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Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK vs Intel Core i9-12950HX: Comparison

10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK vs Core i9-12950HX l3 cache compared

On l3 cache the spread is 47%, 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK 16 MB against Core i9-12950HX 30 MB, so Core i9-12950HX takes it. They differ on p-core base clock too, 2.4 GHz on the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK versus 2.3 GHz on the Core i9-12950HX. They differ on tdp too, 45 W on the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK versus 55 W on the Core i9-12950HX. There is a split on socket as well, FCBGA1440 on the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK versus FCBGA1964 on the Core i9-12950HX. There is a split on socket status as well, End of Life on the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK versus Mature on the Core i9-12950HX.

10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK vs Core i9-12950HX: which one fits your build

The 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK is the one to take for enthusiast gaming laptops wanting an unlocked, overclockable mobile flagship chip. It is not the one for buyers not planning to overclock, the standard i7-10870H delivers similar stock performance for less. The Core i9-12950HX suits high-end gaming laptops and mobile content creation, though it is not built for thin-and-light laptops and battery-life-focused use. Our rating of the Core i9-12950HX (8.6/10): the Intel Core i9-12950HX brings desktop-class core counts to a mobile chassis, a strong pick for high-end gaming and creator laptops.

Where the two are identical

Everything else lines up. Performance cores, integrated graphics, form factor, market segment and smt enabled read the same on both, so those are not worth weighing.

Frequently asked questions

Do the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK and Core i9-12950HX differ on total cores?

Yes. Total Cores reads 8 on the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK versus 16 on the Core i9-12950HX.

Specs and benchmarks

  • Brand

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Intel
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Intel
  • Product Line

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Core i9
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Core
  • Form Factor

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Laptop
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Laptop
  • Model Number

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    10980HK
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    i9-12950HX
  • Codename

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Comet Lake-H
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Alder Lake
  • Release Year

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    2020
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    2022
  • TDP

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    45 W
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    55 W
  • iGPU

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Intel UHD Graphics for 10th Gen Intel Processors
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Intel UHD Graphics for 12th Gen Intel Processors
  • Market Segment

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Laptop
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Laptop
  • Microarchitecture

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Comet Lake, 10th Gen Intel Core
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Alder Lake
  • Socket

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    FCBGA1440
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    FCBGA1964
  • Socket Status

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    End of Life
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Mature
  • Process Node

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    14 nm
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    10 nm
  • Total Cores

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    8
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    16Best
  • Performance Cores

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    8
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    8
  • Efficiency Cores

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    0
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    8Best
  • Total Threads

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    16
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    24Best
  • SMT Enabled

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Yes
  • P-Core Base Clock

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    2.4 GHz
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    2.3 GHz
  • P-Core Boost Clock

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    5.3 GHz
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    5 GHz
  • L3 Cache

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    16 MB-47%
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    30 MBBest
  • Base Power

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    65 W
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    55 W
  • Memory Type

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    DDR4
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    DDR5 or DDR4Best
  • ECC Support

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    No
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Yes
  • Integrated Graphics

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Yes
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Yes
  • iGPU Model

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    Intel UHD Graphics 630
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    Intel UHD Graphics
  • iGPU Compute Units

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    24
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    32
  • PCIe Generation

    Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10980HK
    PCIe 3.0
    Intel Core i9-12950HX
    PCIe 5.0

    Which one should you pick?

    Choose 10980HK if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.

    Choose 12950HX if you want the higher L3 cache (30 MB vs 16 MB).

    Verdict

    Intel Core i9-12950HX

    8.6 / 10 Expert Rating

    The Intel Core i9-12950HX brings desktop-class core counts to a mobile chassis, a strong pick for high-end gaming and creator laptops.

    More comparisons in Processors (CPUs)