A look at 9th gen vs 10th gen Intel CPUs shows they are very similar when it comes to features and performance. But when you take a closer look at their specs, there are lots of differences that aren’t apparent at first glance.
In this article, we have selected Intel Core i7-9700K and Core i7-10700K to explain the 9th and 10th gen. At the end of the article, you’ll know the CPU that’s best for you.
Contents
9th Gen vs 10th Gen Intel Comparison Table
| Features | 9th Gen | 10th Gen |
| Performance |
|
|
| Hyper-Threading | No | Yes (all cores) |
| Memory and Storage | DDR4-2666 | Up to DDR4-2933 |
| Power and Energy Consumption |
|
|
| Cache |
|
|
| Older Motherboard | Yes, backward-compatible | No support |
9th Gen vs 10th Gen Intel
The main difference between 9th gen and 10th gen Intel is that the 9th gen Intel has a frequency of 3.6 GHz, and the 10th gen Intel has 3.8 GHz. Both generations can reach 4.9 GHz and 5.1 GHz on Turbo Boost v2 and Turbo Boost v3.
– Performance
Winner: 10th gen
The 10th gen Intel Core processor has a base frequency of 3.8 GHz, and this can reach 5.1 GHz on Turbo Boost 3.0. This makes the 10th gen (also called Comet Lake CPU) useful for games. These games will play better, and you’ll enjoy faster responses from applications. This means you have more resources to win games and increase your productivity in other apps.
But, it gets better; if you want more speed from the 10th gen, you can have it. With Intel Thermal Velocity Boost, the 10th gen can reach 5.3 GHz CPU speeds. Such speed is an overclocked speed, and applications that need it will perform well with a 10th gen CPU. They can also match the newest AMD Ryzen CPUs in performance.
The 10th gen has 16 threads, so multi-threaded applications will perform better, for example, a Word document that receives a keyboard input and spell-checks at the same time. The 16 threads of the 10th gen will handle this with ease. Image encoding software can use the Octa Cores to deliver faster encodings.
The 9th gen is also fast in its own right, but not fast enough when compared to a 10th generation Intel processor. But, you can get the most of it by using a graphics card like AMD Radeon that’ll use its true potential. Its base frequency of 3.6 GHz will handle most of your day-to-day applications. If you are a gamer, you don’t get the Thermal Velocity Boost available in a 10th gen.
– Hyper-Threading
Winner: 10th gen
Hyper-Threading allows more than one thread to run on CPU cores; as a result more work gets done in parallel. A 10th gen CPU does this by exposing two execution contexts for a CPU Core. As a result, a Core works like two logical cores, and they can handle different software threads. This means if you multitask, the Hyper-Threading of 10th gen CPUs will let you work faster, but there is more.
With Hyper-Threading, a 10th gen has improved efficiency since each core can do two things at a time. This way, you can use more demanding applications or games at the same time. For example, you can run AutoCAD and Far Cry at the same time, all without interruptions. This shows a 10th gen will improve your entire computing experience.
For the 9th gen, there is no Hyper-Threading, so there are no logical cores to improve CPU efficiency. This also means you can’t use many demanding applications at once even if you need to. This can put a dent in your productivity if your work requires more than one demanding app. This, among other reasons, is why Intel added Hyper-Threading in the 10th gen.
– Memory and Storage
Winner: 10th gen
With support for memory speed up to 2933 MHz, there is fast information transfer from the CPU. The 9th gen is not far behind because it supports 2666 MHz, that’s 266 MHz less. But in computing, everything counts, that’s why a 10th gen outperforms the 9th gen in memory speed. Memory Speed is also a major difference between 10th gen and 11th gen; the latter supports up to 3200 MHz.
Even in Intel 9th gen vs 10th gen Desktop comparison, the memory speed of the 10th gen puts it on top. But in Intel 8th gen vs 9th gen vs 10th gen analysis shows the 8th gen supports the same RAM speed as the 9th gen. With that said, if you have a 2933 MHz RAM, you can use them with a 10th gen. Also, their speed allows everything on your system to open and work very fast.
– Power and Energy Consumption
Winner: 9th gen
A 9th gen Core CPU (Coffee Lake Core CPU) consumes less energy than the 10th gen. It has a TDP of 95 Watts, which is the same TDP of Intel Core i9-9900K, compared to 125 Watts of the 10th gen. The power consumption of the 10th gen increases to 229 Watts under load. This can happen in Turbo Boost, which is an algorithmic overclocking of the CPU clock rate.
Besides, the TDP of the 9th and 10th gen is not close to 270 Watts of Intel Ice Lake processors. Yet, it’s best to have a cooling system while using 10th gen. This will cost you money unless you have a motherboard that’s equipped with one. An increase in power consumption also occurs on a 9th gen under load, but it’s not much like the 10th gen.
