Intel Core i7-9750HF
Intel processor specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
IntelIntel Core i7-9750HF Specifications
Core i7-9750HF Core Configuration
Processing cores and threading
The Intel Core i7-9750HF features 6 physical cores and 12 threads, which directly impacts multi-threaded performance in CPU benchmarks. More cores allow the processor to handle parallel workloads efficiently, improving performance in video editing, 3D rendering, and multitasking scenarios. Thread count determines how many simultaneous tasks the CPU can process, with higher thread counts benefiting productivity applications and content creation workflows.
i7-9750HF Clock Speeds
Base and boost frequencies
Clock speed is a critical factor in Core i7-9750HF benchmark performance, measured in GHz. The base clock represents the guaranteed operating frequency, while the boost clock indicates maximum single-core performance under optimal conditions. Higher clock speeds translate to faster single-threaded performance, which is essential for gaming and applications that don't fully utilize multiple cores. The Core i7-9750HF by Intel can dynamically adjust its frequency based on workload and thermal headroom.
Intel's Core i7-9750HF Cache Hierarchy
L1, L2, L3 cache sizes
Cache memory is ultra-fast storage built directly into the i7-9750HF processor die. L1 cache provides the fastest access for frequently used data, while L2 and L3 caches offer progressively larger storage with slightly higher latency. Larger cache sizes significantly improve CPU benchmark scores by reducing memory access times. The Core i7-9750HF's cache configuration is optimized for both gaming performance and productivity workloads, minimizing data fetch delays during intensive computations.
Coffee Lake Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The Intel Core i7-9750HF is built on Intel's 14 nm manufacturing process, which determines power efficiency and thermal characteristics. Smaller process nodes allow for more transistors in the same space, enabling higher performance per watt. The architecture defines how the processor handles instructions and manages data flow, directly impacting benchmark results across different workload types. Modern CPU architectures like the one in i7-9750HF incorporate advanced branch prediction and out-of-order execution for optimal performance.
Coffee Lake Instruction Set Features
Supported CPU instructions and extensions
The Core i7-9750HF by Intel supports various instruction set extensions that enable optimized performance for specific workloads. SIMD instructions like SSE and AVX accelerate multimedia, scientific computing, and AI workloads by processing multiple data points simultaneously. Features like AES-NI provide hardware-accelerated encryption, while AVX-512 (if supported) enables advanced vector processing for data centers and high-performance computing. These instruction sets are critical for software compatibility and performance in modern applications.
i7-9750HF Power & Thermal
TDP and power specifications
The Intel Core i7-9750HF has a TDP (Thermal Design Power) of 45W, indicating the cooling solution required for sustained operation. TDP affects both system power consumption and the type of cooler needed. Lower TDP processors are ideal for compact builds and laptops, while higher TDP chips typically offer better sustained performance in demanding CPU benchmarks. Understanding power requirements helps ensure your system can deliver consistent performance without thermal throttling.
Intel BGA 1440 Platform & Socket
Compatibility information
The Core i7-9750HF uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, which determines motherboard compatibility. Choosing the right platform is essential for building a system around this processor. The socket type also influences available features like PCIe lanes, memory support, and upgrade paths. When comparing CPU benchmarks, ensure you're looking at processors compatible with your existing or planned motherboard to make informed purchasing decisions.
Intel BGA 1440 Memory Support
RAM compatibility and speeds
Memory support specifications for the i7-9750HF define which RAM types and speeds are compatible. Faster memory can significantly improve CPU benchmark performance, especially in memory-intensive applications and gaming. The memory controller integrated into the Core i7-9750HF determines maximum supported speeds and channels. Dual-channel or quad-channel memory configurations can double or quadruple memory bandwidth, providing noticeable performance gains in content creation and scientific workloads.
Core i7-9750HF Product Information
Release and pricing details
The Intel Core i7-9750HF is manufactured by Intel and represents their commitment to delivering competitive CPU performance. Understanding the release date and pricing helps contextualize benchmark comparisons with other processors from the same generation. Launch pricing provides a baseline for evaluating value, though street prices often differ. Whether you're building a new system or upgrading, the Core i7-9750HF by Intel offers a specific balance of performance, features, and cost within Intel's product lineup.
