Intel Core i7-8850H vs Intel Core i7-9700T Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data splits cleanly along benchmark family lines. The Intel Core i7-8850H wins all six Cinebench tests, while the Intel Core i7-9700T wins both Geekbench tests. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-8850H scores 857 against the i7-9700T's 839, a 2.1% advantage. The single-core R15 result is nearly identical in percentage terms: 120 versus 118, a 1.7% edge for the mobile chip. Moving to Cinebench R20, the i7-8850H repeats its multi-core win with 3574 versus 3496, a 2.2% gap, and the single-core test shows 504 against 493, also 2.2%. Cinebench R23 follows the same pattern: the i7-8850H posts 8511 versus 8325 in multi-core and 1201 versus 1175 in single-core, both 2.2% margins. These are consistent but modest leads, hovering just above two percentage points across every Cinebench iteration.

The Geekbench results flip the picture dramatically. The i7-9700T scores 5503 in multi-core against the i7-8850H's 4765, a commanding 15.5% lead. Single-core Geekbench also favors the desktop part: 1392 versus 1300, a 7.1% advantage. These are not marginal differences; they represent a substantial performance tier gap in favor of the i7-9700T on this particular workload.

What explains the split? The Cinebench suite tends to scale with sustained multi-threaded throughput, where the i7-8850H's 12 threads give it a structural edge over the i7-9700T's 8 threads. The i7-9700T counters with higher per-core efficiency in Geekbench, which rewards memory latency and branch handling patterns differently. The data shows a processor that wins on thread-heavy rendering workloads, and another that wins on synthetic integer and floating-point throughput.

The average benchmark scores reflect the overall balance. The i7-9700T sits at an average of 2668, ranking in the 50th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-9500F, scores 2670, a 0.1% difference; the Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 at 2664 is 0.1% behind, and the Intel Core i7-9750HF at 2662 trails by 0.2%. The i7-8850H averages 2604, placing it in the 49th percentile. Its closest competitor is the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE at 2596, a 0.3% gap, with the Intel Xeon E-2174G at 2588 and the Intel Xeon E5-4620 v3 at 2587 both 0.6% behind. The 64-point average gap between the two chips is small, but the distribution of wins is not uniform.

The Verdict

The benchmark data supports a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i7-8850H is the better choice for Cinebench-style rendering workloads, while the Intel Core i7-9700T is the better choice for Geekbench-style synthetic tests. The i7-8850H wins six of eight head-to-head comparisons, but its margins are narrow, never exceeding 2.2%. The i7-9700T wins only two tests, yet those wins are decisive, with a 15.5% multi-core Geekbench margin and a 7.1% single-core margin.

For users prioritizing Geekbench scores, the i7-9700T is the definitive pick. Its 50th percentile ranking and higher average score of 2668 versus 2604 reinforce this. For users prioritizing Cinebench performance, the i7-8850H takes the edge in every version of that benchmark, from R15 through R23, though the advantage is slim enough that real-world rendering differences would be difficult to perceive.

There is no universal winner here. The i7-8850H is the stronger rendering chip; the i7-9700T is the stronger synthetic benchmark chip. The choice depends entirely on which workload family matters more.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Coffee Lake architecture and are built on Intel's 14 nm process node. The i7-9700T carries the Coffee Lake Refresh generation label, while the i7-8850H is designated Coffee Lake-H. The codenames reflect their target platforms: the i7-9700T is a desktop part, and the i7-8850H is a mobile part.

The core configurations differ significantly. The i7-9700T has 8 cores and 8 threads, meaning no hyper-threading. The i7-8850H has 6 cores and 12 threads, relying on hyper-threading to reach its thread count. This explains the Cinebench results: the i7-8850H's 12 threads allow it to edge ahead in multi-threaded rendering despite having fewer physical cores.

Cache layouts are identical in capacity. Both processors feature 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The die sizes differ: the i7-9700T measures 180.3 mm², while the i7-8850H is smaller at 149 mm². Both use Intel as the foundry.

