Intel Core i7-9700F vs Intel Core i9-9880H Comparison

FAQ

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i7-9700F records an average benchmark score of 3464, while the Intel Core i9-9880H records 3433. The i7-9700F sits marginally ahead, with a difference of roughly 0.9% across the combined benchmark set.

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head tests?

A: The Intel Core i9-9880H wins 6 of the 8 recorded head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-9700F wins 2. However, the i7-9700F’s victories come in the Geekbench suite, where it leads by 8.9% in multicore and 10% in singlecore.

Q: Are both CPUs based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both are built on the Coffee Lake architecture and use a 14 nm process node from Intel. The i7-9700F is part of the Coffee Lake Refresh generation, while the i9-9880H belongs to the Coffee Lake-HR generation.

Q: Do both chips support the same memory configuration?

A: Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode with a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: What is the difference in core and thread counts?

A: Both have 8 physical cores, but the Intel Core i9-9880H supports 16 threads through Hyper-Threading, while the Intel Core i7-9700F has 8 threads. This gives the i9-9880H a multithreading advantage in workloads that scale with thread count.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-9880H has a boost clock of 4.80 GHz, compared to the Intel Core i7-9700F’s 4.70 GHz. The i7-9700F has the higher base clock at 3.00 GHz versus 2.30 GHz for the i9-9880H.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share a common Coffee Lake lineage, but they diverge in several meaningful ways. Both are manufactured by Intel on a 14 nm process node, and both use the same 64 KB L1 cache per core and 256 KB L2 cache per core. The shared L3 cache, however, differs: the i7-9700F has 12 MB shared, while the i9-9880H has 16 MB shared. This larger cache pool on the mobile chip can benefit workloads that repeatedly access a sizable working set.

The die sizes also differ. The i7-9700F measures 180.3 mm², while the i9-9880H is smaller at 149 mm². Both are end-of-life products, and both were released on the same date in 2019. The i7-9700F is a desktop part using the Intel Socket 1151, whereas the i9-9880H is a mobile part using Intel BGA 1440. That socket difference is fundamental: the i7-9700F can be installed in a desktop motherboard, while the i9-9880H is soldered into laptops.

Threading is another major architectural split. The i7-9700F offers 8 cores and 8 threads, meaning each core handles a single thread. The i9-9880H offers 8 cores and 16 threads, doubling the thread count through simultaneous multithreading. This explains why the i9-9880H tends to lead in threaded Cinebench workloads despite having a lower base clock.

Clock behavior also separates the two. The i7-9700F starts at 3.00 GHz base and boosts to 4.70 GHz. The i9-9880H starts lower at 2.30 GHz base but boosts slightly higher to 4.80 GHz. The power envelope follows the platform: the desktop chip is rated at 65 W TDP, while the mobile chip is rated at 45 W TDP. The i9-9880H also includes integrated graphics in the form of UHD 630, while the i7-9700F has no integrated graphics, consistent with its “F” designation.

PCIe support is another point of difference. The i7-9700F offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i9-9880H lists Gen 3 without a specified lane count in the database. Both parts are multiplier-locked, so overclocking is not an option on either platform.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results show a clear split between Cinebench and Geekbench workloads. In every Cinebench test, the Intel Core i9-9880H comes out ahead, but by a narrow margin. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i9-9880H scores 1152 against the i7-9700F’s 1126, a delta of 2.3%. The singlecore R15 result is similar: 162 versus 158, a 2.5% lead for the i9-9880H.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern holds. The i9-9880H scores 4803 in multicore versus 4693 for the i7-9700F, again a 2.3% gap. In R20 singlecore, the i9-9880H posts 677 against 662, a 2.2% lead. Cinebench R23 repeats the same story: multicore 11437 for the i9-9880H versus 11176 for the i7-9700F, and singlecore 1614 versus 1577. Both R23 results show a 2.3% difference in favor of the mobile chip.

