Intel Core i5-9500F vs Intel Core i7-1185G7E Comparison

Intel Core i7-1185G7E and Intel Core i5-9500F occupy different corners of the Intel lineup—one a low-power mobile part, the other a mainstream desktop chip—yet their benchmark profiles overlap more than their positioning suggests. The data shows a split decision: the i5-9500F edges ahead in every Cinebench test, while the i7-1185G7E dominates Geekbench, particularly in single-core performance. The i7-1185G7E claims 2 benchmark wins out of 8 head-to-head comparisons, with the i5-9500F taking the remaining 6.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results tell a consistent story of narrow but uniform i5-9500F superiority. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i5-9500F scores 852 against the i7-1185G7E’s 836, a delta of -1.9% from the i7’s perspective. The single-core R15 test follows the same pattern: 120 for the i5 versus 118 for the i7, a -1.7% gap. Moving to R20, the i5-9500F posts 3550 multicore and 501 single-core, while the i7-1185G7E trails at 3487 and 492 respectively, each showing a -1.8% difference. Cinebench R23 repeats the exact same -1.8% margin in both tests: the i5 scores 8453 multicore and 1193 single-core, against the i7’s 8303 and 1172. These are tight margins—never exceeding 1.9%—but they are consistent across every iteration of the Cinebench suite, indicating a small but real advantage for the desktop chip in CPU-intensive rendering workloads.

The Geekbench results flip the script dramatically. In Geekbench multicore, the i7-1185G7E scores 5459 versus the i5-9500F’s 5185, a 5.3% advantage for the mobile part. The single-core gap is even more pronounced: the i7 scores 1756 against the i5’s 1504, a 16.8% lead. This is the largest margin in either direction across all eight benchmarks. The i7-1185G7E’s single-core Geekbench win is nearly ten times larger than the i5’s largest Cinebench margin, suggesting that the i7’s architecture scales differently depending on the workload type—strongly favoring Geekbench’s test patterns while slightly underperforming in Cinebench’s rendering tasks.

Averaging across all benchmarks, the i7-1185G7E produces an average score of 2703, while the i5-9500F averages 2670. Both chips sit at the 50th percentile among all CPUs. The i7’s nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 at an identical 2703 average score (0% delta), the Core i7-8700T at 2701 (0.1% ahead of the i7), and the Core i5-1345UE at 2698 (0.2% ahead). The i5-9500F’s closest competitors are the Core i7-9700T at 2668 (0.1% behind the i5), the Xeon E5-4650 v3 at 2664 (0.2% behind), and the Core i7-1365UE at 2677 (0.3% ahead). In both cases, the nearest rivals are within a fraction of a percent, placing these two chips in essentially the same performance tier despite their architectural differences.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core Geekbench score?

A: The Intel Core i7-1185G7E scores 1756 in Geekbench single-core, which is 16.8% higher than the Intel Core i5-9500F’s 1504.

Q: Are the Cinebench results consistent across all versions?

A: Yes, the i5-9500F wins every Cinebench test (R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multicore) by margins between 1.7% and 1.9%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-1185G7E averages 2703 across all benchmarks, while the i5-9500F averages 2670. Both are in the 50th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which chip has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i5-9500F has 6 cores and 6 threads. The Intel Core i7-1185G7E has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Do both processors support the same PCIe generation?

A: No. The i7-1185G7E supports PCIe Gen 4 with 4 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-9500F supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

Q: What is the production status of each chip?

A: The i7-1185G7E is listed as Active, while the i5-9500F is End-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-9500F is the clear choice for Cinebench-style rendering workloads. Its six physical cores provide a modest but consistent edge across all three Cinebench versions, with multicore scores of 852 (R15), 3550 (R20), and 8453 (R23). The single-core Cinebench results also favor the i5, albeit narrowly: 120 (R15), 501 (R20), and 1193 (R23). For users running applications that follow Cinebench’s rendering patterns—typically CPU-bound 3D and video workloads—the i5-9500F holds a small but repeatable advantage.

The i7-1185G7E wins decisively in Geekbench, which measures a broader mix of integer and floating-point tasks. Its multicore score of 5459 beats the i5 by 5.3%, and its single-core score of 1756 is 16.8% higher. This suggests the i7-1185G7E excels in workloads that stress single-thread responsiveness and mixed instruction patterns, such as everyday application responsiveness, web browsing, and office productivity. The i7’s 8 threads (versus the i5’s 6) likely contribute to its Geekbench multicore win despite having fewer physical cores.

