Core i7-9750HF vs Core i9-8950HK

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 i7-9750HF vs Core i9-8950HK 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 i7-9750HF vs Core i9-8950HK: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-9750HF

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $395 MSRP, while Core i9-8950HK mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i9-8950HK

2018

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (10,373 vs 10,393).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-9750HF better than Core i9-8950HK?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i9-8950HK is ahead with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9750HF pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-9750HF is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Core i7-9750HF is the better buy right now. Core i7-9750HF comes in at an unclear MSRP at $395 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i9-8950HK is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (26.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i7-9750HF makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2018) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-9750HF vs Core i9-8950HK Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-9750HF

The Core i7-9750HF 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 4.5 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: DDR4-2666, LPDDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 10,393 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i9-8950HK

The Core i9-8950HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 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: 10,373 points. Launch price was $583.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i7-9750HF and Core i9-8950HK share an identical 6-core/12-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i7-9750HF versus 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-8950HK — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Core i9-8950HK (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i7-9750HF uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i9-8950HK uses Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-9750HF scores 10,393 against the Core i9-8950HK's 10,373 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-9750HF. Both processors carry 12 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-9750HF	Core i9-8950HK
Cores / Threads	6 / 12	6 / 12
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz	4.8 GHz+7%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	2.9 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)	12 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-HR (2019)	Coffee Lake-H (2018−2019)
PassMark	10,393	10,373
Cinebench R23 Multi	6,915	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,120	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	5,149	—