Intel Core i5-8600T vs Intel Core i7-8809G Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data tells a surprisingly consistent story across the Cinebench suite, but a completely different one in Geekbench. The Intel Core i5-8600T takes six of the eight head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i7-8809G claims two, and the margins reveal a clear split in workload types.

Starting with Cinebench R15, the i5-8600T scores 784 in multi-core against the i7-8809G's 724, a win of 8.3%. The single-core test shows the same pattern: 110 versus 102, a 7.8% advantage. These are not marginal differences; they indicate a consistent edge in rendering workloads that scale with thread count and clock frequency.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the i5-8600T extends its lead slightly. Its multi-core score of 3270 beats the i7-8809G's 3017 by 8.4%, and the single-core score of 461 beats 425 by 8.5%. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23, where the i5-8600T posts 7787 multi-core and 1099 single-core, versus 7185 and 1014 for the i7-8809G, both wins at 8.4%. Across six Cinebench tests, the i5-8600T wins every single one, with deltas ranging from 7.8% to 8.5%.

Then comes Geekbench, and the tables turn. The i7-8809G scores 4590 in multi-core, while the i5-8600T manages 4277, a 6.8% deficit for the i5. In single-core, the i7-8809G pulls further ahead with 1401 versus 1278, an 8.8% gap. This is a striking reversal. The same two processors that trade blows with the i5 ahead in Cinebench suddenly swap positions in Geekbench.

What explains this? The Cinebench tests likely favor the i5-8600T's six physical cores, while Geekbench may reward the i7-8809G's higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz and its eight threads. The i5-8600T boosts to only 3.70 GHz. The data suggests that sustained multi-threaded rendering workloads align with the i5's core count, while Geekbench's mixed workload profile responds better to the i7's higher frequency and hyper-threading.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this split. The i5-8600T has an average benchmark score of 2383, placing it 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon E-2234 and 1% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 5 2500X. The i7-8809G averages 2307, sitting 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i5-10400H and 1.1% ahead of the Intel Xeon E5-2629 v3. Both processors land at the 48th percentile against all CPUs, which means they occupy a similar overall performance tier despite their divergent test results.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-8600T wins six of the eight head-to-head tests. It takes every Cinebench test (R15, R20, R23, both single and multi-core) while the Intel Core i7-8809G wins both Geekbench tests.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The biggest margin is the i7-8809G's 8.8% lead in Geekbench single-core (1401 versus 1278). The i5-8600T's largest wins are all around 8.4% to 8.5% across Cinebench R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i5-8600T averages 2383, while the i7-8809G averages 2307. That is a difference of roughly 76 points, making the i5 about 3.3% higher on average, though the i7's Geekbench wins show it is not a universal gap.

Q: Do both processors have the same production status?

A: No. The i5-8600T is listed as end-of-life, while the i7-8809G is marked as active production.

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The i5-8600T has 6 cores and 6 threads. The i7-8809G has 4 cores and 8 threads. Despite fewer cores, the i7's thread count matches the i5's total thread count.

Q: What are their memory bandwidth specifications?

A: The i5-8600T lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s with dual-channel DDR4 support. The i7-8809G also supports DDR4, but the database records no memory bus or bandwidth figure for it.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel architectures. The i5-8600T is built on Coffee Lake, while the i7-8809G uses Kaby Lake, specifically the Kaby Lake G variant. Both use a 14 nm process node and are fabricated by Intel, so the underlying manufacturing technology is the same. The difference lies in how each design allocates resources.

The i5-8600T provides 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning each core handles exactly one thread with no hyper-threading. Its cache layout includes 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 9 MB of shared L3. The i7-8809G, by contrast, has 4 cores and 8 threads, using hyper-threading to double its thread count. It also has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but its shared L3 is 8 MB, one megabyte less than the i5.

Clock speeds favor the i7-8809G. Its base clock is 3.10 GHz and it boosts to 4.20 GHz. The i5-8600T starts lower at 2.30 GHz and boosts to 3.70 GHz. This 0.50 GHz boost advantage likely explains the i7's Geekbench wins, while the i5's extra two physical cores explain its Cinebench dominance.

The integrated graphics are a major architectural divergence. The i5-8600T ships with UHD Graphics 630, a standard Intel iGPU. The i7-8809G features Radeon RX Vega M GH, a far more powerful integrated solution that pairs Intel's CPU with AMD's GPU on the same package. This is a Kaby Lake G hallmark, and it explains why the i7-8809G targets mobile systems despite its desktop-class performance.

The socket and market segment also differ. The i5-8600T uses Intel Socket 1151 and is classified as a desktop part. The i7-8809G uses Intel BGA 2270, a ball-grid array socket that is soldered, and is classified as a mobile part. The i5-8600T supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the database records no PCIe information for the i7-8809G.

