Core i5-9300H
VS
Core i5-8279U

Core i5-9300H vs Core i5-8279U

Intel

Core i5-9300H

4 Cores8 Thrd45 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2019
VS
Intel

Core i5-8279U

4 Cores8 Thrd28 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2019

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 i5-9300H is positioned at rank 233 and the Core i5-8279U is on rank 596, so the Core i5-9300H offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-9300H

#64
Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
97%
#220
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
394%
#221
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
389%
#222
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
357%
#223
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
355%
#224
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
352%
#226
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
340%
#227
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
326%
#228
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
325%
#229
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
317%
#233
Core i5-9300H
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-8279U

#184
Core Ultra 7 266V
MSRP: $520|Avg: $520
99%
#185
Ryzen 7 5825C
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
98%
#584
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
786%
#585
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
775%
#586
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
711%
#587
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
708%
#588
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
701%
#590
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
677%
#591
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
650%
#592
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
648%
#593
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
631%
#596
Core i5-8279U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#608
Ryzen AI 5 330
MSRP: $350|Avg: $350
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Analysis: Based on specifications, the Core i5-8279U shows stronger theoretical performance metrics.
InsightCore i5-9300HCore i5-8279U
Gaming
Balanced gaming performance
Balanced gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) / 14 nm)
✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i5-9300HCore i5-8279U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 i5-9300H and Core i5-8279U

Intel

Core i5-9300H

The Core i5-9300H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,438 points. Launch price was $250.

Intel

Core i5-8279U

The Core i5-8279U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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: 7,464 points. Launch price was $320.

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-9300H and Core i5-8279U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-9300H versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-8279U — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-9300H uses the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-8279U uses Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-9300H scores 7,438 against the Core i5-8279U's 7,464 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-8279U. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i5-9300H vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-8279U.

FeatureCore i5-9300HCore i5-8279U
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 8
Boost Clock
4.1 GHz
4.1 GHz
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
2.4 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB+33%
6 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1 MB+300%
256K (per core)
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)
Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark
7,438
7,464
Cinebench R23 Multi
4,729
Geekbench 6 Single
1,050
Geekbench 6 Multi
3,700
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-9300H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-8279U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i5-9300HCore i5-8279U
Socket
BGA1440
FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity
128 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-9300H) / not specified (Core i5-8279U). The Core i5-9300H includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i5-8279U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9300H targets Gaming Laptop.

FeatureCore i5-9300HCore i5-8279U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Gaming Laptop