You’ll get like 160 Watts when playing games like Battlefield V. Still, this is less power, unlike the 10th gen. But some processors related to the 10th gen use much less power. For example, Intel Core i3-10105 and Intel Core i5-10400 have a TDP of 65 Watts. But a closer look at Intel 9th gen vs 11th gen shows that some unlocked version of the latter has a TDP of 125 Watts.
– Cache
Winner: 10th gen
The 10th gen features a cache system like that present in the 9th gen, but it has a larger L3 Cache. The cache is 16 MB compared to 12 MB of the 9th gen, so it can store more data about all the cores in the processor. Besides, it serves as a backup for L1 and L2 cache, and it can boost their performance. Although it may not be fast as the L1 and L2 cache, its size of 16 MB makes it better than what you’ll find in the 9th gen.
– Older Motherboard
Winner: 9th gen
Intel made 9th gen (Coffee Lake) backward-compatible because it uses LGA 1151 chipset. As a result, it’ll work with Z39 motherboards, so it’ll save you money from getting a newer motherboard. For the 10th gen, Intel switched to LGA 1200. This means they won’t work with a Z390 motherboard. That’s because both LGA 1151 and LGA 1200 use different instructions.
The 10th gen works with Z490 motherboards, these are new boards, and they support features of the 10th gen. Of these features is the high TDP of the 10th gen, 125 Watts, and higher frequency (3.8 GHz and 5.1 on Turbo Boost 3.0). These are good for performance purposes, but you can get that on a Z390.
– Price
Winner: 10th gen
Despite being a new processor, the 10th gen Intel Core CPU costs less in most stores than a 9th gen. Starting at 309 US dollars compared to 425 US dollars, some stores sell close to 700 US dollars. You’ll save a lot buying a 9th gen than a 10th gen, but this comes the cost of new features and performance improvements.
– 9th Gen Review
Pros:
- Supports older motherboard
- Consumes less power
Cons:
- No Hyper-Threading
Intel released the 9th gen on October 19, 2018, with lots of praise, and it supports Z390 motherboards. It comes with eight CPU threads and a base clock speed of 3.6 GHz, which can rise to 4.9 GHz on Turbo Boost. This lets you use demanding applications without fear that you might damage the CPU. That’s because the Turbo Boost is an algorithmic process done by the CPU when it’s needed.
It’s sort of Hyper-Threading, and, as a result, it cannot create logical threads. But the physical cores of the CPU and a reliable graphics card will compensate. With that, you can play your favorite games like Assassin’s Creed on the 9th gen. There is a max memory speed of 2666 MHz that helps to transfer the information to other components.
Compared to the 10th gen Intel Core CPU, it consumes less power, 95 Watts, but this can rise to 160 Watts under load. As a result, you might need to cool it down, but it has algorithms that let you work within power limits. The 9th gen uses the LGA 1151 socket, and it’s compatible with Z390 motherboards. Yet, it costs over 400 US dollars, but you can get it from stores that sell it for a lesser price.
As an everyday user with minor tasks like Word processing, you’ll enjoy what the 9th gen has to offer.
– 10th gen Review
Pros:
- Can reach a speed of 5.3 GHz on Thermal Velocity Boost
- Hyper-Threading on all CPU cores
- Faster memory up to 2993 MHz
- Bigger L3 Cache
Cons:
- Not compatible with older motherboards
It has an elegant design and processing power for an awesome gaming experience. On the 10th gen, you can enjoy your productivity apps thanks to its 3.8 GHz speed which can increase to 5.3 on Intel TVB. With this, you can enjoy the incredible performance and complete your tasks much faster. If you are a digital creator, the Intel 10th gen vs 9th gen benchmark shows that the 10th gen is the best.
And with Hyper-Threading, you can multitask with confidence and do more at the same time. Your RAM also plays a key role in your system responsiveness. That’s why the 10th gen supports up to 2933 MHz of RAM speed; this gives you more efficiency while working or gaming. It has a TDP of 125 Watts, so it’ll get hot at its full potential; a cooling fall will do.
The 10th gen has a 16 MB L3 cache, which will improve the performance of the L1 and L2 cache. With this large size, 16 MB, there is more room for the 10th gen to store more data about the CPU cores. Despite its impressive performance, it does not support a Z390 motherboard. It works with a Z490 motherboard, which is the best for it.
The price of the 10th gen Intel Core CPU starts at 309 US dollars. Also, analysis of Intel 8th gen vs 10th gen shows the price of the former cost above 300 US dollars.
Conclusion
Based on our Intel 9th gen vs 10th gen vs 11th gen processors comparison, 9th and 10th gen Intel processors are the best in the market, but one outperforms the other. We’ve shown in this article that it’s the 10th gen, and yet it costs less. If you want performance up to 5.3 GHz clock speed and fast memory, it’s the 10th gen. But if you want a processor that uses less power and works with Z390, it’s the 9th gen.
On the 10th gen, you’ll get modern-day performance with Turbo Boost 3.0 and Intel TVB. You also get added support for Artificial Intelligence (AI). This makes it worth it to get the 10th gen.