Intel Core i7-11850HE vs Intel Core i9-10900KF Comparison

The Intel Core i9-10900KF and Intel Core i7-11850HE represent two distinct Intel design philosophies: a desktop flagship from the 10th Gen Comet Lake family and a mobile processor from 11th Gen Tiger Lake-H. Despite their different market segments, their average benchmark scores are close, 5316 for the i9 and 5095 for the i7, and both sit at the 60th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The head-to-head results show a clear split: the i9 wins seven of eight tests, but the i7 takes the single-core Geekbench crown. This makes the comparison a study in desktop versus mobile design priorities.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-10900KF dominates the Cinebench suite, winning every R15, R20, and R23 test, both single-core and multi-core, with margins between 8.4% and 8.5%. It also wins Geekbench multi-core by a substantial 25.2%. The i7-11850HE's only victory is Geekbench single-core, where it leads by 12.1%. For heavily threaded workloads, the i9 is the clear choice, while the i7 shows a single-thread advantage in that specific benchmark. The i9's average benchmark score is 4.3% higher (5316 vs 5095), but both processors land at the same 60th percentile, indicating they occupy similar overall performance tiers. The i9's nearest rivals, including the AMD EPYC 7281 and Ryzen Threadripper 1920X, sit within 0.3% of its average score, while the i7's nearest rivals, such as the AMD EPYC 7262 and Intel Xeon W-2155, are within 0.5%. This suggests that each processor is competitive within its own segment, but the i9's extra cores and higher clocks give it a broader multi-threaded edge.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs are built on different process nodes and design philosophies. The i9-10900KF uses Intel's 14 nm Comet Lake architecture, while the i7-11850HE uses the 10 nm Tiger Lake-H architecture. The i9 is a desktop part with an Intel Socket 1200, while the i7 is a mobile chip on Intel BGA 1787. Core counts differ: the i9 has 10 cores and 20 threads, the i7 has 8 cores and 16 threads. Clock speeds also favor the i9, with a base of 3.70 GHz and boost of 5.30 GHz, versus 2.10 GHz base and 4.70 GHz boost for the i7. The i9 has a 125 W TDP, the i7 a 35 W TDP, reflecting the mobile target.

Cache layouts are notably different. The i9 uses 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, with 20 MB shared L3. The i7 has 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core, plus 24 MB shared L3. Despite fewer cores, the i7's larger per-core L2 and total L3 give it a cache advantage. Memory bandwidth also favors the i7: 51.2 GB/s versus 46.9 GB/s for the i9. PCIe support differs as well: the i9 offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the i7 offers Gen 4 with 20 lanes. The i7 includes integrated UHD Graphics (Xe-LP), while the i9 has no integrated graphics. The i9 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking; the i7 is locked. The i9 is end-of-life, released on 2020-04-29, while the i7 is active, released on 2021-08-02. The i7 also has a specified die size of 190 mm², while the i9's die size is not recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a consistent pattern. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9 scores 1901 against 1753, an 8.4% lead. The single-core test shows 268 vs 247, an 8.5% edge. Cinebench R20 multi-core repeats the 8.4% margin, with 7924 vs 7308, and single-core also 8.4%, 1118 vs 1031. Cinebench R23 multi-core continues the trend: 18867 vs 17402, again 8.4%, and single-core 2663 vs 2456, also 8.4%. These consistent margins indicate that the i9's advantage in Cinebench is stable across both single and multi-threaded runs.

Geekbench tells a different story. In multi-core, the i9 wins decisively with 10733 vs 8576, a 25.2% lead, the largest margin of any test. This suggests that the i9's extra cores and higher clocks scale particularly well in Geekbench's multi-threaded workload. However, in Geekbench single-core, the i7 reverses the result: 1984 vs 1744, giving the i7 a 12.1% lead. This is the only test where the i7 wins, and it highlights the i7's newer architecture and higher per-core efficiency in that specific benchmark. The i9's single-core Cinebench wins are narrow, but its Geekbench single-core loss is significant, showing that the i7's Tiger Lake core design has a real single-thread advantage in certain workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The i9-10900KF has 10 cores and 20 threads, while the i7-11850HE has 8 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor supports PCIe Gen4?

A: The i7-11850HE supports PCIe Gen4 with 20 lanes, while the i9-10900KF is limited to PCIe Gen3 with 16 lanes.

Q: Does the i9-10900KF have integrated graphics?

A: No, the i9-10900KF has no integrated graphics, while the i7-11850HE includes UHD Graphics (Xe-LP).

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i9-10900KF boosts to 5.30 GHz, while the i7-11850HE reaches 4.70 GHz.

Q: Which processor is unlocked for overclocking?

A: The i9-10900KF has an unlocked multiplier, while the i7-11850HE is locked.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The i7-11850HE has a memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s, compared to 46.9 GB/s for the i9-10900KF.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i9-10900KF | Intel Core i7-11850HE |

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

| Cores | 10 | 8 |

| Threads | 20 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 3.70 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 5.30 GHz | 4.70 GHz |

| TDP | 125 W | 35 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1200 | Intel BGA 1787 |

| Architecture | Comet Lake | Tiger Lake-H |

| Codename | Comet Lake | Tiger Lake-H |

| Generation | Core i9 (Comet Lake) | Core i7 (Tiger Lake-H) |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 10 nm |

| Die Size | Not specified | 190 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 80 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 20 MB (shared) | 24 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 46.9 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | UHD Graphics (Xe-LP) |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2020-04-29 | 2021-08-02 |

| Launch MSRP | $509 | $400 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | SRH92 | SRKWZ |