Integrated graphics are present on both, with the i7-9700T using UHD Graphics 630 and the i7-8850H using UHD 630. Neither chip supports ECC memory. Both have locked multipliers, so overclocking is not an option on either part. Both are end-of-life products.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on several specification fields. Core and thread counts differ: 8 cores and 8 threads for the i7-9700T versus 6 cores and 12 threads for the i7-8850H. Base clocks differ as well: the i7-9700T runs at 2000.00 MHz, while the i7-8850H runs at 2700.00 MHz. Boost clocks are identical at 4.30 GHz for both.

Thermal design power separates the two clearly. The i7-9700T is rated at 35 W, while the i7-8850H is rated at 45 W. The desktop part draws less power on paper, which is notable given its higher core count. The i7-8850H's higher base clock compensates for its lower core count in thread-limited scenarios.

Sockets differ entirely. The i7-9700T uses Intel Socket 1151, a desktop socket. The i7-8850H uses Intel BGA 1440, a soldered mobile package. This means the i7-9700T is replaceable in a compatible desktop board, while the i7-8850H is permanently attached to its motherboard.

Memory support shows another difference. The i7-9700T supports DDR4 with a dual-channel memory bus and a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The i7-8850H also supports DDR4, but the database records no memory bus or bandwidth figures for it. PCIe information follows the same pattern: the i7-9700T lists Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i7-8850H has no PCIe data recorded.

Release dates differ by roughly a year. The i7-9700T launched on 2019-04-22, while the i7-8850H launched on 2018-04-01. The i7-9700T carries a launch MSRP of $323; no launch MSRP is recorded for the i7-8850H. Part numbers also differ: SRG17 for the i7-9700T and SR3YZ for the i7-8850H. The i7-9700T is classified as a Desktop processor, and the i7-8850H as a Mobile processor.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700T has 8 cores, while the Intel Core i7-8850H has 6 cores.

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-8850H has 12 threads, while the Intel Core i7-9700T has 8 threads. The i7-8850H uses hyper-threading to exceed its physical core count.

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-8850H wins with a score of 8511 versus 8325 for the i7-9700T, a 2.2% advantage.

Q: Which processor wins in Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700T wins with a score of 5503 versus 4765 for the i7-8850H, a 15.5% advantage.

Q: Do both processors have the same boost clock?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i7-9700T and the Intel Core i7-8850H boost to 4.30 GHz.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700T is rated at 35 W, and the Intel Core i7-8850H is rated at 45 W.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-8850H wins in every Cinebench test recorded in the database. This includes R15 multi-core and single-core, R20 multi-core and single-core, and R23 multi-core and single-core. The margins range from 1.7% to 2.2%, with the multi-core tests consistently showing the larger gap. Users running rendering workloads that resemble Cinebench's threaded workload should expect the i7-8850H to deliver slightly higher scores. The 12-thread configuration is the likely driver of this pattern, as it allows better utilization of rendering tasks that scale with thread count.

The Intel Core i7-9700T wins in both Geekbench tests. The multi-core advantage of 15.5% is substantial, and the single-core advantage of 7.1% is also significant. These are the largest margins in the entire head-to-head comparison. Users running Geekbench-style synthetic benchmarks, which stress memory access patterns and per-core throughput differently than Cinebench, should expect the i7-9700T to perform at a clearly higher level.

The use-case split is straightforward. For Cinebench-style rendering, choose the i7-8850H. For Geekbench-style synthetic testing, choose the i7-9700T. The i7-9700T also holds the higher average benchmark score at 2668 versus 2604, and it ranks one percentile point higher in the database at 50 versus 49. The i7-8850H's wins are consistent but narrow; the i7-9700T's wins are fewer but decisive. A user who values overall average performance across the recorded tests would lean toward the i7-9700T, while a user who prioritizes rendering benchmarks specifically would lean toward the i7-8850H.