Release timing is close but not identical. The i7-8809G launched on 2018-01-31, and the i5-8600T followed on 2018-04-01. The i5 also has a recorded launch MSRP of $213, while the i7 has no listed launch MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show several clear differences between the two parts.

• Cores: 6 (i5-8600T) versus 4 (i7-8809G)
• Threads: 6 (i5-8600T) versus 8 (i7-8809G)
• Base clock: 2.30 GHz (i5-8600T) versus 3.10 GHz (i7-8809G)
• Boost clock: 3.70 GHz (i5-8600T) versus 4.20 GHz (i7-8809G)
• TDP: 35 W (i5-8600T) versus 65 W (i7-8809G)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1151 (i5-8600T) versus Intel BGA 2270 (i7-8809G)
• Architecture: Coffee Lake (i5-8600T) versus Kaby Lake (i7-8809G)
• Codename: Coffee Lake (i5-8600T) versus Kaby Lake G (i7-8809G)
• L3 cache: 9 MB shared (i5-8600T) versus 8 MB shared (i7-8809G)
• Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 630 (i5-8600T) versus Radeon RX Vega M GH (i7-8809G)
• Market segment: Desktop (i5-8600T) versus Mobile (i7-8809G)
• Production status: End-of-life (i5-8600T) versus Active (i7-8809G)
• Memory bus: Dual-channel (i5-8600T) versus not recorded (i7-8809G)
• Memory bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s (i5-8600T) versus not recorded (i7-8809G)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 lanes CPU-only (i5-8600T) versus not recorded (i7-8809G)
• Die size: 154 mm² (i5-8600T) versus not recorded (i7-8809G)
• Launch MSRP: $213 (i5-8600T) versus not recorded (i7-8809G)

Both use 14 nm process nodes, support DDR4 memory, have no ECC support, list 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, and have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data points to two different design philosophies. The i5-8600T is a desktop part built for sustained multi-threaded work. Its six physical cores deliver consistent wins across all three Cinebench versions, with margins of 7.8% to 8.5% over the i7-8809G. For anyone running CPU-bound rendering tasks, the i5-8600T is the stronger choice.

The i7-8809G counters in Geekbench with both single and multi-core leads, 8.8% and 6.8% respectively. Its higher base and boost clocks, 3.10 GHz and 4.20 GHz, combined with 8 threads from 4 hyper-threaded cores, give it an edge in workloads that Geekbench measures. The i7-8809G also brings Radeon RX Vega M GH graphics, a massive upgrade over UHD Graphics 630 for anyone needing GPU compute without a discrete card.

The percentile rankings do not separate them: both sit at the 48th percentile against all CPUs. The average benchmark scores put the i5-8600T at 2383 versus 2307 for the i7-8809G, a modest overall lead for the i5. The tie in percentile suggests that, on average, these processors perform at a similar level, but the distribution of wins is heavily skewed by test suite.

The i5-8600T's lower TDP of 35 W is notable against the i7-8809G's 65 W. The i5 achieves its Cinebench wins while drawing nearly half the power budget, which matters for thermals and system design. However, the i7-8809G is an active mobile part, while the i5 is end-of-life, so availability and platform support differ.

There is no universal winner. The i5-8600T wins rendering benchmarks decisively and has a higher average score. The i7-8809G wins Geekbench and offers far stronger integrated graphics. The choice depends entirely on workload priority.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Core i5-8600T:

• Cinebench R15 multi-core: 784 versus 724, an 8.3% win
• Cinebench R15 single-core: 110 versus 102, a 7.8% win
• Cinebench R20 multi-core: 3270 versus 3017, an 8.4% win
• Cinebench R20 single-core: 461 versus 425, an 8.5% win
• Cinebench R23 multi-core: 7787 versus 7185, an 8.4% win
• Cinebench R23 single-core: 1099 versus 1014, an 8.4% win
• Higher average benchmark score: 2383 versus 2307
• Lower TDP: 35 W versus 65 W
• Desktop socket (Socket 1151) with PCIe Gen 3, 16 lanes

Intel Core i7-8809G:

• Geekbench multi-core: 4590 versus 4277, a 6.8% win
• Geekbench single-core: 1401 versus 1278, an 8.8% win
• Higher base clock: 3.10 GHz versus 2.30 GHz
• Higher boost clock: 4.20 GHz versus 3.70 GHz
• Radeon RX Vega M GH integrated graphics versus UHD Graphics 630
• Active production status versus end-of-life
• Mobile BGA 2270 socket, suited for compact systems

The pattern is clean. Rendering workloads belong to the i5-8600T. Mixed and single-threaded workloads, along with integrated GPU performance, belong to the i7-8809G. Each processor wins where its design strengths align with the test's demands.