Intel Core i7-3930K vs Intel Core i7-9850HL Comparison

The Intel Core i7-9850HL and Intel Core i7-3930K are both six-core, twelve-thread processors, but they represent radically different eras and design philosophies from Intel. The 9850HL is a low-power mobile part from the Coffee Lake generation, while the 3930K is a high-end desktop flagship from the Sandy Bridge-E era. The benchmark data reveals a surprisingly consistent pattern: the older, power-hungry desktop chip outperforms the newer mobile chip across every single Cinebench test, though the margins are consistently narrow.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unequivocal: the Intel Core i7-3930K wins all six Cinebench comparisons. The margins, however, are remarkably uniform, hovering around 3.5 percent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 3930K scores 701 against the 9850HL's 676, a 3.6 percent advantage. The single-core R15 test shows a similar story, with the 3930K at 98 and the 9850HL at 95, a 3.1 percent lead. This pattern repeats in R20, where the 3930K posts 2921 versus 2819 in multi-core (3.5 percent) and 412 versus 397 in single-core (3.6 percent). The newest test, Cinebench R23, confirms the trend: the 3930K leads 6955 to 6712 in multi-core and 981 to 947 in single-core, both at 3.5 percent deltas.

What is striking here is the consistency of the performance gap. The 3930K's advantage does not grow or shrink with the workload type; it stays pinned near 3.5 percent regardless of whether the test stresses single-threaded or multi-threaded performance. This suggests a fundamental architectural efficiency difference rather than a scaling advantage. The 3930K, despite its older 32 nm process and lower 3.80 GHz boost clock, consistently edges out the 9850HL, which has a higher 4.10 GHz boost clock and a more modern 14 nm process. The data implies that the 3930K's higher base clock of 3.20 GHz (versus 1900.00 MHz on the 9850HL) provides a sustained throughput advantage that the 9850HL's higher boost ceiling cannot overcome in these short benchmark runs.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this picture. The 3930K holds an average score of 1960, while the 9850HL sits at 1941. This 19-point difference translates to a 1.0 percent gap in the aggregate metric. Both processors land at the 44th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are statistically tied in overall standing, yet the 3930K's individual wins are consistent. The 3930K also benefits from additional data points, including Geekbench scores of 2991 multi-core and 617 single-core, which are not available for the 9850HL. These extra benchmarks do not change the head-to-head result, but they do suggest that the 3930K has been more thoroughly tested across a wider range of applications.

Where Each One Wins

The 3930K wins outright in raw computational performance, taking every Cinebench test by a narrow but consistent margin. This makes it the clear choice for any workload that is primarily CPU-bound, such as video rendering, 3D modeling, or scientific simulations. The data shows that its 12 MB of shared L3 cache (versus 9 MB on the 9850HL) and quad-channel memory support (versus dual-channel) likely contribute to its edge, even though the 9850HL has a newer architecture and higher boost clock. The 3930K's 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth is also notably higher than the 9850HL's 42.7 GB/s, which can matter in memory-intensive applications.

The 9850HL, while losing every benchmark, does not lose by much. Its narrow 3.5 percent deficit means it is nearly as fast in short bursts, and its 25 W TDP is dramatically lower than the 3930K's 130 W. This makes the 9850HL the winner in efficiency and thermal management, though the FACT PACK does not provide power consumption or thermal data to quantify this. The 9850HL also includes integrated UHD Graphics 630, whereas the 3930K has no integrated graphics at all, making the 9850HL a more complete package for a system without a discrete GPU. For mobile or compact form factors, the 9850HL's BGA 1440 socket and 14 nm process are clear advantages, but those are design considerations rather than performance wins.

The Verdict

From a pure performance standpoint, the Intel Core i7-3930K is the better processor. It wins all six head-to-head Cinebench tests, holds a higher average benchmark score (1960 versus 1941), and offers a larger L3 cache (12 MB versus 9 MB) and quad-channel memory support. The data indicates that users prioritizing multi-threaded rendering or single-threaded responsiveness should choose the 3930K, as its 3.5 percent lead appears across every test. Its unlocked multiplier also allows for overclocking, though the FACT PACK does not include overclocked benchmark results to quantify potential gains.

