Intel Core i5-11320H vs Intel Core i7-11370H Comparison

# Intel Core i5-11320H vs Intel Core i7-11370H

Both of these Tiger Lake-H mobile processors share the same 4-core/8-thread configuration, 28W TDP, and Intel BGA 1449 socket, but they target different points in the performance spectrum. The Core i7-11370H wins 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Core i5-11320H claims a single victory in Geekbench multi-core. The i7 carries a higher launch MSRP of $426 versus $309 for the i5, and the benchmark data reflects that positioning—though not uniformly across every workload type.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-11370H dominates the Cinebench suite, taking all six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multi-core variants). Its advantage is remarkably consistent, with deltas of -6.4% to -6.5% relative to the i5 across every Cinebench test. The i7 also wins Geekbench single-core by 4.5%, scoring 1667 versus 1592. This makes the i7 the clear choice for rendering workloads, 3D modeling, and any application that relies heavily on single-threaded performance—the i7’s higher boost clock of 4.80 GHz versus 4.50 GHz on the i5 gives it a persistent edge in lightly threaded tasks.

The Intel Core i5-11320H wins exactly one head-to-head test: Geekbench multi-core, where it scores 5620 against the i7’s 5485, a 2.5% margin. This result is notable because it runs counter to the Cinebench multi-core results, where the i7 wins by 6.5%. The discrepancy suggests the i5 handles certain multi-threaded workloads more efficiently, possibly due to thermal or power management characteristics, even though both chips share the same 28W TDP and 4-core/8-thread layout. For users whose primary applications are Geekbench-style mixed workloads, the i5 offers a measurable advantage. However, with only 1 win out of 8 benchmarks, the i5’s victory is the exception rather than the rule.

The i7 also holds the edge in the 3DMark suite, though these results are only available for the i7 in the data. The i7 scores 896 in single-thread, 1630 in 2-thread, 2640 in 4-thread, 3564 in 8-thread, and 3583-3588 in 16-thread and max-thread tests. These figures indicate strong scaling from 2 to 8 threads, with diminishing returns beyond 8 threads—consistent with a 4-core/8-thread design. The i5 has no 3DMark scores listed, so a direct comparison cannot be made, but the i7’s performance profile suggests it handles gaming-related physics and simulation workloads well.

The Verdict

The data supports the Intel Core i7-11370H as the faster processor in the majority of scenarios. With 7 benchmark wins out of 8, the i7 is ahead by 6.4-6.5% in Cinebench tests and 4.5% in Geekbench single-core. The only reversal comes in Geekbench multi-core, where the i5 leads by 2.5%. If you prioritize rendering, video encoding, or single-threaded application responsiveness, the i7’s consistent Cinebench dominance makes it the straightforward pick. The i7’s larger 12 MB shared L3 cache (versus 8 MB on the i5) likely contributes to its superior performance in cache-sensitive workloads.

Pick the Intel Core i5-11320H if your workload is dominated by Geekbench-style multi-threaded tasks. The 2.5% lead in that specific test is real, and the i5’s lower launch MSRP of $309 makes it a compelling option for users who know their applications align with that benchmark’s characteristics. The i5 also matches the i7 on integrated graphics (both use Iris XE 96EU), memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s), and PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes. For general productivity, the i5 is no slouch—it still delivers 9158 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is within 6.5% of the i7’s 9793.

Pick the Intel Core i7-11370H if you want the best all-around performance and are willing to pay the $426 launch MSRP premium. The i7’s higher base clock (3.00 GHz vs 2.50 GHz) and boost clock (4.80 GHz vs 4.50 GHz) give it a meaningful advantage in almost every measured metric. The 3DMark results, while only available for the i7, show a processor that scales well across thread counts, making it suitable for gaming and content creation alike. The i7 also launched earlier (January 2021 versus June 2021 for the i5), so it has a longer track record in the mobile market.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R23 multi-core test shows the i7 scoring 9793 against the i5’s 9158, a 6.5% advantage. This is the largest absolute gap between the two processors in any benchmark, representing a difference of 635 points. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7 scores 1382 versus 1293, again a 6.4% lead. These results are consistent with the older Cinebench versions: R20 multi-core shows 4113 for the i7 versus 3846 for the i5 (6.5% gap), and R20 single-core shows 580 versus 543 (6.4% gap). Even Cinebench R15, which uses an older rendering engine, shows the same pattern: 987 versus 923 in multi-core and 139 versus 130 in single-core, both 6.5% gaps.