The i5-9500F’s wins are narrow and uniform; the i7-1185G7E’s wins are broader, especially in single-core. If a workload is more like Geekbench than Cinebench, the i7-1185G7E is the stronger performer. If it is more like Cinebench, the i5-9500F takes the lead.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on nearly every core specification. The i7-1185G7E has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-9500F has 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks differ substantially: the i7 runs at 1800 MHz, the i5 at 3000 MHz. Both boost to 4400 MHz, so the i5’s higher base clock gives it a starting advantage in sustained workloads, while the i7 relies on turbo headroom. The i7 has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 watts, while the i5 is rated at 65 watts—a 4x difference that reflects their intended usage environments.

Memory support also differs: the i7 supports DDR4 and LPDDR4X, while the i5 supports DDR4 only. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The i5 lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the i7 does not specify a bandwidth figure. The i7 uses an Intel BGA 1449 socket, while the i5 uses Intel Socket 1151. The i7’s cache configuration includes 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. The i5 has smaller caches: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 9 MB shared L3. The i7 includes integrated Iris Xe-LP Graphics G7 96EU, while the i5 has no integrated graphics (the "F" designation indicates this). The i7 has a launch MSRP of $431; the i5 has no launch MSRP listed.

Architecture Differences

The i7-1185G7E is built on Tiger Lake architecture (codename Tiger Lake-U) using a 10 nm process node, while the i5-9500F uses Coffee Lake architecture (codename Coffee Lake) on a 14 nm process. The i7 belongs to the Core i7 (Willow Cove-U) generation, while the i5 is part of the Core i5 (Coffee Lake Refresh) generation. The i7’s die size is 144 mm², while the i5’s die size is not listed. Both are manufactured by Intel.

The i7’s Tiger Lake architecture features Willow Cove cores, which are newer than the i5’s Coffee Lake cores. The i7 also includes a 12 MB shared L3 cache, compared to the i5’s 9 MB shared L3. The i7’s per-core L1 cache is 80 KB versus the i5’s 64 KB, and its per-core L2 cache is 1.25 MB versus the i5’s 256 KB—a significant difference in private cache that likely contributes to the i7’s strong Geekbench single-core showing. The i7 supports PCIe Gen 4 (4 lanes), while the i5 is limited to PCIe Gen 3 (16 lanes). The i7 includes integrated Iris Xe graphics with 96 execution units; the i5 has no integrated graphics. The i7 supports LPDDR4X memory in addition to DDR4, which the i5 does not. The i7 was released on 2020-09-01, while the i5 was released on 2019-04-22, making the i7 approximately a year and a half newer.

The Verdict

The benchmark data does not point to a single outright winner; it points to two different use cases. The i5-9500F wins six of eight head-to-head tests, but its margins are consistently narrow (1.7% to 1.9%). The i7-1185G7E wins only two tests, but one of those wins is a 16.8% blowout in Geekbench single-core, and the other is a 5.3% win in Geekbench multicore. The i7 also holds a slight edge in average benchmark score (2703 versus 2670), despite losing most individual tests.

For users prioritizing Cinebench-style rendering performance—video encoding, 3D rendering, batch processing—the i5-9500F is the more reliable pick, offering a small but consistent advantage across every version of that benchmark. Its 6 cores and higher 3000 MHz base clock give it a steady edge in sustained multi-threaded workloads. It also supports 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes, which is more suitable for discrete graphics and expansion cards.

For users prioritizing single-thread responsiveness and mixed workload performance as measured by Geekbench, the i7-1185G7E is the stronger choice. Its 16.8% single-core lead is substantial and indicates better per-thread efficiency, likely due to its newer Tiger Lake architecture, larger per-core caches, and 10 nm process. The i7 also includes integrated graphics, which the i5 lacks, and supports LPDDR4X memory. Its 15 W TDP makes it suitable for mobile or low-power systems, though its BGA 1449 socket means it is not a drop-in desktop upgrade.

The production status is a practical consideration: the i7-1185G7E is Active, while the i5-9500F is End-of-life. For new system designs, the i7-1185G7E is the only one of the two still in production. The i5-9500F’s advantage is confined to a specific benchmark family, while the i7-1185G7E’s wins are broader and its architecture is newer. Given the narrow Cinebench margins and the i7’s strong Geekbench performance, the data slightly favors the i7-1185G7E as the more versatile processor, with the i5-9500F retaining a niche for rendering-focused desktop builds.