Core i7-9750HF Benchmark Scores
cinebench_cinebench_r15_multicoreSource
Cinebench R15 multi-core renders a complex 3D scene using all CPU threads simultaneously. This test reveals how Intel Core i7-9750HF performs in parallel rendering workloads.
cinebench_cinebench_r15_singlecoreSource
Cinebench R15 single-core measures the speed of one CPU thread rendering 3D geometry. This score indicates how Intel Core i7-9750HF handles tasks that can't be parallelized.
cinebench_cinebench_r20_multicoreSource
Cinebench R20 multi-core uses a scene requiring 4x more computational power than R15. This test better reflects modern CPU capabilities for professional rendering on Intel Core i7-9750HF. The more demanding workload provides better differentiation between current-generation processors. Content creators and 3D artists use this benchmark to estimate real-world render performance.
cinebench_cinebench_r20_singlecoreSource
Cinebench R20 single-core tests one thread against a more demanding scene than R15. This reveals the true single-thread rendering capability of Intel Core i7-9750HF. The increased complexity provides more accurate performance differentiation between modern CPUs. Single-thread performance remains critical for gaming and applications with serial bottlenecks.
cinebench_cinebench_r23_multicoreSource
Cinebench R23 multi-core is the current standard for CPU rendering benchmarks with a 10-minute minimum runtime. This extended test reveals sustained performance of Intel Core i7-9750HF after thermal limits kick in. The longer duration exposes cooling limitations that shorter benchmarks miss. Professional users rely on R23 scores to predict real-world rendering performance under sustained workloads.
cinebench_cinebench_r23_singlecoreSource
Cinebench R23 single-core measures sustained single-thread performance over 10 minutes. This reveals how Intel Core i7-9750HF maintains boost clocks under continuous load. The extended runtime shows whether thermal throttling affects single-core performance. This score is particularly important for understanding real-world responsiveness beyond initial boost behavior.
geekbench_multicoreSource
Geekbench multi-core tests Intel Core i7-9750HF across real-world workloads including image processing, machine learning, and data compression. All available threads are utilized to measure parallel performance. Higher scores indicate better capability in multitasking and content creation. The cross-platform nature of Geekbench allows direct comparison with systems running different operating systems.
geekbench_singlecoreSource
Geekbench single-core measures how fast one thread of Intel Core i7-9750HF can process tasks like web browsing and document editing. This score correlates with how snappy the system feels during normal use. Many applications still depend primarily on single-thread performance. Gaming performance is also heavily influenced by single-core speed in CPU-limited scenarios.
About Intel Core i7-9750HF
The Intel Core i7-9750HF is a mobile processor built on the Coffee Lake architecture, targeting the high-performance laptop segment. With a 6-core, 12-thread configuration and a 45W TDP, it is designed for demanding workloads, though its end-of-life status indicates it has been superseded in the market. This analysis examines its benchmark performance, competitive positioning, power characteristics, and platform compatibility based on available data.
Benchmark Performance
The processor's aggregate benchmark score of 2710 places it at the 52nd percentile of all CPUs, indicating a mid-pack standing in the broader performance landscape. This percentile ranking suggests that while the i7-9750HF is not a top-tier part, it outperforms a slight majority of all tracked processors. The average benchmark score of 2710 is derived from a battery of tests including Cinebench R15, R20, R23, and Geekbench.
In single-threaded workloads, the chip demonstrates respectable capability. Its Cinebench R15 single-core score of 126 and R20 single-core score of 528 show modest performance, while the R23 single-core result of 1258 indicates that the 4.50 GHz boost clock provides a solid foundation for lightly-threaded tasks. The Geekbench single-core score of 1365 reinforces this picture, positioning the processor as capable of handling everyday responsiveness and legacy applications with ease.
Multi-threaded performance is where the 6-core/12-thread design becomes evident. The Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 898 and R20 multi-core score of 3744 show significant scaling from the single-core results, with the R23 multi-core score of 8916 further confirming this trend. The Geekbench multi-core score of 4844 aligns with these results, suggesting that the processor can effectively utilize its 12 threads for parallel workloads such as video encoding, 3D rendering, and software compilation.
Comparing the i7-9750HF to its nearest rivals, the delta percentages are remarkably tight. The processor sits just 0.2% below the Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3 and the Intel Core 7 160UL, and 0.8% below the Intel Core i7-1185G7E. Conversely, it holds a 0.9% advantage over the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U. These margins are within the noise of typical benchmark variance, meaning that in real-world usage, the i7-9750HF is effectively performance-equivalent to these competitors across aggregate workloads.
How It Compares
The Intel Xeon E5-2640 v3, a server-class processor from an earlier generation, posts an average score of 2714 against the i7-9750HF's 2710. The 0.2% delta is negligible, indicating that despite different market segments and architectures, the two deliver nearly identical aggregate performance. The i7-9750HF achieves this parity in a mobile form factor, whereas the Xeon E5-2640 v3 is a server part, highlighting the efficiency gains of newer mobile silicon.
