Core i3-9100HL vs Core i3-7100H

The Core i3-9100HL packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-7100H offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Core i3-9100HL has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Core i3-9100HL versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i3-7100H — a 3.5% clock advantage for the Core i3-9100HL (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i3-9100HL uses the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-7100H uses Kaby Lake-H (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-9100HL scores 3,454 against the Core i3-7100H's 3,450 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i3-9100HL. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,037 vs 1,011, a 2.5% lead for the Core i3-9100HL that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9100HL vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-7100H.

Both processors use the BGA1440 socket with PCIe 3.0. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4 2666 MHz on the Core i3-9100HL versus DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-7100H — the Core i3-9100HL supports 200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: Intel 300 Series (Core i3-9100HL) and HM175,QM175,CM238 (Core i3-7100H).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Core i3-9100HL) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7100H). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics 630 (Core i3-9100HL) and HD Graphics 630 (Core i3-7100H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-9100HL targets Embedded, Core i3-7100H targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-7100H rivals Ryzen 3 2300U.