Core i7-10870H vs Core i9-9980HK

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 i7-10870H vs Core i9-9980HK 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 i7-10870H vs Core i9-9980HK: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-10870H

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 630, while Core i9-9980HK needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i9-9980HK across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (12 MB vs 16 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $417 MSRP, while Core i9-9980HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i9-9980HK

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (13,966 vs 14,087).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-10870H can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-10870H better than Core i9-9980HK?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i9-9980HK is ahead with a 6.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-10870H pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Core i9-9980HK also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-10870H is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Core i7-10870H is the better buy right now. Core i7-10870H comes in at an unclear MSRP at $417 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i9-9980HK is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 6.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (33.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i7-10870H makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2019) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-10870H vs Core i9-9980HK Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-10870H

The Core i7-10870H is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 September 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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: 14,087 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i9-9980HK

The Core i9-9980HK 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 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 16 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: 13,966 points. Launch price was $583.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-10870H and Core i9-9980HK share an identical 8-core/16-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i7-10870H versus 5 GHz on the Core i9-9980HK — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Core i9-9980HK (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-10870H uses the Comet Lake-H (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-9980HK uses Coffee Lake-HR (2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-10870H scores 14,087 against the Core i9-9980HK's 13,966 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-10870H. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-10870H vs 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9980HK.

Feature	Core i7-10870H	Core i9-9980HK
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4.8 GHz	5 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.4 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	16 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake-H (2020)	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)
PassMark	14,087	13,966
Cinebench R23 Multi	9,594	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,228	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,822	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the BGA1440 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Core i7-10870H	Core i9-9980HK
Socket	BGA1440	BGA1440
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-10870H) / not specified (Core i9-9980HK). The Core i7-10870H includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 630), while the Core i9-9980HK requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-10870H targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i7-10870H rivals Ryzen 7 4800H.