Intel Core i5-9500 vs Intel Core i7-10750H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database shows a decisive overall victory for the Intel Core i7-10750H, which wins 17 of the 19 head-to-head comparisons. The i5-9500 manages only two wins, but one of those is a notable single-core result. The most dramatic gap appears in PassMark integer math, where the i7-10750H scores 39,730 against 27,574 for the i5-9500, a 30.6% advantage. This is the largest single delta in the entire comparison and reflects the i7's ability to process integer workloads far more efficiently, likely due to its extra threads.

Across the Cinebench suite, the i7-10750H is consistently about 20.7% to 20.8% faster. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7 scores 9,718 versus 7,705, a 20.7% lead. The single-core R23 gap is similar: 1,372 versus 1,087, a 20.8% margin. These results indicate that the i7's higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz against 4.30 GHz translates into meaningful per-thread performance, not just multi-threaded throughput. The same pattern holds in Cinebench R20, where the i7 leads by 20.7% in multi-core (4,081 vs 3,236) and 20.8% in single-core (576 vs 456).

The i5-9500's first win comes in Geekbench single-core, where it scores 1,448 versus 1,417 for the i7, a 2.2% edge. This is a modest but genuine victory, suggesting that the i5's lower thermal overhead (65W TDP versus 45W TDP for the mobile chip) can sometimes allow higher sustained clocks in certain workloads. However, the i7 counters with a 3.1% lead in Geekbench multi-core, scoring 5,574 against 5,402.

The second and final win for the i5-9500 appears in PassMark extended instructions, where it scores 12,088 versus 10,470, a substantial 15.5% advantage. This is a specialized test that measures SIMD and instruction set extensions, and the desktop chip clearly handles those workloads better than the mobile part.

Beyond those two wins, the i7-10750H dominates every other category. In PassMark data compression, the i7 scores 167,213 against 136,283, an 18.5% lead. Data encryption shows a 20.5% gap (3,930 vs 3,125). The i7 also wins PassMark multithread by 15.4% (11,616 vs 9,826) and random string sorting by 21.1% (21,416 vs 16,894). The single-thread PassMark scores are closer, with the i7 leading by only 2.3% (2,625 vs 2,565).

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-10750H wins 17 out of 19 recorded comparisons. The Intel Core i5-9500 wins only 2, specifically Geekbench single-core and PassMark extended instructions.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: The i7-10750H scores 9,718 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i5-9500 scores 7,705. This represents a 20.7% advantage for the i7.

Q: Does the i5-9500 have any meaningful single-core advantage?

A: Yes, in Geekbench single-core the i5-9500 scores 1,448, which is 2.2% higher than the i7-10750H's 1,417. However, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7 leads by 20.8% (1,372 vs 1,087).

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between these two CPUs?

A: The largest delta is in PassMark integer math, where the i7-10750H scores 39,730 versus 27,574 for the i5-9500, a 30.6% difference.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Both are at the 68th percentile among all CPUs in the database, despite the i7-10750H having a higher average benchmark score of 13,024 compared to 13,452 for the i5-9500.

Q: Which processor is better for threaded workloads?

A: The i7-10750H, given its 12 threads versus 6 threads. This is reflected in the PassMark multithread score of 11,616 versus 9,826, a 15.4% advantage, and the Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 4,081 versus 3,236.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share the same 14 nm process node and are both manufactured by Intel, but they belong to different architectural families. The i5-9500 uses Coffee Lake, part of the Core i5 (Coffee Lake Refresh) generation, while the i7-10750H uses Comet Lake-H, part of the Core 10th Gen series. The i7's architecture is specifically designed for mobile platforms, as indicated by its market segment, while the i5 is a desktop part.

Both have 6 physical cores, but the i7-10750H supports Hyper-Threading, giving it 12 threads. The i5-9500 has only 6 threads. This is the single most important architectural difference for multi-threaded performance. Cache configurations also differ: the i5 has 9 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i7 has 12 MB. Both have identical L1 (64 KB per core) and L2 (256 KB per core) caches.

The i7-10750H's higher boost clock of 5.00 GHz is a key architectural feature, enabled by the Comet Lake-H design's thermal headroom in mobile form factors. The i5-9500 boosts to 4.30 GHz. The process node is identical at 14 nm, and both are built by Intel. The i7 is a BGA 1440 socket part, while the i5 uses Intel Socket 1151. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the i5-9500 comes with UHD 630, while the i7-10750H has a more generic UHD Graphics solution. Both support DDR4 memory with dual-channel buses, but the i7 has a slightly higher memory bandwidth at 46.9 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s for the i5. PCIe support is identical: Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Specification Differences

The most obvious specification difference is thread count: the i7-10750H has 12 threads, the i5-9500 has 6. Base clocks differ, with the i5 at 3.00 GHz and the i7 at 2.60 GHz. The boost clocks are the opposite: the i7 reaches 5.00 GHz while the i5 tops out at 4.30 GHz. The TDP values also diverge significantly: the i5 is rated at 65W, the i7 at 45W, reflecting their different market segments (desktop versus mobile).

Memory bandwidth is another differentiator: 46.9 GB/s for the i7 versus 42.7 GB/s for the i5. The L3 cache is 12 MB on the i7 versus 9 MB on the i5. The sockets are entirely different: Intel Socket 1151 for the i5, Intel BGA 1440 for the i7. The i5 uses the Coffee Lake architecture with a Coffee Lake Refresh generation label; the i7 uses Comet Lake with a Comet Lake-H generation label.

The integrated graphics also differ: UHD 630 for the i5, UHD Graphics for the i7. Production status is another point of divergence: the i5-9500 is end-of-life, while the i7-10750H remains active. The release dates are separated by about a year and a half: the i5 launched in October 2018, the i7 in April 2020. The part numbers are SR3XG for the i5 and SRH8Q for the i7.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-10750H is the clear choice for heavily threaded workloads. Its 12 threads give it a massive advantage in integer math, where it leads by 30.6%, and in data compression, where it is 18.5% ahead. Content creators and users running parallel rendering tasks will see the i7's superiority in Cinebench R23 multi-core (9,718 vs 7,705) and PassMark multithread (11,616 vs 9,826). The i7 also wins in floating-point math, physics, random string sorting, and data encryption, making it a well-rounded performer for scientific computing, video encoding, and database operations.

The i5-9500 has a narrow but real niche. Its 2.2% win in Geekbench single-core suggests it can edge out the i7 in certain lightly threaded, latency-sensitive tasks. The more significant win is in PassMark extended instructions, where the i5 leads by 15.5%. This makes the i5 preferable for workloads that rely heavily on SIMD instructions, such as certain audio processing or scientific simulations. The i5's higher base clock of 3.00 GHz versus 2.60 GHz also helps in scenarios where sustained all-core operation at lower power draws is beneficial, despite its higher TDP.

For general single-threaded performance, the record is mixed. The i7 wins Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core by roughly 21%, but loses Geekbench single-core by 2.2%. This suggests the i7's boost clock advantage matters more under sustained load, while the i5 can momentarily hit higher frequencies in burst workloads. The PassMark single-thread score favors the i7, but only by 2.3%.

The overall average benchmark score slightly favors the i5-9500 at 13,452 versus 13,024 for the i7, but this is misleading given the i7's dominance in 17 of 19 specific tests. The i7's wins are often large (20% or more), while the i5's wins are either narrow (2.2%) or in a single specialized instruction test. For most users, the i7-10750H is the superior processor, particularly for any workload that can use more than 6 threads. The i5's niche is restricted to specific SIMD-heavy tasks and occasional burst single-core performance.