Intel Core i5-10400H vs Intel Core i7-13700H vs Intel Core i9-10980HK

Intel Core i5-10400H

The Intel Core i5-10400H is a fast processor for laptops with four cores based on the Comet Lake-H series (4th generation of Skylake architecture). The processor clocks at between 2.6 and 4.6 GHz (up to 4.4 with 4 cores) and can execute up to eight threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. According to Intel, the CPU is manufactured in 14nm (14nm++) process. 

The Comet Lake architecture is similar to Coffee Lake and offers the same features and is produced in the same 14nm process. Other than the improved clock rates, the memory controller now also supports faster DDR4-2933 RAM. More information on Comet Lake and all the models and articles on it can be found here.

The Core i5-10400H supports the management features vPro, TXT and SIPP. 

Performance

The performance should be slightly better than the old Core i7-8809G (Quad-Core 3.1 - 4.2) which was the fastest mobile quad core by Intel.

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is supposed to offer a similar performance as the UHD630 in the Core i5-9300H. As a  low-end solution it will probably only run current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 45 watts and therefore the i5 is only suited for big laptops with good cooling solutions. Using cTDP-down, the CPU can also be configured to 35 Watt resulting in a reduced performance.

Intel Core i7-13700H

The Intel Core i7-13700H is a high-end mobile CPU for laptops based on the Raptor Lake-H series (Alder Lake architecture). It was announced in early 2023 and offers 6 performance cores (P-cores, Golden Cove architecture) and 8 efficient cores (E-cores, Gracemont architecture). The P-cores support Hyper-Threading leading to 20 supported threads when combined with the E-cores. The clock rate ranges from 2.4 to 5 GHz (single core turbo, all-core 4.7 GHz) on the performance cluster and 1.8 to 3.7 GHz on the efficiency cluster. The performance of the E-cores should be similar to old Skylake cores (compare with the Core i7-6920HQ). All cores can use up to 24 MB L3 cache.

Performance

The average 13700H in our database delivers multi-thread benchmark scores that are most similar to those of the Ryzen 9 PRO 7940HS, Core i7-12700H, Core i9-12900H. This is a very, very fast CPU, as of mid 2023, even if it does not quite manage to demolish its direct predecessor (the 12700H).

Thanks to its powerful cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 90 W, the MSI Pulse 17 B13VGK is among the fastest systems built around the i7-13700H that we know of. It can be 60% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system in our database powered by the same chip, as of August 2023.

Features

The integrated memory controller supports various memory types up to DDR5-5200 (up from 4800 MHz for the 12th gen). The Thread Director (in hardware) can support the operating system to decide which thread to use on the performance or efficient cores for the best performance. For AI tasks, the CPU also integrates GNA 3.0 and DL Boost (via AVX2). Quick Sync in version 8 is the same as in the Rocket Lake CPUs and supports MPEG-2, AVC, VC-1 decode, JPEG, VP8 decode, VP9, HEVC, and AV1 decode in hardware. The CPU now supports PCIe 5.0 x8 for a GPU and two PCIe 4.0 x4 for SSDs.

The integrated graphics card is based on the Xe-architecture and offers 96 EUs (Execution Units) clocked at up to 1.5 GHz.

The CPU is rated at 45 W base power (115 W PL2) but most laptops will use a PL1 of around 60 Watt. The SoC is manufactured in a 10nm process at Intel, which is known as Intel 7 (improved over the 12th Gen).

Intel Core i9-10980HK

The Intel Core i9-10980HK is a high-end processor for laptops with eight cores based on the Comet Lake architecture (CML-H, 4th generation of Skylake). The processor clocks at between 2.4 and 5.3 GHz (all 8 cores up to 4.4 GHz) and can execute up to sixteen threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. The 5.3 GHz can be only achieved below 65°C core temperature (Thermal Velocity Boost), between 65 and 85°C, 5.2 GHz are the maximum and above that 5.1 with restrictions (Turbo Boost 3.0).

The processor is still manufactured in the old 14nm (14nm++) process. Compared to the predecessor, the Core i9-9980HK, the 10980HK probably offers only increased base clock rates (and maybe multi core turbo clocks). Thanks to the free multiplicator, the CPU can also be easily overclocked (but may not have much headroom).

The Comet Lake architecture is similar to Coffee Lake and offers the same features and is produced in the same 14nm process. Other than the improved clock rates, the memory controller now also supports faster DDR4-2933 RAM. More information on Comet Lake and all the models and articles on it can be found here.

The Core i7-10750H supports no vPro, TXT or SIPP. These business features are available in the similar (and later released) Core i9-10885H (2.4 - 5.3 GHz).

Performance

The performance of the Core i9-10980HK should be higher than the old Core i9-9980HK (2.4 - 5 GHz) thanks to the increased turbo clock speeds. Thanks to the 8 cores and high Turbo speeds, even demanding applications should run very good on the CPU. However, long term performance is always depending on the laptop cooling system and system configuration. At the time of announcement, the i9-10980HK is the fastest Comet Lake-H CPU and fastest laptop CPU on the market. 

Graphics

The integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 iGPU is supposed to offer a similar performance as the UHD630 in the Core i7-9980HK. As a  low-end solution it will only run current games smoothly at reduced details - if at all.

Power Consumption

Intel specifies the TDP with 45 watts and therefore the i9 is only suited for big laptops with good cooling solutions. Using cTDP-down, the CPU can also be configured to 35 Watt resulting in a reduced performance.

Beware, the CPU was not yet released at the time of writing and the information is based on leaks and early information.