Intel Core i5-9500F vs Intel Core i7-8700T Comparison

The Intel Core i7-8700T and Intel Core i5-9500F are both six-core Coffee Lake desktop parts, but they are engineered for entirely different priorities. The i7-8700T is a 35 W low-power chip that pairs six cores with hyper-threading, while the i5-9500F is a 65 W mainstream part that trades away threads for substantially higher clock speeds. Benchmark data shows a narrow but consistent victory for the i7-8700T across most compute tests, yet the i5-9500F strikes back decisively in single-threaded Geekbench performance. The result is a pairing where the "weaker" chip on paper wins the most workloads, but the loser takes the most important individual round.

Where Each One Wins

The i7-8700T claims victory in six of the eight head-to-head benchmark comparisons, making it the default choice for heavily threaded rendering and mixed workload scenarios. Its hyper-threading advantage is most apparent in Cinebench tests, where it outperforms the i5-9500F by a consistent margin of roughly 2.8% to 2.9% across R15, R20, and R23 multi-core runs. This is a meaningful edge for users who regularly encode video, compile code, or run virtual machines, as the extra six threads allow the processor to keep more work in flight simultaneously. The i7-8700T also wins every single-core Cinebench test, though by a much slimmer 2.5% to 2.9% margin, suggesting that its architecture handles those legacy workloads slightly better despite the lower boost clock.

The i5-9500F, by contrast, is the winner where raw frequency matters most. Its 4.40 GHz boost clock, compared to the i7-8700T’s 4.00 GHz, translates into a 10.7% lead in Geekbench single-core performance. That is a substantial advantage for everyday responsiveness, office productivity, and lightly threaded applications like web browsers or spreadsheet software. The i5-9500F also edges out the i7-8700T in Geekbench multi-core, but only by 0.3% — a statistical tie that shows the i7’s thread count nearly compensates for the i5’s speed advantage. Users who prioritize burst performance in single-threaded apps should favor the i5-9500F; users who need sustained throughput in parallel tasks should pick the i7-8700T.

Architecture Differences

Both processors are built on Intel’s 14 nm process node and use the Coffee Lake architecture, but they belong to different generations within that family. The i7-8700T is a first-wave Coffee Lake part, while the i5-9500F is part of the Coffee Lake Refresh generation. This distinction explains several key differences beyond just naming. The most fundamental architectural split is thread count: the i7-8700T supports 12 threads from its six cores, while the i5-9500F is limited to six threads. Hyper-threading is the i7’s primary weapon, and it shows in multi-threaded benchmarks where the two chips trade blows despite a 600 MHz boost clock disadvantage for the i7.

Cache allocation also differs significantly. The i7-8700T carries 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-9500F is limited to 9 MB. That extra 3 MB of cache can help the i7 keep more working data on-die, reducing memory stalls in cache-sensitive workloads. Both chips share the same L1 and L2 cache sizes per core at 64 KB and 256 KB, respectively. The i7-8700T includes Intel UHD Graphics 630 integrated graphics, while the i5-9500F has no integrated graphics at all — the "F" suffix indicates a disabled GPU. This makes the i5-9500F entirely dependent on a discrete graphics card, whereas the i7-8700T can power a display on its own for basic systems or troubleshooting.

Power delivery is another major architectural separator. The i7-8700T is rated at a 35 W TDP, which is remarkably low for a six-core, 12-thread processor. The i5-9500F draws 65 W, nearly double the power budget. This allows the i5 to sustain higher clock speeds — its base clock is 3.00 GHz versus 2.40 GHz for the i7 — but it also means the i5 requires more robust cooling and power delivery. Both chips use the same Intel Socket 1151 and support dual-channel DDR4 memory with an identical 42.7 GB/s memory bandwidth. PCIe connectivity is also identical at Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i7-8700T’s strongest showing comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where it scores 8698 against the i5-9500F’s 8453. That 2.9% delta is the largest multi-threaded advantage the i7 achieves in any test. The pattern repeats across older Cinebench versions: R20 multi-core shows the i7 at 3653 versus 3550 (2.9% lead), and R15 multi-core shows 876 versus 852 (2.8% lead). These consistent margins suggest the hyper-threading benefit scales evenly across all Cinebench generations. The i7 also wins every single-core Cinebench test, with R23 single-core at 1228 versus 1193 (2.9%), R20 single-core at 515 versus 501 (2.8%), and R15 single-core at 123 versus 120 (2.5%).

