Core i5-9400H vs Core i7-9850HL

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.

Core i5-9400H vs Core i7-9850HL FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-9400H vs Core i7-9850HL: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-9400H

2019

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-9850HL across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,794 vs 7,897).
❌Launch MSRP is still $182 MSRP, while Core i7-9850HL mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌80% higher power demand at 45W vs 25W.

Core i7-9850HL

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 25W instead of 45W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9850HL better than Core i5-9400H?

Yes. Core i7-9850HL is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 9.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-9850HL is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 9.0% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9850HL is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i7-9850HL is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Core i7-9850HL comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $182 MSRP, and it still gives you a 9.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-9400H only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 9.0% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i7-9850HL makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-9400H vs Core i7-9850HL Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-9400H

The Core i5-9400H 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 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: 7,794 points. Launch price was $149.

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.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-9400H 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 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-9400H versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i7-9850HL — a 4.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-9400H (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-9400H uses the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-9850HL uses Coffee Lake-HR (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-9400H scores 7,794 against the Core i7-9850HL's 7,897 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i7-9850HL. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Core i5-9400H vs 9 MB (total) on the Core i7-9850HL.

Feature	Core i5-9400H	Core i7-9850HL
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+5%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+32%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	8 MB	9 MB (total)+13%
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)
PassMark	7,794	7,897+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,341	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the BGA1440 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i5-9400H supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM370,QM370 (Core i5-9400H) and Intel 300 series (Core i7-9850HL).

Feature	Core i5-9400H	Core i7-9850HL
Socket	BGA1440	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-9400H) / not specified (Core i7-9850HL). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-9400H) and Intel UHD Graphics 630 (Core i7-9850HL) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-9400H targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-9400H rivals Ryzen 5 4600H.

Feature	Core i5-9400H	Core i7-9850HL
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	Intel UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	—
Target Use	High Performance Laptop	—