The Intel Core i7-9850HL is the better choice for constrained environments. Its 25 W TDP and integrated graphics make it suitable for laptops or small-form-factor systems where the 3930K's 130 W TDP and lack of an iGPU would be prohibitive. The 9850HL's performance is close enough that most users would not notice the 3.5 percent difference in everyday tasks, and its 14 nm process suggests better power efficiency. However, the data does not support any performance advantage for the 9850HL; it is simply a more practical and efficient package. The verdict is clear: performance seekers take the 3930K, while efficiency seekers take the 9850HL.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-3930K is faster, scoring 6955 compared to the 9850HL's 6712, a 3.5 percent advantage.

Q: How close are the two CPUs in single-core performance?

A: They are very close. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the 3930K scores 981 while the 9850HL scores 947, a 3.5 percent difference. The R15 single-core test shows a 3.1 percent gap (98 versus 95).

Q: Does the newer 9850HL have a lower TDP?

A: Yes, the 9850HL has a 25 W TDP, while the 3930K has a 130 W TDP. This makes the 9850HL significantly more power-efficient on paper.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between them?

A: The 3930K has an average benchmark score of 1960, while the 9850HL scores 1941, a difference of 19 points (approximately 1.0 percent).

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The 3930K has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 9850HL has 9 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: Does the 9850HL have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the 9850HL includes UHD Graphics 630. The 3930K does not have any integrated graphics.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations. The 9850HL is based on Coffee Lake-HR, built on a 14 nm process with a die size of 149 mm². It uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket and is classified as a mobile processor. The 3930K is based on Sandy Bridge-E, built on a 32 nm process with a much larger die size of 435 mm² and 2,270 million transistors. It uses the Intel Socket 2011 and is a desktop part.

The 9850HL features a newer microarchitecture with a higher boost clock of 4.10 GHz, but a lower base clock of 1900.00 MHz. The 3930K has a lower boost clock of 3.80 GHz but a significantly higher base clock of 3.20 GHz. The 9850HL supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the 3930K supports DDR3 with quad-channel bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The 3930K also has more PCIe Gen 3 lanes (40, CPU only), whereas the 9850HL has standard Gen 3 support without a lane count specified.

The cache hierarchy differs in L3 only: the 9850HL has 9 MB shared, while the 3930K has 12 MB shared. Both have identical L1 (64 KB per core) and L2 (256 KB per core) caches. Neither supports ECC memory. The 9850HL has an integrated GPU (UHD Graphics 630), while the 3930K has none. The 3930K has an unlocked multiplier, while the 9850HL is locked.

Specification Differences

• Base Clock: 1900.00 MHz (9850HL) vs 3.20 GHz (3930K)
• Boost Clock: 4.10 GHz (9850HL) vs 3.80 GHz (3930K)
• TDP: 25 W (9850HL) vs 130 W (3930K)
• Socket: Intel BGA 1440 (9850HL) vs Intel Socket 2011 (3930K)
• Architecture: Coffee Lake (9850HL) vs Sandy Bridge (3930K)
• Process Node: 14 nm (9850HL) vs 32 nm (3930K)
• Die Size: 149 mm² (9850HL) vs 435 mm² (3930K)
• Transistors: Not specified (9850HL) vs 2,270 million (3930K)
• L3 Cache: 9 MB shared (9850HL) vs 12 MB shared (3930K)
• Memory Support: DDR4 (9850HL) vs DDR3 (3930K)
• Memory Bus: Dual-channel (9850HL) vs Quad-channel (3930K)
• Memory Bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s (9850HL) vs 51.2 GB/s (3930K)
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics 630 (9850HL) vs None (3930K)
• Market Segment: Mobile (9850HL) vs Desktop (3930K)
• Multiplier Unlocked: No (9850HL) vs Yes (3930K)
• Release Date: Not specified (9850HL) vs 2011-11-13 (3930K)
• Launch MSRP: Not specified (9850HL) vs $583 (3930K)