Intel Core i7-5820K vs Intel Core i7-9750HF Comparison

The Intel Core i7-9750HF and Intel Core i7-5820K represent two very different eras of Intel’s six-core design philosophy. The 9750HF is a mobile Coffee Lake-HR part built on a 14 nm process, while the 5820K is a desktop Haswell-E chip from 2014 built on 22 nm. Despite the generational gap, both processors deliver nearly identical average benchmark scores — 2662 for the mobile chip versus 2642 for the desktop chip — placing them within 0.8% of each other. However, this statistical tie masks significant architectural differences in memory bandwidth, power envelope, and platform capabilities. The benchmark data reveals a nuanced picture: the newer mobile chip wins in most CPU-bound tests, but the older desktop part counters with a decisive victory in Geekbench multi-core performance. This analysis breaks down the exact scores, specification divergences, and architectural implications to determine which processor holds the edge where it matters.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750HF has an average benchmark score of 2662, while the Intel Core i7-5820K scores 2642. This places the 9750HF at the 50th percentile of all CPUs and the 5820K at the 49th percentile.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750HF scores 8696 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 4.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-5820K’s score of 8354. This is one of seven benchmark wins for the 9750HF in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multi-core, and by how much?

A: The Intel Core i7-5820K wins Geekbench multi-core with a score of 5464, defeating the Intel Core i7-9750HF’s 4844 by 11.3%. This is the only benchmark victory for the 5820K out of the eight tests compared.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750HF has a TDP of 45 watts, while the Intel Core i7-5820K has a TDP of 140 watts. This represents a significant power consumption gap between the mobile and desktop parts.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i7-9750HF and the Intel Core i7-5820K feature 6 cores and 12 threads. They also share identical L1 cache of 64 KB per core and L2 cache of 256 KB per core.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750HF has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, which is substantially higher than the Intel Core i7-5820K’s boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The base clocks are 2.60 GHz and 3.30 GHz respectively.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but nuanced verdict. The Intel Core i7-9750HF is the superior processor for single-threaded and most multi-threaded workloads, winning 7 of 8 head-to-head benchmarks. Its advantages are consistent across all Cinebench versions — R15, R20, and R23 — with margins ranging from 4.0% to 4.2% in both single-core and multi-core tests. The 9750HF also dominates in Geekbench single-core with a 16.3% lead, scoring 1365 versus the 5820K’s 1174.

However, the Intel Core i7-5820K is not without merit. Its 11.3% victory in Geekbench multi-core — 5464 versus 4844 — indicates that the older Haswell architecture handles certain parallel workloads more efficiently. This is likely attributable to its quad-channel memory bus, which provides 68.3 GB/s of bandwidth compared to the 9750HF’s dual-channel 42.7 GB/s. For users who prioritize memory-bandwidth-intensive applications, the 5820K holds a distinct advantage.

The average benchmark scores tell the story of near-equivalence: 2662 versus 2642. The 9750HF’s nearest rival, the Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3, scores 2664 with a delta of -0.1%, while the 5820K’s closest competitor, the Intel Xeon E-2274G, scores 2643 with a delta of 0%. Given this parity, the choice comes down to platform and use case. The 9750HF offers a 14 nm process, higher boost clocks, and dramatically lower power consumption at 45 watts. The 5820K offers a 22 nm process, an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, and a quad-channel memory interface. The data suggests the 9750HF is the better all-round performer, but the 5820K remains competitive for desktop users who need maximum memory throughput.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results show a clear pattern: the Intel Core i7-9750HF wins every Cinebench test and Geekbench single-core, while the Intel Core i7-5820K wins only Geekbench multi-core. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the 9750HF scores 876 against the 5820K’s 841, a 4.2% advantage. The single-core R15 test shows the same 4.2% margin, with scores of 123 and 118 respectively.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the 9750HF continues its dominance. In multi-core, it scores 3652 versus 3508, a 4.1% lead. In single-core, the scores are 515 and 495, a 4.0% margin. Cinebench R23 repeats this pattern: multi-core scores of 8696 versus 8354 (4.1% ahead) and single-core scores of 1227 versus 1179 (4.1% ahead).

The Geekbench results introduce the sole upset. In single-core, the 9750HF wins decisively with 1365 against 1174, representing a 16.3% advantage — the largest margin of any test in either direction. However, in multi-core, the 5820K reverses the trend, scoring 5464 against the 9750HF’s 4844. This 11.3% victory for the 5820K is the only benchmark where the older processor comes out ahead.

The overall tally is 7 wins for the 9750HF and 1 win for the 5820K. The consistency of the 9750HF’s Cinebench victories — all within the 4.0-4.2% range — suggests a stable architectural advantage in rendering workloads. Conversely, the 5820K’s Geekbench multi-core win, combined with its 68.3 GB/s memory bandwidth, points to superior performance in memory-heavy parallel tasks.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge significantly in their specifications, reflecting their different market segments. The Intel Core i7-9750HF is a mobile processor with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-5820K is a desktop part with a base clock of 3.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The 9750HF’s higher boost clock is a key factor in its single-core benchmark victories.

Power consumption is a major differentiator. The 9750HF has a TDP of 45 watts, while the 5820K draws 140 watts — more than three times the power. This makes the 9750HF suitable for laptops and compact systems, whereas the 5820K requires a robust desktop cooling solution.

The memory interfaces also differ. The 9750HF uses a dual-channel memory bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the 5820K employs a quad-channel bus with 68.3 GB/s bandwidth. This gives the 5820K a 60% theoretical memory bandwidth advantage, which likely explains its Geekbench multi-core victory.

Socket compatibility separates the two entirely. The 9750HF uses Intel BGA 1440, a soldered mobile socket, while the 5820K uses Intel Socket 2011-3, a desktop LGA socket. The 5820K also features an unlocked multiplier, enabling overclocking, whereas the 9750HF is locked. Both processors support DDR4 memory and lack integrated graphics, but the 5820K offers 28 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only) compared to the 9750HF’s standard PCIe Gen 3 implementation.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these processors is substantial. The Intel Core i7-9750HF is built on Coffee Lake-HR, a 14 nm process, while the Intel Core i7-5820K uses Haswell-E on a 22 nm process. This process node difference contributes to the 9750HF’s lower TDP and higher boost clocks, despite having the same 6-core, 12-thread configuration.

The 5820K’s Haswell-E architecture is notably larger physically. It has a die size of 356 mm² and contains 2,600 million transistors. The 9750HF, by contrast, has a die size of 149 mm², though its transistor count is not listed. The smaller die size of the 9750HF reflects the more advanced 14 nm manufacturing process.

Cache configurations differ in the L3 tier. The 9750HF has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the 5820K has 15 MB of shared L3 cache. Both share the same per-core L1 cache of 64 KB and L2 cache of 256 KB. The 5820K’s larger L3 cache, combined with its quad-channel memory, provides a memory subsystem advantage that shows up in Geekbench multi-core performance.

Generation and release timing further separate the two. The 9750HF belongs to the Core i7 (Coffee Lake-HR) generation and was released on 2019-04-22, while the 5820K is part of the Core i7 (Haswell-E) generation, released on 2014-08-31. Both processors are end-of-life production status, and neither has a launch MSRP listed in the data. The 9750HF’s part number is SRG1T, and the 5820K’s is SR20S.