Intel Core i7-8086K vs Intel Core i9-10885H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark database shows a clear split between these two Intel processors, with the mobile i9-10885H taking six of eight measured wins while the desktop i7-8086K counters with two decisive victories. The most striking difference appears in Geekbench results, where the i7-8086K leads by substantial margins. In Geekbench single-core, the i7-8086K scores 1697 against the i9-10885H’s 1447, a 17.3% advantage. The multi-core Geekbench test tells a similar story: 7920 versus 6764, a 17.1% gap in favor of the desktop part. These are not marginal differences; they represent a significant performance separation in workloads that Geekbench measures, which tend to favor memory latency and per-thread efficiency.

The i9-10885H, however, dominates the Cinebench suite across every version tested. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i9-10885H scores 1219 against 1206 for the i7-8086K, a 1.1% lead. The single-core R15 test shows 172 versus 170, a 1.2% margin. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i9-10885H repeats the pattern: 5082 multi-core versus 5029, a 1% difference, and 717 single-core versus 709, a 1.1% lead. The R23 results follow suit with the i9-10885H scoring 12102 multi-core against 11975, and 1708 single-core against 1690, both roughly 1% ahead. Across all six Cinebench tests, the i9-10885H wins by narrow but consistent margins, never exceeding 1.2%. The i7-8086K’s wins are much larger in percentage terms, but they appear in only one benchmark family.

Looking at the average benchmark scores in the database, the i7-8086K posts an average of 3800 across all recorded tests, placing it in the 56th percentile of all CPUs. The i9-10885H averages 3651, placing it in the 55th percentile. The i7-8086K’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-9700KF (average 3787, 0.3% slower) and the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700 (average 3777, 0.6% slower), while it trails the AMD Ryzen 9 4900H by 0.5% and the Intel Xeon E-2286M by 0.6%. The i9-10885H sits very close to the Intel Xeon E5-2658A v3 (average 3658, 0.2% faster) and the Intel Xeon E5-1681 v3 (average 3643, 0.2% slower), with the Intel Core i3-13100E and AMD EPYC 7251 both within 0.6% of its score. These percentile and rival data points show both CPUs occupy a similar mid-range tier of overall performance, despite their divergent benchmark profiles.

The Cinebench wins for the i9-10885H are consistent but small, suggesting the extra two cores and higher boost clock help in render-style workloads. The Geekbench wins for the i7-8086K are large, indicating that the desktop chip’s higher base clock and lower memory latency matter more in that test suite. The data does not show a single dominant product; instead, each chip wins where its design strengths align with the workload.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the Intel Core i9-10885H as the better choice for sustained multi-threaded rendering tasks, as it wins all six Cinebench tests, albeit by margins under 1.2%. The i7-8086K is the stronger pick for Geekbench-style workloads, where it leads by over 17% in both single-core and multi-core tests. The i9-10885H also has a higher boost clock (5.30 GHz versus 5.00 GHz) and more cores (8 versus 6), which explains its Cinebench edge. However, the i7-8086K has a much higher base clock (4.00 GHz versus 2.40 GHz), which likely drives its Geekbench advantage in latency-sensitive tasks.

Users who prioritize rendering, video encoding, or other Cinebench-like workloads should lean toward the i9-10885H, even in a mobile package. Users who need the fastest possible response in single-threaded applications, or who run software that resembles Geekbench’s mixed integer and floating-point tests, will find the i7-8086K more capable. The i7-8086K also has an unlocked multiplier, allowing manual overclocking, while the i9-10885H is locked. The database shows the i7-8086K with a higher average benchmark score (3800 versus 3651) and a slightly higher percentile rank (56 versus 55), so for general-purpose mixed workloads, the desktop chip holds a narrow overall advantage. But the i9-10885H’s consistent Cinebench wins make it the safer bet for productivity tasks that scale with core count.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i9-10885H wins six out of eight head-to-head tests, all in the Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 suites. The Intel Core i7-8086K wins the remaining two tests, both in Geekbench.

