Intel Core i5-9600K vs Intel Core i7-9750H Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the majority of head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i5-9600K wins 14 of the 19 head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core i7-9750H takes 5. The desktop chip’s advantage is most pronounced in single-threaded and extended-instruction workloads.

Q: How do the two compare in multi-threaded rendering?

A: The i5-9600K leads in every Cinebench multi-core test, though by narrow margins. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i5 scores 9055 versus the i7’s 8973, a delta of -0.9%. The i7’s extra threads do not translate into a win here.

Q: Where does the i7-9750H actually outperform the i5-9600K?

A: The i7 wins in PassMark integer math (37822 vs 29215, +29.5%), data encryption (3756 vs 3269, +14.9%), random string sorting (19862 vs 18313, +8.5%), and data compression (150443 vs 148639, +1.2%). It also edges out the i5 in PassMark multithread, 10671 vs 10636, a +0.3% margin.

Q: Are the two chips on the same manufacturing node?

A: Yes. Both are built on Intel’s 14 nm process and use the Coffee Lake architecture. The i7 is designated Coffee Lake-HR while the i5 is Coffee Lake Refresh, but the underlying node and foundry (Intel) are identical.

Q: Which processor has higher clock speeds?

A: The i5-9600K has a higher base clock at 3.70 GHz versus 2.60 GHz for the i7, and a slightly higher boost clock at 4.60 GHz versus 4.50 GHz. The i5 also has an unlocked multiplier, while the i7 is locked.

Q: How do the two chips rank globally?

A: Both sit at the 69th percentile among all CPUs. The i7-9750H has an average benchmark score of 14886, while the i5-9600K averages 14605. Their nearest rivals differ: the i7 is bracketed by the AMD EPYC 74F3 (-0.2%) and Intel Core i3-10320 (+0.2%), while the i5 sits near the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (+0.1%) and AMD EPYC 7473X (+0.2%).

Architecture Differences

Both processors share Intel’s 14 nm process and Coffee Lake architecture, but they diverge in almost every implementation detail. The i7-9750H is a mobile part on the Intel BGA 1440 socket, while the i5-9600K is a desktop chip on Intel Socket 1151. That socket difference alone dictates their platforms: the i7 is soldered into laptops, the i5 drops into desktop motherboards.

The core counts are identical at 6, but the i7 doubles the thread count to 12 via Hyper-Threading, whereas the i5 sticks to 6 threads. Cache allocation differs as well — the i7 carries 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i5 has 9 MB. Per-core L1 and L2 caches are the same at 64 KB and 256 KB respectively.

Clock behavior separates them further. The i5 starts at 3.70 GHz base and boosts to 4.60 GHz; the i7 starts much lower at 2.60 GHz base but reaches 4.50 GHz boost. Thermal design power tells the story: the i7 is rated at 45 W TDP, the i5 at 95 W. The i7’s lower TDP reflects its mobile intent, but it also means sustained all-core loads will hit power limits sooner. The i5’s unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, a feature the i7 lacks entirely.

Memory support is identical — DDR4, dual-channel, 42.7 GB/s bandwidth — and both lack ECC support. Both integrate the UHD 630 graphics and offer PCIe Gen 3. The i5’s PCIe is listed as 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7’s is simply “Gen 3” without a lane count. Die size is listed for the i7 at 149 mm², while the i5’s die size is not provided.

Production status for both is end-of-life. Release dates differ by roughly six months: the i7 launched on 2019-04-22, the i5 on 2018-10-18. Neither has a launch MSRP listed.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split based on workload and platform. The i5-9600K is the stronger performer in the majority of benchmarks, winning 14 of 19 head-to-head tests. Its single-thread dominance is consistent — Geekbench single-core shows a 13.5% lead (1559 vs 1349), and PassMark single-thread shows an 11.8% lead (2727 vs 2404). It also wins every Cinebench test across R15, R20, and R23, both single and multi-core, though by less than 1% in all cases.