The i5-9500F’s decisive victory is in Geekbench single-core, where it posts 1504 against the i7-8700T’s 1343. That 10.7% delta is by far the largest performance gap in either direction across all tests. The i5’s 4.40 GHz boost clock clearly dominates the i7’s 4.00 GHz in this workload, which is more sensitive to raw clock speed than to cache size or thread count. In Geekbench multi-core, the i5 barely edges ahead at 5185 versus 5168, a 0.3% difference that is essentially within measurement noise. This near-tie demonstrates that the i7’s 12 threads almost completely offset the i5’s higher clocks in a balanced multi-threaded test, but not quite.

Looking at the broader picture, the i7-8700T’s average benchmark score is 2701, while the i5-9500F averages 2670. Both processors sit at the 50th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they are squarely mid-range performers. The i7’s nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-1185G7E with an average score of 2703, a 0.1% difference. The i5-9500F’s closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-9700T at 2668, also within 0.1%. These tight groupings reinforce that both chips occupy a similar performance tier, but the i7-8700T holds a slight average advantage.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on several key specifications. Core count is identical at six cores, but thread count differs: the i7-8700T has 12 threads, while the i5-9500F has only six. Base clock speeds are 2.40 GHz for the i7 and 3.00 GHz for the i5, a 600 MHz difference in favor of the i5. Boost clocks follow the same pattern, with the i7 reaching 4.00 GHz and the i5 reaching 4.40 GHz. Thermal design power is dramatically different, with the i7 at 35 W and the i5 at 65 W.

Cache is another differentiator, with the i7 offering 12 MB of shared L3 cache versus 9 MB for the i5. Integrated graphics are present on the i7 (UHD Graphics 630) but absent on the i5. The i7 has a die size of 154 mm², while the i5’s die size is not listed. Release dates differ by about a year, with the i7 launching in April 2018 and the i5 in April 2019. The i7 has a part number (SR3WX), while the i5 does not have one listed. Both chips use DDR4 memory, dual-channel buses, identical 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, no ECC support, Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes, and are both end-of-life with locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-threaded workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-8700T wins all four multi-core benchmark comparisons. It leads by 2.8% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (876 vs 852), 2.9% in R20 (3653 vs 3550), and 2.9% in R23 (8698 vs 8453). Its 12 threads versus the i5’s six provide the advantage.

Q: Why does the i5-9500F win Geekbench single-core by such a large margin?

A: The i5-9500F’s 4.40 GHz boost clock is 400 MHz higher than the i7-8700T’s 4.00 GHz. This results in a 10.7% lead in Geekbench single-core (1504 vs 1343), the largest performance gap in any test.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No. The i7-8700T includes Intel UHD Graphics 630, while the i5-9500F has no integrated graphics. The "F" in the i5’s name indicates a disabled GPU, so it requires a discrete graphics card.

Q: How do the TDP ratings compare?

A: The i7-8700T is rated at 35 W, while the i5-9500F is rated at 65 W. This nearly 2x difference explains why the i7 runs at lower clock speeds but makes it easier to cool in compact systems.

Q: Which chip has more cache?

A: The i7-8700T has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5-9500F has 9 MB. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance tier?

A: Yes. Both sit at the 50th percentile among all CPUs. The i7-8700T has an average benchmark score of 2701, while the i5-9500F averages 2670, a difference of about 1.2%.