Against the Intel Core 7 160UL, which scores 2715, the i7-9750HF again trails by only 0.2%. This rival is a low-power part, yet it matches the 45W i7-9750HF in aggregate performance, suggesting that newer low-power designs have closed the gap with older high-TDP parts. The benchmark data shows that the i7-9750HF offers no meaningful advantage here, making the comparison a wash in terms of raw compute.
The Intel Core i7-1185G7E, scoring 2732, holds a 0.8% lead over the i7-9750HF. This rival is a newer architecture with a similar mobile focus, and its slight edge in aggregate benchmarks indicates that generational improvements have yielded modest gains. The i7-9750HF is not outclassed, but the data shows it is slightly behind this more recent offering.
The AMD Ryzen 3 7330U, with an average score of 2685, trails the i7-9750HF by 0.9%. This is the only rival the i7-9750HF leads, but the margin is slim. The Ryzen 3 7330U is a lower-tier part, and the i7-9750HF's advantage, while present, is not substantial enough to suggest a clear performance tier separation between the two.
Power and Thermals
The i7-9750HF carries a 45W TDP, which is the standard thermal design power for high-performance mobile processors in full-size laptops. This TDP class implies that the chip requires a dedicated cooling solution beyond what a thin-and-light chassis can typically provide. A capable air cooler with heat pipes and a robust fan, or a liquid cooling solution in premium gaming laptops, would be necessary to sustain the boost clocks under sustained loads.
The 14nm process node, manufactured by Intel, is an older manufacturing technology compared to more recent nodes. This process is less power-efficient than newer nodes, meaning that the 45W TDP is likely consumed more readily under load, generating more heat per unit of performance than a newer part might. The die size of 149 mm² is relatively large, which aids in heat spreading across the die surface, but the overall thermal density remains a consideration for laptop designers.
Benchmark results indicate that the processor can maintain its performance levels across multi-threaded workloads, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 8916. This suggests that the thermal solution can manage the heat output without significant throttling, at least during benchmark-length runs. However, the end-of-life status and older process node mean that users should expect higher fan noise and surface temperatures compared to modern low-power alternatives.
Platform and Compatibility
The i7-9750HF is built for the Intel BGA 1440 socket, which is a ball-grid-array package soldered directly to the motherboard. This means the processor is not user-upgradeable; any future CPU upgrade would require a full motherboard replacement, which is not a practical option for most laptop users. The socket is specific to the Coffee Lake-HR generation, limiting compatibility to systems designed around this platform.
Memory support is limited to DDR4, operating on a dual-channel bus with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. This bandwidth figure is sufficient for the 6-core/12-thread configuration, though it is not exceptional by modern standards. ECC memory is not supported, which aligns with the processor's mobile consumer positioning rather than workstation or server roles.
For expansion, the processor provides PCIe Gen 3 connectivity. This is one generation behind the newer PCIe Gen 4 and Gen 5 standards, meaning that storage and graphics devices will be limited to the older interface speeds. The integrated graphics are not specified, and the "HF" suffix in the model name typically indicates a variant without iGPU functionality, suggesting that a discrete graphics card is mandatory for any display output. The upgrade path from this platform is effectively a dead end, given the soldered nature and the fact that the processor is end-of-life.
FAQ
Q: How many cores and threads does the Intel Core i7-9750HF have?
A: It has 6 cores and 12 threads, which is a 6-core/12-thread configuration.
Q: What is the base and boost clock speed of this processor?
A: The base clock is 2.60 GHz, and the boost clock is 4.50 GHz.
Q: What is the TDP of the i7-9750HF, and what cooling does it require?
A: The TDP is 45W, which implies the need for a robust cooling solution, such as a high-performance air cooler or liquid cooling, typically found in gaming or workstation laptops.
Q: Does this processor support ECC memory?
A: No, ECC memory is not supported by the i7-9750HF.
Q: What is the socket type, and can the CPU be upgraded?
A: It uses the Intel BGA 1440 socket, which is a soldered package. The CPU cannot be upgraded without replacing the entire motherboard.
Q: How does it perform compared to the AMD Ryzen 3 7330U?
A: The i7-9750HF is 0.9% ahead of the Ryzen 3 7330U in average benchmark score, indicating a slight but not significant performance advantage.
Q: What is the available L3 cache on this processor?
A: The processor has 12 MB of shared L3 cache.
The AMD Equivalent of Core i7-9750HF
Looking for a similar processor from AMD? The AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 50th Anniversary offers comparable performance and features in the AMD lineup.
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