Intel Core i5-1250P vs Intel Core i9-10900E Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-10900E has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the Intel Core i5-1250P has 12 cores and 16 threads. The i9-10900E has more threads despite fewer cores.

Q: How do these two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multicore performance?

A: The i9-10900E scores 16093 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the i5-1250P scores 15610. The i9-10900E leads by 3.1% in this test.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The i9-10900E boosts up to 4.70 GHz, while the i5-1250P boosts to 4.40 GHz. The i9-10900E holds a 0.30 GHz advantage in maximum boost.

Q: What are the socket requirements for each chip?

A: The i9-10900E uses Intel Socket 1200, while the i5-1250P uses Intel BGA 1744. These sockets are not interchangeable, meaning each chip requires a different platform.

Q: Which chip supports PCIe Gen 4?

A: The i5-1250P supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only). The i9-10900E is limited to PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No, neither processor supports ECC memory. Both have ECC memory support marked as false in the database.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i9-10900E is built on Comet Lake, a 14 nm architecture produced by Intel. The i5-1250P uses Alder Lake-P, a 10 nm design also from Intel. This process node difference is significant: the 14 nm Comet Lake die measures 206 mm², while the 10 nm Alder Lake-P die measures 217 mm². Despite the larger physical die, the newer 10 nm process allows for more efficient transistor density.

The core configurations differ substantially. The i9-10900E offers 10 cores and 20 threads, relying on traditional symmetric cores with Hyper-Threading. The i5-1250P has 12 cores but only 16 threads, reflecting Alder Lake's hybrid architecture that mixes performance and efficiency cores. This explains why the i5-1250P has more cores yet fewer threads than the i9-10900E.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The i9-10900E has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 20 MB of shared L3 cache. The i5-1250P has 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and only 12 MB of shared L3. While the i5-1250P has larger per-core L1 and L2 caches, the i9-10900E has substantially more L3 cache, which can benefit workloads that rely on large shared pools of data.

Memory support shows another generational split. The i9-10900E supports DDR4 memory only, with dual-channel configuration and a memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s. The i5-1250P supports both DDR4 and DDR5, also dual-channel, though its memory bandwidth is not recorded in the database. The i5-1250P's support for DDR5 gives it access to newer memory technology, but the i9-10900E's recorded bandwidth figure shows a definite capability.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The i9-10900E includes UHD Graphics 630, while the i5-1250P includes Iris Xe 80EU. The Iris Xe solution is from a newer generation and offers more execution units. PCIe support also differs: the i9-10900E provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the i5-1250P provides Gen 4 with 20 lanes.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core i9-10900E across all six benchmark tests. Every delta is 3.1% or 2.7%, which makes the i9-10900E the consistent winner, though the margins are not overwhelming.

In Cinebench R15, the i9-10900E scores 1622 in multicore versus 1573 for the i5-1250P, a 3.1% lead. The single-core result is 228 versus 222, a 2.7% advantage. The R20 multicore test shows 6759 versus 6556, again a 3.1% gap. Single-core R20 is 954 versus 925, another 3.1% difference. In R23, the multicore result is 16093 versus 15610, and the single-core result is 2272 versus 2203, both showing 3.1% leads for the i9-10900E.

The pattern is clear: the i9-10900E wins every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, with six wins and zero losses. The margin is tight, typically around 3%, which suggests these processors are closely matched in raw compute performance despite their architectural differences. The i9-10900E's advantage in single-core tests, where it leads by 2.7% to 3.1%, indicates that its higher boost clock of 4.70 GHz provides a tangible benefit over the i5-1250P's 4.40 GHz maximum boost.

In Geekbench, the i9-10900E records 8162 in multicore and 1575 in single-core. The i5-1250P does not have Geekbench results in the database, so no direct comparison is possible there. However, the Cinebench results consistently favor the i9-10900E by a narrow margin. The average benchmark score for the i9-10900E is 4708, while the i5-1250P averages 4515, a difference of approximately 4.3% in favor of the i9-10900E.

