Intel Core i5-11320H vs Intel Core i5-9600KF Comparison

The Intel Core i5-9600KF and the Intel Core i5-11320H represent two very different approaches to the same core i5 branding: one is a desktop part from the Coffee Lake era, the other a mobile chip from Tiger Lake. The benchmark data shows a surprisingly close contest, with the mobile chip winning the majority of compute tests despite having fewer physical cores. This analysis breaks down where each processor excels and which user should prioritize which chip.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600KF has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Intel Core i5-11320H has 4 cores and 8 threads, meaning it uses Hyper-Threading to reach its thread count.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-11320H scores 9158 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the Intel Core i5-9600KF scores 9047. This gives the mobile chip a 1.2% lead in that specific test.

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core score in Geekbench?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600KF wins the Geekbench single-core test with a score of 1595, narrowly beating the Intel Core i5-11320H's score of 1592 by a 0.2% margin.

Q: What is the difference in their memory bandwidth specifications?

A: The Intel Core i5-11320H supports up to 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the Intel Core i5-9600KF is rated at 42.7 GB/s.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The Intel Core i5-9600KF has no integrated graphics (the "F" suffix indicates this), while the Intel Core i5-11320H includes Iris XE 96EU graphics.

Q: How do their overall benchmark percentiles compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600KF sits in the 52nd percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core i5-11320H is in the 51st percentile. Their average benchmark scores are also close: 2935 for the desktop chip versus 2888 for the mobile chip.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but nuanced picture. The Intel Core i5-11320H wins 6 out of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, including every Cinebench test (R15, R20, and R23, both single and multi-core). Its margins are consistent, ranging from 1.2% to 1.5% over the 9600KF in those tests. This makes it the better choice for users whose workloads are heavily reliant on Cinebench-style rendering and single-threaded responsiveness, especially given its significantly lower 28W TDP compared to the 95W TDP of the 9600KF.

However, the Intel Core i5-9600KF is not without its strengths. It delivers a decisive 10% victory in Geekbench multi-core (6184 vs 5620) and a marginal 0.2% win in Geekbench single-core (1595 vs 1592). This suggests that in Geekbench's specific workload mix, the 9600KF's two extra physical cores provide a tangible advantage that outweighs the architectural benefits of the 11320H. For users prioritizing Geekbench scores, the 9600KF is the stronger option.

The verdict is split by workload. For a general-purpose user who values multi-threaded Cinebench rendering and lower power consumption, the Intel Core i5-11320H is the superior choice. For a user whose primary benchmark is Geekbench, particularly its multi-core test, the Intel Core i5-9600KF offers a clear edge. The 9600KF is a desktop part with a 95W TDP and an unlocked multiplier, while the 11320H is a mobile part with a 28W TDP and a locked multiplier, so the platform and use case will largely dictate the pick.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Intel Core i5-11320H dominates the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 923 against the 9600KF's 911, a 1.3% lead. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story: 130 for the 11320H versus 128 for the 9600KF, a 1.5% difference. Moving to Cinebench R20, the 11320H scores 3846 multi-core and 543 single-core, while the 9600KF scores 3799 and 536, respectively. The 11320H maintains a 1.2% lead in the multi-core test and a 1.3% lead in single-core. In Cinebench R23, the pattern holds: 9158 versus 9047 in multi-core (1.2% lead for the 11320H) and 1293 versus 1277 in single-core (1.2% lead). These consistent results across all three Cinebench versions indicate that the 11320H's architecture, likely its newer 10 nm process node and higher per-core IPC, gives it a sustained edge in this rendering workload.

The Intel Core i5-9600KF's wins come in Geekbench. Its multi-core score of 6184 is 10% higher than the 11320H's 5620, a significant margin that showcases the value of its two additional physical cores in this test. The single-core Geekbench result is much closer: 1595 for the 9600KF versus 1592 for the 11320H, a 0.2% difference that is effectively a tie. The data suggests that while the 11320H has superior per-core performance in Cinebench, the 9600KF's extra cores are better utilized by Geekbench's multi-threaded workload. The 9600KF's 6 cores and 6 threads also help explain its higher overall percentile ranking (52nd vs 51st) despite losing the head-to-head count.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge sharply on almost every physical specification. The Intel Core i5-9600KF uses the Intel Socket 1151, while the Intel Core i5-11320H uses the Intel BGA 1449 socket, reflecting their desktop and mobile designs respectively. Their process nodes differ: the 9600KF is built on Intel's 14 nm process, whereas the 11320H is on the 10 nm node. The 9600KF has a base clock of 3.70 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz, while the 11320H has a lower base clock of 2.50 GHz but a similar boost clock of 4.50 GHz. TDP is a major differentiator: the 9600KF is rated at 95W, while the 11320H is rated at just 28W.

Cache configurations also differ substantially. The 9600KF has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, with a shared 9 MB L3 cache. The 11320H has more L1 cache at 80 KB per core and significantly more L2 cache at 1.25 MB per core, but a smaller shared L3 cache at 8 MB. The 11320H also has a larger die size at 146.1 mm². Memory bandwidth is higher on the 11320H at 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. PCIe support is another key difference: the 9600KF supports Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the 11320H supports Gen 4 with 20 lanes. Finally, the 9600KF has an unlocked multiplier, while the 11320H is locked. The 9600KF is end-of-life, while the 11320H is active, and the 11320H has a launch MSRP of $309.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is significant. The Intel Core i5-9600KF is based on the Coffee Lake architecture, part of the Core i5 (Coffee Lake Refresh) generation. The Intel Core i5-11320H uses the Tiger Lake architecture, specifically Tiger Lake-H, and belongs to the Core 11th Gen series. This generational leap is reflected in the process node: 14 nm for Coffee Lake versus 10 nm for Tiger Lake. The transistor-level improvements in the 10 nm process allow the 11320H to achieve higher performance per watt, which is evident in its 28W TDP versus the 95W TDP of the 9600KF.

The core and cache designs are also fundamentally different. The 9600KF offers 6 physical cores without hyper-threading, resulting in 6 threads. The 11320H offers 4 physical cores but supports hyper-threading, yielding 8 threads. This explains the 11320H's competitive multi-threaded scores despite having fewer cores. The cache hierarchy is different as well: the 11320H has a larger L1 cache per core (80 KB vs 64 KB) and a much larger L2 cache per core (1.25 MB vs 256 KB), but a slightly smaller shared L3 cache (8 MB vs 9 MB). This indicates a shift towards more per-core cache to reduce latency, a hallmark of the newer architecture.

Other architectural features separate them further. The 11320H integrates Iris XE 96EU graphics, while the 9600KF has no integrated graphics at all, requiring a discrete GPU. The 11320H also supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, a newer and faster standard than the Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the 9600KF. The 11320H's higher memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s further underscores its more modern memory controller. These differences combine to make the 11320H a more efficient and feature-rich chip, despite the 9600KF's advantages in raw core count and Geekbench multi-core performance.