The Geekbench results flip the narrative. In Geekbench multicore, the i7-9700F scores 6807, while the i9-9880H scores 6248. That is a substantial 8.9% advantage for the desktop chip. The Geekbench singlecore test shows an even larger gap: 1509 for the i7-9700F versus 1372 for the i9-9880H, a 10% lead.

What does this mean in practice? The i9-9880H’s extra threads deliver consistent, if modest, gains in Cinebench’s rendering workloads, where multithreading is heavily utilized. The i7-9700F, meanwhile, shows a decisive edge in Geekbench, which appears to favor its higher base clock and desktop-oriented design. The overall win tally favors the i9-9880H at 6 wins versus 2, but the magnitude of the i7-9700F’s Geekbench victories means the average benchmark scores remain close: 3464 for the i7-9700F and 3433 for the i9-9880H.

Both chips sit at the 54th percentile among all CPUs in the database, reinforcing that these are comparable mid-pack performers. The i7-9700F’s nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E-2186G at a 0.1% delta, the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7730U at 0.2%, the AMD Ryzen 5 5600HS at 0.5%, and the Intel Core i7-10870H at 0.5%. The i9-9880H’s nearest rivals are the Intel Core i7-10875H at 0% delta, the AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G at 0.2% lower, the Intel Core i7-5960X at 0.3% lower, and the AMD Ryzen 5 4600HS at 0.3% lower.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The i7-9700F has 8 threads, while the i9-9880H has 16 threads. Base clocks differ: 3.00 GHz for the i7-9700F versus 2.30 GHz for the i9-9880H. Boost clocks also differ, with the i9-9880H reaching 4.80 GHz against the i7-9700F’s 4.70 GHz.

TDP ratings reflect their platforms: the i7-9700F is rated at 65 W, the i9-9880H at 45 W. The socket is different, with the i7-9700F using Intel Socket 1151 and the i9-9880H using Intel BGA 1440. The die size differs as well: 180.3 mm² for the i7-9700F versus 149 mm² for the i9-9880H.

Cache capacity is another differentiator. The i7-9700F has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i9-9880H has 16 MB. The i9-9880H includes integrated graphics (UHD 630), while the i7-9700F has none. PCIe support is listed as Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the i7-9700F, while the i9-9880H is simply listed as Gen 3.

The market segments differ: the i7-9700F is a desktop processor, the i9-9880H is a mobile processor. The i7-9700F has a launch MSRP of $333, while the i9-9880H has no recorded launch MSRP in the database. The part numbers also differ: SRG14 for the i7-9700F and SRFD1 for the i9-9880H. Both processors are end-of-life, both are multiplier-locked, and both were released on the same date.

The Verdict

The data paints a nuanced picture. The Intel Core i9-9880H is the better choice for threaded rendering workloads, as shown by its consistent wins across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. The margins are small, ranging from 2.2% to 2.5%, but they are uniform across every Cinebench test. The 16-thread configuration and 16 MB of L3 cache give it a real, measurable advantage in these scenarios.

The Intel Core i7-9700F is the better choice for Geekbench-style workloads. Its 10% singlecore lead and 8.9% multicore lead over the i9-9880H are the largest margins in the entire head-to-head set. The higher base clock of 3.00 GHz likely contributes to this responsiveness, and the desktop platform’s 65 W TDP allows for sustained performance that the 45 W mobile chip cannot match.

For buyers on a desktop platform, the i7-9700F offers the advantage of a socketed design with 16 PCIe lanes from the CPU, and it carries a launch MSRP of $333. For buyers in the mobile space, the i9-9880H is the only option of the two, since it uses a BGA 1440 socket and includes integrated graphics, which is essential for systems without a discrete GPU.

The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the i7-9700F at 3464 and the i9-9880H at 3433. Both sit at the 54th percentile, and both are surrounded by similar-performing rivals. The choice between them should be guided by workload and platform, not by raw score alone. Rendering favors the i9-9880H, while general compute and Geekbench-style tasks favor the i7-9700F.