Intel Core i3-9100 vs Intel Core i7-8550U

Processor comparisons   20-01-2022
   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the Intel Core i3-9100 vs Intel Core i7-8550U tests and decide which is better for games or normal use for streaming, machine learning, programming, rendering, video editing. Here you can find all information from many benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A thorough review of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software like Furmark, UserBenchmark, Handbrake, Gears 5, PCMark 10, Blender, 7zip, RealBench, SuperPi, AIDA64, PassMark, 3DMark, MATLAB, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, Dolphin Emulator, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), WPrime, VeraCrypt, Prime95.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

Apex Legends
Rainbow Six Siege
Halo Infinite
Red Dead Redemption 2
Watch Dogs Legion
Borderlands 3
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Last Man Standing
Cyberpunk 2077
Overwatch
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
DOOM: Eternal
Fortnite
Grand Theft Auto V
Fallout 76
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Death Stranding
Valorant
Valheim

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-8550U or Intel Core i3-9100.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i3-9100

52%

Core i7-8550U

51%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i3-9100 is 1% better than Core i7-8550U. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-9100

52%

Core i7-8550U

52%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, League of Legends (LOL), Half-Life: Alyx, Horizon Zero Dawn, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 3, Ghostrunner, Control, Battlefield V, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Metro Exodus.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	91.8	91.9
Valorant	104.3	104.4
Cyberpunk 2077	58.4	58.5
Apex Legends	98.0	98.1
Call of Duty Warzone	78.2	78.3
Overwatch	84.5	84.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.0	72.0
DOOM Eternal	52.1	52.2
Warzone	81.3	81.4
Assassin's Creed	87.6	87.7
Valheim	86.5	86.6

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-9100

56%

Core i7-8550U

228%

To make a finishing choice on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i7-8550U is more energy efficient than the Core i3-9100 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 15W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, streaming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-9100	Intel Core i7-8550U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	164	167
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	660	564
Cinbench 20 Single-core	445	354
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	1630	1211
Cinbench 23 Single-core	859	979
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	3334	3111

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-9100	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	2516	2072
Multi-Core	6671	5970

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-9100	Intel Core i7-8550U
Single-Core	1106	1027
Multi-Core	3690	3788

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-9100	Intel Core i7-8550U
Announcement date	April 01, 2019	April 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FC-BGA1356
Core name	Coffee Lake	Kaby Lake R
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	8
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4 MHz
Frequency	3.6 MHz	1.8 MHz
Cores	4	4
Threads	4	8
Bus rate	8 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	4400 millions	1820 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	64 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-9100 is 50% better than Core i7-8550U in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-9100 is better: 15
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-8550U is better: 17
Although it should be understood that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that you should be guided entirely by them and trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i3-9100 and Intel Core i7-8550U before making a choice which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i3-9100 - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i3-9100 specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-8550U specs and review.