Intel Core i5-1350P vs Intel Core i9-9900KS Comparison

The Intel Core i5-1350P and the Intel Core i9-9900KS are separated by four years, a process node, and a market segment, yet their benchmark scores tell a story of remarkable convergence. The mobile Raptor Lake chip edges out the desktop Coffee Lake flagship in every single head-to-head test, though the margins are consistently razor-thin. The data shows a generational shift where a 28-watt mobile processor can match a 127-watt desktop part that launched with a $513 price tag.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking finding is the uniformity of the results. Across six Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i5-1350P wins every round, but the largest margin is a mere 0.5%. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-1350P scores 979 against the i9-9900KS’s 974, a 0.5% advantage. The multi-core R20 result is similar: 6935 versus 6907, a 0.4% edge. This pattern repeats in R15, where the i5-1350P posts 1664 multi-core and 234 single-core, while the i9-9900KS manages 1657 and 233 respectively. Both deltas sit at 0.4%.

The newest benchmark, Cinebench R23, reinforces the trend. The i5-1350P scores 16514 multi-core and 2331 single-core. The i9-9900KS counters with 16446 and 2321. Again, a 0.4% gap in both tests. The i9-9900KS never wins a single head-to-head comparison. Its best showing is in R20 single-core, where it trails by only 5 points.

For context, both processors sit at the 59th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The i5-1350P carries an average benchmark score of 4776, while the i9-9900KS averages 4738. That 38-point difference is smaller than the gap between the i5-1350P and its closest rival, the Intel Xeon W-1290E, which scores 4775 and is effectively tied at 0% delta. The i9-9900KS, meanwhile, sits 0.8% behind the same Xeon W-1290E.

What makes these numbers notable is the hardware behind them. The i5-1350P achieves parity with 12 cores and 16 threads, a hybrid configuration running on Intel’s 10 nm process. The i9-9900KS uses 8 cores and 16 threads on 14 nm. The boost clocks differ, with the i9-9900KS reaching 5.00 GHz versus the i5-1350P’s 4.70 GHz, yet the newer architecture compensates for that 300 MHz deficit. The result is a dead heat, with the mobile part squeaking ahead by fractions of a percent across the board.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i5-1350P wins all three multi-core Cinebench tests. It scores 1664 in R15, 6935 in R20, and 16514 in R23. The i9-9900KS trails by 0.4% in each, posting 1657, 6907, and 16446 respectively.

Q: Is the i9-9900KS faster in single-core performance?

A: No. The i5-1350P also wins every single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-1350P scores 2331 versus 2321 for the i9-9900KS, a 0.4% margin. The largest single-core gap is 0.5% in R20, where the i5-1350P posts 979 against 974.

Q: How do these chips compare to other CPUs in the database?

A: Both sit at the 59th percentile of all CPUs. The i5-1350P has an average benchmark score of 4776, putting it 0.1% ahead of the AMD EPYC 7252 and 0.5% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2386G. The i9-9900KS averages 4738, which is 0.1% ahead of the Core i7-6950X and 0.6% ahead of the Core i9-10900E.

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two?

A: The largest delta is 0.5%, found in Cinebench R20 single-core. Every other test shows a 0.4% difference. There is no test where either chip gains a meaningful advantage.

Q: Does the i9-9900KS have any benchmark wins?

A: In the head-to-head data provided, the i9-9900KS records zero wins. The i5-1350P wins all six Cinebench comparisons. However, the i9-9900KS has additional benchmark data including 3DMark and Geekbench scores that are not part of the direct comparison.

Q: Are these chips comparable in their market positioning?

A: No. The i5-1350P is a mobile processor with a 28 W TDP, launching in January 2023 at $320. The i9-9900KS is a desktop part with a 127 W TDP, launching in October 2019 at $513. Despite this, their performance is nearly identical.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data shows a clean sweep for the i5-1350P, but the margins are so small that workload selection barely matters. In Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, both multi-core and single-core variants, the i5-1350P holds a consistent 0.4% to 0.5% lead. For practical purposes, these chips are interchangeable in rendering tasks.

The i9-990KS does have a theoretical advantage in one area: it is an unlocked multiplier part. That means users can overclock it, potentially extending its lead. The i5-1350P has a locked multiplier. However, the FACT PACK provides no overclocked benchmark data, so the performance ceiling of the i9-9900KS beyond stock settings is not quantified.

The i5-1350P wins on efficiency by a wide margin. Its 28 W TDP is less than a quarter of the i9-9900KS’s 127 W TDP. For sustained workloads in thermally constrained environments, the mobile chip will hold its clocks more easily. The i9-9900KS, despite its 5.00 GHz boost clock, requires significantly more cooling and power to achieve results that are statistically tied.

For users with existing Socket 1151 motherboards, the i9-9900KS offers an upgrade path without a platform change. The i5-1350P requires a BGA 1744 socket, which is soldered and not upgradable. The i9-9900KS also supports DDR4 memory only, while the i5-1350P supports both DDR4 and DDR5, giving the mobile chip more flexibility in future system designs.

Specification Differences

The core counts differ: the i5-1350P has 12 cores and 16 threads, while the i9-9900KS has 8 cores and 16 threads. The i5-1350P compensates for its lower boost clock of 4.70 GHz against the i9-9900KS’s 5.00 GHz with its higher core count and newer architecture.

The i5-1350P runs at a 28 W TDP, making it a low-power mobile part. The i9-9900KS draws 127 W, a desktop-class power envelope. The i5-1350P uses the Intel BGA 1744 socket, while the i9-9900KS uses Intel Socket 1151. The i5-1350P is marked as Active in production, while the i9-9900KS is End-of-life.

Memory support differs: the i5-1350P supports DDR4 and DDR5, whereas the i9-9900KS supports only DDR4. The i9-9900KS lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the i5-1350P’s bandwidth is not specified. The i5-1350P offers PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes, while the i9-9900KS offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ: the i5-1350P includes Iris Xe Graphics 80EU, while the i9-9900KS has UHD 630. The i9-9900KS has a larger L3 cache at 16 MB shared, versus 12 MB shared on the i5-1350P. The per-core L2 cache also differs: 2 MB per core on the i5-1350P versus 256 KB per core on the i9-9900KS. The i9-9900KS has a stated die size of 180 mm², while the i5-1350P’s die size is not listed.

Architecture Differences

The i5-1350P is built on Raptor Lake, specifically the Raptor Lake-P codename, using Intel’s 10 nm process. The i9-9900KS is Coffee Lake, codename Coffee Lake-R, on Intel’s 14 nm process. This node advantage is the primary reason the newer chip achieves parity despite a 300 MHz lower boost clock and a TDP that is 99 watts lower.

The i5-1350P uses a hybrid architecture with 12 cores and 16 threads, a configuration that implies the presence of efficient cores alongside performance cores. The i9-9900KS uses a traditional 8-core, 16-thread design. The i5-1350P’s L1 cache is 80 KB per core, while the i9-9900KS has 64 KB per core. The L2 cache is drastically different: 2 MB per core on the i5-1350P versus 256 KB per core on the i9-9900KS, indicating a significant redesign in cache hierarchy.

The i9-9900KS was released on October 27, 2019, and the i5-1350P on January 3, 2023. The i9-9900KS has an unlocked multiplier, a feature absent on the i5-1350P. Both chips lack ECC memory support. The i5-1350P’s part number is SRMJ5, and the i9-9900KS’s is SRG1Q. The i9-9900KS’s launch MSRP was $513, while the i5-1350P’s was $320. The i5-1350P is a mobile part, and the i9-9900KS is a desktop part, which explains the socket and TDP differences.