Core i5-8259U vs Core i7-9850HL
Core i5-8259U
Core i7-9850HL
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 i5-8259U is positioned at rank 209 and the Core i7-9850HL is on rank 203, so the Core i7-9850HL offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8259U
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-9850HL
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-8259U | Core i7-9850HL |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-HR (2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-8259U | Core i7-9850HL |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i5-8259U and Core i7-9850HL
Core i5-8259U
The Core i5-8259U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,843 points. Launch price was $320.
Core i7-9850HL
The Core i7-9850HL is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Junho 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 7,897 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i5-8259U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-9850HL offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-9850HL has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-8259U versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i7-9850HL — a 7.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-9850HL (base: 2.3 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-8259U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-9850HL uses Coffee Lake-HR (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8259U scores 7,843 against the Core i7-9850HL's 7,897 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-9850HL. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8259U vs 9 MB (total) on the Core i7-9850HL.
| Feature | Core i5-8259U | Core i7-9850HL |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.8 GHz | 4.1 GHz+8% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz+21% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 9 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) | Coffee Lake-HR (2019) |
| PassMark | 7,843 | 7,897 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-8259U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-9850HL uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-8259U | Core i7-9850HL |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
The Core i7-9850HL includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-8259U requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i5-8259U | Core i7-9850HL |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel UHD Graphics 630 |
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