Intel Core i7-9750HF vs Intel Xeon D-1577 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a clear split between the two processors, with the Intel Xeon D-1577 claiming victory in every Cinebench test in the head-to-head comparison. The Xeon D-1577 wins all six multicore and single-core tests, while the Intel Core i7-9750HF records zero wins. This is not a narrow margin either; the Xeon D-1577 leads by a consistent 8 percent across the board, from the older Cinebench R15 tests to the more demanding R23 workloads.

The use-case split is therefore not about which chip wins specific tasks, but rather about what each chip is designed to accomplish. The Xeon D-1577, with its 16-core and 32-thread configuration, targets server and workstation environments where parallel throughput matters most. Its benchmark scores in multicore tests, such as 9,389 in Cinebench R23 multicore, reflect a processor built to sustain heavy, simultaneous workloads. The Core i7-9750HF, in contrast, is a mobile processor with 6 cores and 12 threads, aimed at laptops where power efficiency and compactness matter as much as raw performance. Its highest recorded score, 8,696 in Cinebench R23 multicore, is respectable for its class but trails the Xeon by that consistent 8 percent.

The single-core results tell a similar story. The Xeon D-1577 scores 133 in Cinebench R15 single-core, 556 in R20, and 1,325 in R23. The Core i7-9750HF scores 123, 515, and 1,227 respectively. Even in single-threaded tasks, where the Core i7's higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz might be expected to help, the Xeon's lower clock but broader architecture still edges ahead. The data implies that the Xeon D-1577 is not merely a multi-core specialist; it also holds a slight advantage in lightly threaded scenarios, which is surprising given the Core i7's much higher clock speeds.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two chips is substantial and explains much of the performance gap. The Xeon D-1577 uses the Broadwell architecture, specifically the Broadwell-DE variant, built on Intel's 14 nm process node. It has 16 cores and 32 threads, with a base clock of 1.30 GHz and a boost clock of 2.10 GHz. The chip is built on a 246 mm² die with 3,200 million transistors. Its cache layout is per-core: 64 KB of L1, 256 KB of L2, and 1.5 MB of L3 per core, which for a 16-core chip totals a large distributed L3 pool. It supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and it includes ECC memory support, a hallmark of server-class parts. The socket is Intel BGA 1667, and it provides PCIe Gen 3 with 24 lanes from the CPU.

The Core i7-9750HF uses the Coffee Lake architecture, specifically Coffee Lake-HR, also on a 14 nm process. It has 6 cores and 12 threads, with a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The die is much smaller at 149 mm², and the transistor count is not listed in the database. Its cache is arranged differently: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, but a shared 12 MB L3 cache across all cores. It supports only DDR4 memory, also dual-channel, with a stated memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported. The socket is Intel BGA 1440, and PCIe is Gen 3 without a lane count specified. The Core i7 is marked as end-of-life, while the Xeon D-1577 remains active in production.

The clock speed difference is stark: the Core i7 boosts more than twice as high as the Xeon D-1577, at 4.50 GHz versus 2.10 GHz. Yet the Xeon still wins every benchmark. This points to the core count advantage, 16 versus 6, being the dominant factor in multicore tests, while the single-core wins suggest that the Xeon's architecture extracts more work per clock than the Coffee Lake design, or that the benchmark scores reflect something about the memory subsystem or cache topology that is not immediately visible in the clock numbers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is remarkably uniform, with the Xeon D-1577 winning all six Cinebench comparisons by 8 percent or slightly more. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon scores 946 against the Core i7's 876, a delta of 8 percent. In single-core R15, the Xeon scores 133 versus 123, a delta of 8.1 percent. The pattern holds in R20: multicore 3,943 versus 3,652, an 8 percent lead, and single-core 556 versus 515, also 8 percent. In R23, the multicore scores are 9,389 versus 8,696, and single-core 1,325 versus 1,227, both again 8 percent.

The consistency of the delta across all tests is notable. It suggests that the Xeon D-1577's advantage is systematic, not workload-specific. Whether the test stresses all cores or just one, the Xeon maintains the same proportional edge. The Core i7-9750HF does have an additional benchmark recorded in the database: Geekbench multicore at 4,844 and single-core at 1,365. However, the Xeon D-1577 has no Geekbench scores listed, so no direct comparison is possible for that suite. The absence of that data point means the head-to-head comparison is restricted to Cinebench, where the Xeon's dominance is complete.