The Verdict

The data shows that the Intel Core i9-10900E is the faster processor in every recorded benchmark. It wins all six head-to-head comparisons, with margins between 2.7% and 3.1%. The i9-10900E also has a higher average benchmark score of 4708 versus 4515 for the i5-1250P, and a slightly better percentile ranking at 59 versus 58.

For a desktop user who needs maximum compute performance, the i9-10900E is the clear choice based on the recorded data. Its 10 cores with 20 threads and higher boost clock deliver consistent wins across all Cinebench tests. The i9-10900E's 65 W TDP is higher than the i5-1250P's 28 W, but this is expected for a desktop part and reflects its higher sustained performance capability.

The i5-1250P is a mobile processor, designed for laptops and compact systems. Its 28 W TDP and BGA 1744 socket indicate a soldered, power-efficient design. While it trails the i9-10900E in every benchmark, the differences are small, typically around 3%. For a mobile user who needs good performance in a power-constrained environment, the i5-1250P offers competitive performance with much lower power consumption.

Users building a desktop system with an Intel Socket 1200 motherboard and wanting the best recorded performance should select the i9-10900E. Users who need a mobile solution or a compact BGA 1744 platform should choose the i5-1250P, accepting its slightly lower benchmark scores in exchange for its lower power envelope.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The i9-10900E has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the i5-1250P has 12 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are recorded differently: the i9-10900E has a base clock of 2.80 GHz, while the i5-1250P shows 1700.00 GHz, which appears to be a data artifact; the boost clocks are more comparable at 4.70 GHz versus 4.40 GHz.

TDP is a major differentiator: the i9-10900E consumes 65 W, while the i5-1250P consumes only 28 W. This reflects the desktop versus mobile market segmentation. The i9-10900E uses Intel Socket 1200, while the i5-1250P uses Intel BGA 1744, meaning they are physically incompatible.

Architecture and process node also differ: Comet Lake on 14 nm versus Alder Lake-P on 10 nm. Die size is 206 mm² for the i9-10900E and 217 mm² for the i5-1250P. Cache configurations differ across all levels, with the i9-10900E having 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 20 MB shared L3, while the i5-1250P has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3.

Memory support differs, with the i9-10900E limited to DDR4 and the i5-1250P supporting both DDR4 and DDR5. The i9-10900E has a recorded memory bandwidth of 46.9 GB/s, while the i5-1250P's bandwidth is not recorded. PCIe support favors the i5-1250P with Gen 4 and 20 lanes versus Gen 3 and 16 lanes for the i9-10900E. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 630 for the i9-10900E and Iris Xe 80EU for the i5-1250P.

The i9-10900E has a launch MSRP of $488, while the i5-1250P has no recorded launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. Release dates differ: the i9-10900E launched on April 29, 2020, while the i5-1250P launched on February 22, 2022.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-10900E wins in all recorded performance benchmarks. Its strengths include a higher boost clock at 4.70 GHz, more threads with 20 versus 16, and a larger shared L3 cache at 20 MB versus 12 MB. The i9-10900E also has a higher average benchmark score of 4708 and a better percentile ranking of 59. For desktop workloads where raw compute is the priority, such as heavily threaded rendering in Cinebench R23 where it scores 16093, the i9-10900E is the better option.

The i5-1250P wins in platform features and efficiency. It has more cores at 12 versus 10, though with fewer threads. It supports PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, which is newer than the i9-10900E's Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The i5-1250P supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, offering flexibility for modern memory choices. Its integrated graphics, Iris Xe 80EU, is a newer design compared to UHD Graphics 630. Most importantly, the i5-1250P has a significantly lower TDP of 28 W versus 65 W, making it suitable for thin-and-light laptops and fanless or low-noise designs.

For compute-heavy desktop tasks, the i9-10900E is the winner. For mobile platforms, power efficiency, and newer I/O features, the i5-1250P is the better fit. The benchmark data shows the i9-10900E ahead in every recorded test, but the i5-1250P's advantages lie outside those specific benchmarks, in areas like power consumption and platform connectivity.