Geekbench tells a different story. In multi-core, the i5 wins 5620 to 5485, a 2.5% margin that flips the expected outcome. This is a 135-point swing in favor of the i5, suggesting that the i5’s memory subsystem or scheduler behavior handles Geekbench’s mixed integer and floating-point workloads more efficiently. In Geekbench single-core, however, the i7 reasserts dominance with 1667 versus 1592, a 4.5% lead. The i7’s advantage in single-core performance is consistent across both Geekbench and Cinebench, while the multi-core results are split—Cinebench favors the i7, Geekbench favors the i5.

The 3DMark results for the i7 show strong thread scaling: 896 in single-thread, 1630 in 2-thread (82% improvement), 2640 in 4-thread (62% improvement), 3564 in 8-thread (35% improvement), and 3588 in max-thread (0.7% improvement). This pattern indicates that the i7’s 4 cores with 8 threads are fully utilized up to 8 threads, with no benefit beyond that. The i5’s absence from 3DMark testing means we cannot directly compare gaming performance, but the i7’s scores suggest it handles multi-threaded game physics and AI workloads well.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i7-11370H has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-11320H boosts to 4.50 GHz.

Q: How much larger is the L3 cache on the i7?

A: The i7 has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5 has 8 MB—a 4 MB difference that favors the i7 in cache-sensitive workloads.

Q: Does the i5 ever beat the i7 in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the i5 wins Geekbench multi-core with a score of 5620 versus 5485 for the i7, a 2.5% advantage. This is the only head-to-head test the i5 wins out of 8 total benchmarks.

Q: Are both processors on the same manufacturing node?

A: Yes, both use Intel’s 10 nm process and share the same Tiger Lake architecture with a 146.1 mm² die size.

Q: What is the difference in launch MSRP?

A: The i7-11370H has a launch MSRP of $426, while the i5-11320H has a launch MSRP of $309.

Q: Do both processors have the same integrated graphics?

A: Yes, both feature Iris XE 96EU integrated graphics, and both support DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s Tiger Lake-H architecture using a 10 nm process node, with a die size of 146.1 mm². They share the same 4-core/8-thread configuration, 28W TDP, and Intel BGA 1449 socket. The L1 and L2 caches are identical: 80 KB per core for L1 and 1.25 MB per core for L2. The key architectural difference lies in the L3 cache—the i7 has 12 MB shared while the i5 has 8 MB shared. This 50% difference in L3 capacity likely explains the i7’s consistent advantage in Cinebench tests, which are known to be cache-sensitive.

Clock speeds represent another significant difference. The i7 has a base clock of 3.00 GHz and a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, while the i5 operates at 2.50 GHz base and 4.50 GHz boost. This 500 MHz base clock difference and 300 MHz boost clock difference give the i7 a raw frequency advantage in all workloads. The i7 also launched earlier (January 2021) compared to the i5 (June 2021), suggesting Intel positioned the i7 as the higher-tier part from the start.

Both processors support DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and both have ECC memory disabled. They also share the same PCIe configuration: Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The integrated graphics are identical—Iris XE 96EU—and both processors have locked multipliers, meaning they cannot be overclocked. The part numbers differ (SRKSK for the i5, SRKH5 for the i7), and both are currently marked as Active in production status.

Neither processor has a 3D V-Cache implementation, and transistor counts are not listed in the data. The memory bus is dual-channel for both, and they share the same memory bandwidth figure of 51.2 GB/s. The i7’s higher clock speeds and larger L3 cache are the primary architectural differentiators, while the i5’s single Geekbench multi-core win suggests that its power management or memory access patterns may be better optimized for certain mixed workloads despite the lower specifications.