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Intel Core i7-9750H

Intel Core i7-9750H in 2025: Is It Worth Buying This "Veteran"?

Analysis of Architecture, Performance, and Use Cases

Architecture and Process Technology: Coffee Lake on 14nm

The Intel Core i7-9750H processor, released in 2019, belongs to the Coffee Lake-H generation. Although by 2025, the 14nm process technology may seem archaic compared to Apple’s 5nm chips or AMD’s 4nm solutions, it was once the standard for mobile workstations and gaming laptops.

- Cores and Threads: 6 cores and 12 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of 4.5 GHz.

- Cache: 12 MB of L3 cache — sufficient for multi-threaded tasks such as rendering or video encoding.

- Integrated Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 with a base frequency of 350 MHz and a maximum of 1.15 GHz. For gaming or professional editing, it’s only adequate when paired with a discrete graphics card.

The Coffee Lake architecture is optimized for a balance between performance and power consumption, but in 2025 its main drawback is the lack of support for PCIe 4.0 and limitations on DDR4-2666 MHz.

Power Consumption and TDP: 45W — A Double-Edged Sword

A TDP of 45W indicates that the processor is designed for high performance while requiring an efficient cooling system. The i7-9750H is rarely found in compact ultrabooks; it is more commonly seen in bulky gaming laptops or mobile workstations.

- Thermal Output: Under load, the chip easily heats up to 90–95°C if the cooling system is inadequate. This can lead to throttling (reduction in clock speeds).

- Power Consumption: In Turbo Boost mode, power consumption may temporarily reach 70–80W, necessitating a powerful power supply.

Performance: How Does It Hold Up in 2025?

Geekbench 6 scores (1349 / 4935) show that the i7-9750H is still competitive in basic scenarios:

- Office Tasks: Working with documents, browsing (20+ tabs), video conferences — the processor faces no difficulties.

- Multimedia: Editing photos in Lightroom, editing 1080p video in Premiere Pro — acceptable, but rendering 4K or using effects can take a considerable amount of time.

- Gaming: Paired with a mid-range GPU like the NVIDIA RTX 3060 or AMD RX 6600M, the chip delivers 60+ FPS in Full HD (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077 on medium settings). However, in CPU-dependent projects (e.g., Microsoft Flight Simulator), performance drops may occur due to the outdated architecture.

- Turbo Boost: Under ideal conditions (good cooling), the 4.5 GHz can be maintained for 10–15 seconds, after which the frequency drops to 3.8–4.0 GHz.

Use Cases: Who Is It Suitable For in 2025?

- Students and Office Workers: For studying, working with texts, and Zoom — it’s overkill but will provide ample power.

- Budget Gamers: Paired with a discrete mid-range GPU (GTX 1660 Ti, RTX 3050), it is suitable for Full HD gaming.

- Freelancers: Editors and designers working on moderate projects.

Not recommended for CPU-intensive tasks: 3D rendering, 4K streaming, neural network computations.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Laptop Last?

With a TDP of 45W, don’t expect miracles. In idle mode (web browsing, video), a laptop with the i7-9750H and a 60Wh battery runs for 5–6 hours. Under load — 1.5–2 hours.

Intel Power-Saving Technologies:

- SpeedStep: Dynamically reduces frequency under low load.

- C-States: Disables unused cores.

But even these don't save from high base power consumption. For comparison, a MacBook with an Apple M2 chip and a similar battery runs for 12–15 hours.

Comparison with Competitors

- AMD Ryzen 5 5600H (Zen 3, 7nm): Better multi-threaded performance (+15% in Cinebench R23), lower thermal output. The average price of laptops with Ryzen 5 5600H is $700-$900.

- Apple M1: Energy efficiency is 3-4 times higher, but compatibility with Windows applications is limited.

- Intel Core i5-12450H (Alder Lake): 25% faster in single-threaded tasks, supports DDR5.

In 2025, the i7-9750H is only relevant on the secondary market or in budget models ($500-$700).

Pros and Cons

Strengths:

- Affordable price for the level of performance.

- Support for most professional programs (Adobe, AutoCAD).

- Compatibility with Windows 10/11 and Linux.

Weaknesses:

- High power consumption.

- Outdated process technology.

- Lack of hardware support for AI acceleration (as seen in Ryzen 7040 or Intel Meteor Lake).

Laptop Recommendations

- Gaming Models: ASUS TUF Gaming, Acer Nitro 5. Ensure that it has a discrete graphics card of at least RTX 3050 and a minimum of 16GB RAM.

- Workstations: Dell Precision 3540. Pay attention to the display with good color accuracy (100% sRGB).

- Budget All-Rounders: HP Pavilion 15. Avoid versions with only HDD — an SSD is essential.

Important! The cooling system should have at least two fans and heat pipes.

Final Conclusion

The Intel Core i7-9750H in 2025 is a choice for those needing an affordable laptop for moderate tasks. It’s suitable for:

- Gamers on a budget.

- Freelancers not working on heavy projects.

- Users who are not ready to overpay for the latest technologies.

Key Benefits: Saving $200–300 compared to modern counterparts and proven reliability. However, if you plan to use the laptop for 3–4 years, consider models with Ryzen 5 7600H or Core i5-13450H.

