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Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK vs Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H: Comparison
8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK vs 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H: the total cores difference
There is no decisive spec gap here. Total cores splits them by a margin most buyers will never feel, 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK 6 against 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H 8. L3 cache runs the same way, 12 MB on the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK versus 16 MB on the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H, another win for 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H. There is a split on release year as well, 2018 on the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK versus 2019 on the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H. There is a split on microarchitecture as well, Coffee Lake, 8th Gen Intel Core on the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK versus Coffee Lake, 9th Gen Intel Core on the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H.
Who each one is for
Take the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK for premium gaming and workstation laptops wanting Intel's original mobile Core i9 overclocking flexibility. It is the wrong buy for buyers with access to the later 9th Gen i9-9980HK, that chip offers a real generational improvement. Take the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H for premium gaming and workstation laptops wanting near-i9-9980HK performance without the overclocking premium. Avoid it for enthusiasts specifically wanting mobile overclocking flexibility, the unlocked i9-9980HK offers that.
Where the two are identical
The common ground is wider than the gap: efficiency cores, p-core boost clock, tdp, integrated graphics and socket are identical here. They match on 7 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK and 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H differ on performance cores?
Yes. Performance Cores reads 6 on the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK versus 8 on the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H.
Is the Product Line the same on the 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK and 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H?
It is. Both are listed at Core i9, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Intel
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Intel
Product Line
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Core i9
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Core i9
Form Factor
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Laptop
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Laptop
Model Number
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 8950HK
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 9880H
Codename
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Coffee Lake
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Coffee Lake
Release Year
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 2018
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 2019
TDP
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 45 W
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 45 W
iGPU
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
Market Segment
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Laptop
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Laptop
Microarchitecture
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Coffee Lake, 8th Gen Intel Core
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Coffee Lake, 9th Gen Intel Core
Socket
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- FCBGA1440
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- FCBGA1440
Process Node
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 14 nm
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 6
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 8Best
Performance Cores
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 6
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 8Best
Efficiency Cores
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 0
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 0
Total Threads
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 12
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 16Best
SMT Enabled
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Yes
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 2.9 GHz
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 2.3 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 4.8 GHz
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 4.8 GHz
L3 Cache
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 12 MB-25%
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 16 MBBest
Base Power
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- 45 W
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- 45 W
Memory Type
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- DDR4, LPDDR3
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- DDR4, LPDDR3
Integrated Graphics
- Intel 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK
- Yes
- Intel 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9880H
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose 8950HK if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose 9880H if you want the higher L3 cache (16 MB vs 12 MB).