Core i5-10500H vs Core i7-9850H
Core i5-10500H
Core i7-9850H
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-10500H is positioned at rank 510 and the Core i7-9850H is on rank 755, so the Core i5-10500H offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-10500H
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-9850H
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-10500H | Core i7-9850H |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake-H (2020) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-HR (2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-10500H | Core i7-9850H |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10500H and Core i7-9850H
Core i5-10500H
The Core i5-10500H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB. L2 cache: 153 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,970 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i7-9850H
The Core i7-9850H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 10,862 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-10500H and Core i7-9850H share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i5-10500H versus 4.6 GHz on the Core i7-9850H — a 2.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-9850H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-10500H uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-9850H uses Coffee Lake-HR (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10500H scores 10,970 against the Core i7-9850H's 10,862 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-10500H. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,435 vs 1,250, a 13.8% lead for the Core i5-10500H that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 12 MB on the Core i5-10500H vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-9850H.
| Feature | Core i5-10500H | Core i7-9850H |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4.5 GHz | 4.6 GHz+2% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 2.6 GHz+4% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB | 12 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 153 kB | 256K (per core)+67% |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Comet Lake-H (2020) | Coffee Lake-HR (2019) |
| PassMark | 10,970 | 10,862 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,435+15% | 1,250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 5,000 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the BGA1440 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2933 memory speed. Both support up to 128 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM470,QM480,WM490 (Core i5-10500H) and HM370,CM246 (Core i7-9850H).
| Feature | Core i5-10500H | Core i7-9850H |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1440 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2933 | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 128 GB | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-10500H) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-9850H). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-10500H) and Intel UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9850H) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10500H targets Performance Laptop, Core i7-9850H targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10500H rivals Ryzen 5 5600H.
| Feature | Core i5-10500H | Core i7-9850H |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics 630 | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Performance Laptop | High Performance Laptop |
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