Basic

Label Name

Intel

Platform

Mobile

Launch Date

April 2019

Model Name

The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.

i7-9750H

Code Name

Coffee Lake

CPU Specifications

Total Cores

Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).

Total Threads

Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.

Basic Frequency

2.60 GHz

Max Turbo Frequency

Max Turbo Frequency is the maximum single-core frequency at which the processor is capable of operating using Intel® Turbo Boost Technology and, if present, Intel® Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel® Thermal Velocity Boost. Frequency is typically measured in gigahertz (GHz), or billion cycles per second.

4.50 GHz

Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.

2.0

Intel Hyper-Threading Technology

Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.

Yes

L3 Cache

12 MB

CPU Socket

The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.

FCBGA1440

Technology

Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.

14 nm

TDP

45 W

Max. Operating Temperature

Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.

100°C

PCI Express Version

PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.

3.0

Number of PCI Express Lanes

A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.

Intel 64

Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.

Yes

Instruction Set

The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.

64-bit

PCI Express Configurations

PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.

Up to 1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8+2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type

Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.

DDR4-2666 | LPDDR3-2133

Max Memory Size

Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.

128 GB

Memory Channels

The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.

Bus Speed

8 GT/s

Max Memory Bandwidth

Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).

41.8 GB/s

ECC Memory Supported

ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.

GPU Specifications

Integrated Graphics Model

An integrated GPU refers to the graphics core that is integrated into the CPU processor. Leveraging the processor's powerful computational capabilities and intelligent power efficiency management, it delivers outstanding graphics performance and a smooth application experience at a lower power consumption.

Intel® UHD Graphics 630

Graphics Base Frequency

Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.

350 MHz

Graphics Frequency

Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.

1.15 GHz

Graphics Video Max Memory

64 GB

4K Support

Yes | at 60Hz

DirectX Support

DirectX* Support indicates support for a specific version of Microsoft’s collection of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) for handling multimedia compute tasks.

Max Resolution (HDMI)

Max Resolution (HDMI) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the HDMI interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2304@30Hz

Max Resolution (DP)

Max Resolution (DP) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor via the DP interface (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your system.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)

Max Resolution (Integrated Flat Panel) is the maximum resolution supported by the processor for a device with an integrated flat panel (24bits per pixel & 60Hz). System or device display resolution is dependent on multiple system design factors; actual resolution may be lower on your device.

4096 x 2304@60Hz

Max Resolution (VGA)

N/A

Number of Displays Supported

Graphics Output

Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.

eDP/DP/HDMI/DVI

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.

Yes

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.

Yes

Intel Standard Manageability (ISM)

Intel® Standard Manageability is the manageability solution for Intel vPro® Essentials platforms and is a subset of Intel® AMT with out-of-band management over Ethernet and Wi-Fi, but no KVM or new life cycle management features.

Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2 | Intel® AVX2

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.

Yes

Execute Disable Bit

Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.

Yes

Cache

CPU Cache is an area of fast memory located on the processor. Intel® Smart Cache refers to the architecture that allows all cores to dynamically share access to the last level cache.

12 MB Intel® Smart Cache

Intel AES New Instructions

Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.

Yes

Intel Clear Video HD Technology

Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.

Yes

Intel Clear Video Technology

Yes

Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT), also known as Second Level Address Translation (SLAT), provides acceleration for memory intensive virtualized applications. Extended Page Tables in Intel® Virtualization Technology platforms reduces the memory and power overhead costs and increases battery life through hardware optimization of page table management.

Yes

Intel InTru 3D Technology

Yes

Intel Flex Memory Access

Yes

Intel OS Guard

Yes

OpenGL Support

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics.

4.5

Intel Quick Sync Video

Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.

Yes

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6

Single Core Score

1349

Geekbench 6

Multi Core Score

4935

Geekbench 5

Single Core Score

933

Geekbench 5

Multi Core Score

4559

Passmark CPU

Single Core Score

2446

Passmark CPU

Multi Core Score

10927

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core

Core i9-9940X X-series

1432 +6.2%

Core i9-9820X

1382 +2.4%

Core i7-9750H

1349

Core i3-1210U

1304 -3.3%

Core i5-7500

1266 -6.2%

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

Xeon E5-2630

5551 +12.5%

Core i9-11900

5320 +7.8%

Core i7-9750H

4935

Core i5-9600T

4635 -6.1%

Xeon D-2145NT

4393 -11%

Geekbench 5 Single Core

Core i7-6785R

971 +4.1%

Ryzen 5 4600H

951 +1.9%

Core i7-9750H

933

Ryzen 7 2700E

918 -1.6%

Xeon W-2223

899 -3.6%

Geekbench 5 Multi Core

Xeon Gold 5218N

5017 +10%

Processor U300

4783 +4.9%

Core i7-9750H

4559

Core i5-10400H

4317 -5.3%

Xeon Gold 6152

4088 -10.3%

Passmark CPU Single Core

Ryzen 3 PRO 4350G

2533 +3.6%

Core i9-7940X

2495 +2%

Core i7-9750H

2446

Ryzen 7 2700

2423 -0.9%

Xeon Platinum 8380

2385 -2.5%

Passmark CPU Multi Core

Core i5-10400

12214 +11.8%

Xeon E5-1650 v4

11454 +4.8%

Core i7-9750H

10927

Xeon E5-2630L

10491 -4%

Core i3-10320

10032 -8.2%