The i7-9750H counters in specific compute-heavy workloads. Its 29.5% lead in PassMark integer math (37822 vs 29215) and 14.9% lead in data encryption (3756 vs 3269) show that the extra threads matter in certain integer and cryptographic tasks. It also wins random string sorting by 8.5% and data compression by 1.2%.

For users on a desktop platform, the i5-9600K is the logical choice. It wins the majority of tests, has higher clocks, and offers an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The i7-9750H only makes sense in a mobile context where the 45 W TDP and BGA 1440 socket are prerequisites. If you need a laptop CPU, the i7 is the only option here; if you’re building a desktop, the i5’s benchmark record is simply better.

Both chips sit at the 69th percentile globally, but their average scores tell slightly different stories. The i7’s 14886 average edges out the i5’s 14605, yet the i5’s win count is far higher. That paradox is explained by the i7’s massive integer math win and several smaller victories, which boost its average despite losing most tests.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-9750H | Intel Core i5-9600K |

|---|---|---|

| Threads | 12 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.50 GHz | 4.60 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 95 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Codename | Coffee Lake-HR | Coffee Lake |

| Generation | Core i7 (Coffee Lake-HR) | Core i5 (Coffee Lake Refresh) |

| Die Size | 149 mm² | Not listed |

| L3 Cache | 12 MB (shared) | 9 MB (shared) |

| PCIe | Gen 3 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2019-04-22 | 2018-10-18 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Part Number | SRF6USRFCP | SR3WZ |

Other fields — cores (6), process node (14 nm), foundry (Intel), L1 cache (64 KB per core), L2 cache (256 KB per core), memory support (DDR4), memory bus (dual-channel), memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s), ECC support (false), integrated graphics (UHD 630), and production status (end-of-life) — are identical.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The i5-9600K wins all six Cinebench tests, but the margins are razor-thin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5 scores 912 versus the i7’s 904, a -0.9% delta. Single-core R15 is 128 vs 127, a -0.8% gap. R20 multi-core shows 3803 vs 3768 (-0.9%), and R20 single-core shows 536 vs 531 (-0.9%). R23 multi-core is 9055 vs 8973 (-0.9%), and R23 single-core is 1278 vs 1266 (-0.9%). The i5’s higher base clock and boost clock translate into consistent, if marginal, wins across the board.

Geekbench is where the i5 pulls ahead decisively. Multi-core shows 6075 vs 5323, a 12.4% lead. Single-core is even more lopsided: 1559 vs 1349, a 13.5% gap. This suggests the i5’s higher clocks have a significant impact on Geekbench’s workload mix, which tends to favor raw frequency over thread count.

The i7’s biggest win comes in PassMark integer math, where it scores 37822 against the i5’s 29215 — a 29.5% advantage. This is the largest delta of any benchmark in the head-to-head set. Data encryption is also strongly in the i7’s favor: 3756 vs 3269, a 14.9% lead. Random string sorting goes to the i7 at 19862 vs 18313 (+8.5%), and data compression is close at 150443 vs 148639 (+1.2%). PassMark multithread is nearly a tie: 10671 vs 10636, with the i7 ahead by 0.3%.

The i5 counters in PassMark extended instructions with a commanding 12914 vs 9187, a 28.9% lead. Find prime numbers goes to the i5 at 43 vs 32 (+25.6%). Floating point math favors the i5 at 24913 vs 23343 (+6.3%). Physics is also an i5 win at 746 vs 670 (+10.2%). Single-thread PassMark shows the i5 at 2727 vs 2404, an 11.8% lead, which matches the Geekbench single-core pattern.

The overall picture from the head-to-head data is one of a desktop chip with higher clocks winning frequency-sensitive workloads, while a mobile chip with double the threads wins in specific integer-heavy and encryption-heavy tasks. The i5 takes the broader victory, but the i7’s wins are not trivial — a 29.5% margin in integer math is a substantial advantage for any workload built around that operation type.