Core i9-9880H vs Core i7-1260U
Core i9-9880H
Core i7-1260U
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i9-9880H
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-1260U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i9-9880H | Core i7-1260U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-HR (2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i9-9880H | Core i7-1260U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i9-9880H and Core i7-1260U
Core i9-9880H
The Core i9-9880H 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 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 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: 13,531 points. Launch price was $556.
Core i7-1260U
The Core i7-1260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 13,614 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i9-9880H packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core i7-1260U offers 10 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-1260U has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.8 GHz on the Core i9-9880H versus 4.7 GHz on the Core i7-1260U — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Core i9-9880H (base: 2.3 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core i9-9880H uses the Coffee Lake-HR (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-1260U uses Alder Lake-U (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i9-9880H scores 13,531 against the Core i7-1260U's 13,614 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-1260U. L3 cache: 16 MB (total) on the Core i9-9880H vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-1260U.
| Feature | Core i9-9880H | Core i7-1260U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16 | 10 / 12+25% |
| Boost Clock | 4.8 GHz+2% | 4.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz+109% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB (total)+33% | 12 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core)+400% |
| Process | 14 nm | Intel 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Coffee Lake-HR (2019) | Alder Lake-U (2022) |
| PassMark | 13,531 | 13,614 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 8,381 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 2,294 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 8,140 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i9-9880H uses the BGA1440 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-1260U uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i9-9880H | Core i7-1260U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1440 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR5-4800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 14 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i9-9880H) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-1260U). The Core i7-1260U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU)), while the Core i9-9880H requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-1260U targets Productivity. Direct competitor: Core i7-1260U rivals Core i7-1165G7.
| Feature | Core i9-9880H | Core i7-1260U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Iris Xe Graphics (96 EU) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Productivity |
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