Intel Core i5-9600 vs Intel Core i9-8950HK

Processor comparisons 20-01-2022

   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i5-9600 vs Intel Core i9-8950HK tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, programming, rendering. Here is all information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software such as DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, Blender, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, 3DMark, PassMark, Prime95, GeekBench 6, 5.2, RealBench, Dolphin Emulator, Handbrake, AIDA64, Furmark, PCMark 10, MATLAB, Blender, VeraCrypt, 7zip, WPrime, Gears 5, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-8950HK or Intel Core i5-9600.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-9600

53%

Core i9-8950HK

53%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-9600

53%

Core i9-8950HK

53%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	93.9	93.7
Valorant	106.7	106.4
Cyberpunk 2077	59.8	59.6
Apex Legends	100.3	100.1
Call of Duty Warzone	80.0	79.8
Overwatch	86.4	86.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.6	73.4
DOOM Eternal	53.4	53.2
Warzone	83.2	83.0
Assassin's Creed	89.6	89.4
Valheim	88.6	88.3

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 comparing not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. So 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 i5-9600

64%

Core i9-8950HK

82%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i9-8950HK is more energy efficient than the Core i5-9600 since it has less power consumption: 65W vs. 45W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video rendering or video editing, streaming, machine learning, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum performance, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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 i5-9600	Intel Core i9-8950HK
Cinbench 15 Single-core	186	211
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1042	1269
Cinbench 20 Single-core	382	344
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2715	3004
Cinbench 23 Single-core	942	729
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	6463	7064

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

	Intel Core i5-9600	Intel Core i9-8950HK
Single-Core	2747	2480
Multi-Core	10620	10640

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

	Intel Core i5-9600	Intel Core i9-8950HK
Single-Core	1256	1107
Multi-Core	5791	5554

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-9600	Intel Core i9-8950HK
Announcement date	July 07, 2019	July 07, 2018
Type	Desktop	Laptop
Socket	FCLGA1151	FCBGA1440
Core name	Coffee Lake	Coffee Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	9	8
Turbo Frequency	4.6 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	3.1 MHz	2.9 MHz
Cores	6	6
Threads	6	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	3600 millions	2000 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	65 W	45 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666, LPDDR3-2133
Max. Memory	128 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	41.6 GB/s	41.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	9 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-9600 is 6% better than Core i9-8950HK 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 i5-9600 is better: 22
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-8950HK is better: 9
However, it should be realized 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 comparison of these figures. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of real owners of Intel Core i5-9600 and Intel Core i9-8950HK before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-9600 - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-9600 specs and review.

Intel Core i9-8950HK - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-8950HK specs and review.