core L1 cache deliver an 11.6% to 13% advantage. Its 28 W TDP also makes it suitable for thin-and-light mobile systems, whereas the 9500T's 35 W TDP and Socket 1151 target desktop chassis.

For users who prioritize rendering throughput, the 9500T's Cinebench wins are decisive. For users who prioritize general-purpose responsiveness, memory bandwidth, or single-thread efficiency, the 1038NG7's Geekbench wins are equally decisive. The 9500T's higher average benchmark score (2493 versus 2398) and higher percentile ranking (49th versus 48th) give it a narrow overall edge, but the margin is small and workload-dependent.

Neither processor is unlocked for overclocking, and both are end-of-life. The 9500T launched at $192, while the 1038NG7 launched at $320. The 9500T offers the higher multi-core rendering performance at a lower launch price, while the 1038NG7 offers the newer architecture and higher memory bandwidth.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i5-9500T has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 has 4 cores and 8 threads, using Hyper-Threading to reach 8 threads.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-9500T wins with a score of 8264 against 7441 for the Intel Core i5-1038NG7, a 10% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 wins with a score of 4919 against 4407 for the Intel Core i5-9500T, an 11.6% advantage.

Q: What are the process nodes for these two processors?

A: The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 uses Intel's 10 nm process with a 123 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-9500T uses Intel's 14 nm process, with no die size recorded in the database.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 supports 51.2 GB/s of dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth. The Intel Core i5-9500T supports 42.7 GB/s.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-1038NG7 boosts to 3.80 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-9500T boosts to 3.70 GHz. The 9500T has a higher base clock at 2.20 GHz versus 2.00 GHz.