Q: How large is the i7-8086K’s Geekbench advantage?

A: The i7-8086K leads by 17.3% in Geekbench single-core (1697 versus 1447) and by 17.1% in Geekbench multi-core (7920 versus 6764).

Q: What is the biggest margin of victory for the i9-10885H?

A: The i9-10885H’s largest lead is 1.2% in Cinebench R15 single-core (172 versus 170). All other Cinebench wins are 1.0% or 1.1%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-8086K has an average benchmark score of 3800, while the i9-10885H averages 3651. The i7-8086K sits in the 56th percentile of all CPUs, and the i9-10885H sits in the 55th percentile.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i9-10885H boosts to 5.30 GHz, compared to the i7-8086K’s 5.00 GHz. However, the i7-8086K has a much higher base clock at 4.00 GHz versus 2.40 GHz.

Q: Can either processor be overclocked?

A: The i7-8086K has an unlocked multiplier, so it can be overclocked. The i9-10885H does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several core specifications. The i7-8086K has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the i9-10885H has 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks are 4.00 GHz for the i7-8086K and 2.40 GHz for the i9-10885H. Boost clocks are 5.00 GHz and 5.30 GHz, respectively. Thermal design power (TDP) is 95 watts for the i7-8086K and 45 watts for the i9-10885H. The i7-8086K uses the Intel Socket 1151, while the i9-10885H uses Intel BGA 1440. The i7-8086K is a desktop part, and the i9-10885H is a mobile part. The i7-8086K has an unlocked multiplier; the i9-10885H does not. The i9-10885H has a larger die size at 206 mm², while the i7-8086K’s die size is not recorded. The i9-10885H also has a higher memory bandwidth at 46.9 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. The launch MSRP for the i7-8086K is $425, and for the i9-10885H it is $556.

Architecture Differences

Both chips are built by Intel on a 14 nm process node, but they belong to different architecture families. The i7-8086K uses the Coffee Lake architecture, while the i9-10885H uses Comet Lake (specifically Comet Lake-H). The i7-8086K is listed as part of the Core i7 40th generation (Coffee Lake), and the i9-10885H is in the Core 10th Gen series. The i9-10885H has a shared L3 cache of 16 MB, compared to 12 MB for the i7-8086K. Both have the same L1 cache (64 KB per core) and L2 cache (256 KB per core). Both support DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration. Both use PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). Both integrate UHD Graphics 630. The i9-10885H has a documented die size of 206 mm²; the i7-8086K does not have a recorded die size. Both are end-of-life products. The i7-8086K was released in June 2018, and the i9-10885H was released in April 2020. Neither supports ECC memory.

Where Each One Wins

The i9-10885H wins in all Cinebench tests, making it the stronger choice for multi-threaded rendering, 3D modeling, and video encoding workloads that resemble Cinebench’s render engine. Its 8 cores and 16 threads, combined with a 5.30 GHz boost clock, deliver consistent albeit small advantages over the i7-8086K in these tests. The i9-10885H also offers a larger 16 MB L3 cache and higher memory bandwidth (46.9 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s), which may benefit data-heavy tasks. Its lower TDP of 45 watts makes it suitable for thinner laptops, though the database does not measure power efficiency directly.

The i7-8086K wins decisively in Geekbench, both single-core and multi-core, with margins above 17%. This suggests it has an edge in applications that stress memory latency, per-thread performance, and mixed integer operations. Its 4.00 GHz base clock is nearly double that of the i9-10885H, which likely explains its responsiveness in lightly threaded workloads. The i7-8086K also has an unlocked multiplier, enabling manual overclocking to push performance further, a feature the i9-10885H lacks. For desktop users who run a mix of everyday applications, the i7-8086K’s higher average benchmark score (3800 versus 3651) and better percentile rank (56 versus 55) indicate a slight overall edge in general-purpose computing. The data supports choosing the i9-10885H for render-heavy productivity and the i7-8086K for latency-sensitive desktop workloads and overclocking enthusiasts.