Looking at the broader context, the Xeon D-1577's average benchmark score is 2,715, placing it at the 50th percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Core i7-9750HF has an average score of 2,662, also at the 50th percentile. The rival sets for each chip reinforce their positioning. The Xeon D-1577's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-11390H with an identical average score of 2,715, and the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U at 2,713. The Core i7-9750HF's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E5-4650 v3 at 2,664 and the Intel Core i7-9700T at 2,668. In both cases, the chips sit in the middle of the performance distribution, but the Xeon edges ahead by roughly 2 percent in average score, 2,715 versus 2,662.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1577 has 16 cores and 32 threads. The Intel Core i7-9750HF has 6 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Does the Xeon D-1577 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Xeon D-1577 supports ECC memory. The Core i7-9750HF does not support ECC memory.

Q: Which chip has the higher boost clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i7-9750HF has a boost clock of 4.50 GHz. The Intel Xeon D-1577 has a boost clock of 2.10 GHz.

Q: What are the Cinebench R23 multicore scores for each processor?

A: The Xeon D-1577 scores 9,389 in Cinebench R23 multicore. The Core i7-9750HF scores 8,696, giving the Xeon an 8 percent lead.

Q: Is the Core i7-9750HF still in production?

A: No, the Core i7-9750HF is marked as end-of-life. The Xeon D-1577 is marked as active in production.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Xeon D-1577 supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory. The Core i7-9750HF supports only DDR4 memory.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification field. The Xeon D-1577 has 16 cores and 32 threads, while the Core i7-9750HF has 6 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 1.30 GHz for the Xeon and 2.60 GHz for the Core i7. Boost clocks are 2.10 GHz for the Xeon and 4.50 GHz for the Core i7. Both have a TDP of 45 watts, making them comparable in power draw despite the core disparity.

The sockets are different: the Xeon uses Intel BGA 1667, the Core i7 uses Intel BGA 1440. The Xeon is built on the Broadwell architecture, the Core i7 on Coffee Lake. Die sizes are 246 mm² for the Xeon versus 149 mm² for the Core i7. The Xeon has 3,200 million transistors, while the Core i7's transistor count is not recorded. Cache layouts differ significantly: the Xeon has 1.5 MB of L3 per core, while the Core i7 has 12 MB of shared L3. Memory support favors the Xeon with both DDR3 and DDR4, while the Core i7 is DDR4-only. The Xeon supports ECC memory, the Core i7 does not. PCIe is Gen 3 with 24 lanes for the Xeon, while the Core i7 lists only Gen 3 without a lane count. The Xeon has a launch MSRP of 1,379, while the Core i7 has no recorded launch MSRP. The Xeon targets the server and workstation market segment, the Core i7 targets mobile. The Xeon was released on 2016-02-23, the Core i7 on 2019-04-22. The Xeon is active in production, the Core i7 is end-of-life.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner in raw performance: the Intel Xeon D-1577 wins every head-to-head benchmark by 8 percent. If the question is which processor delivers higher Cinebench scores, the answer is unambiguous. The Xeon D-1577's 16 cores and 32 threads provide a substantial parallel processing advantage, and even in single-core tests it outperforms the Core i7-9750HF despite the Core i7's much higher boost clock.

However, the choice is not simply about performance. The Xeon D-1577 is a server and workstation chip, designed for sockets and systems that accommodate its larger die, BGA 1667 socket, and ECC memory requirements. It is built for longevity in active production. The Core i7-9750HF is a mobile processor, now end-of-life, intended for laptops where its lower core count but higher clocks might have been paired with smaller cooling solutions. The Core i7 also supports only DDR4 with a recorded memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, while the Xeon's memory bandwidth is not listed but it supports the older DDR3 standard as well.

For a buyer selecting a processor for a server or workstation workload, the Xeon D-1577 is the data-backed choice, with wins in all six benchmark comparisons and a higher average benchmark score of 2,715 versus 2,662. For a buyer looking at mobile systems, the Core i7-9750HF is the only one of the two that fits that market segment, but it is end-of-life and loses on performance. The verdict from the database is straightforward: the Xeon D-1577 outperforms the Core i7-9750HF in every measured Cinebench test, and the only reasons to choose the Core i7 would be its mobile form factor and higher clock speeds, neither of which translate into benchmark wins in the recorded data.