Intel Core i5-10500H vs Intel Core i7-11850H

Intel Core i5-10500H

The Intel Core i5-10500H is a fast processor for laptops with six cores based on the Comet Lake-H series (4th generation of Skylake architecture). The processor clocks at between 2.5 and 4.5 GHz and can execute up to twelve threads simultaneously thanks to Hyper-Threading. According to Intel, the CPU is manufactured on a 14nm (14nm++) process. 

The Comet Lake architecture is similar to Coffee Lake and offers the same features and is produced on 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.

Performance

The average 10500H in our database matches the AMD Ryzen 7 4700U, a noticeably less power-hungry processor, in multi-thread performance making the i5 a somewhat underwhelming option as far as H-class processors go.

Your mileage may vary depending on how competent the cooling solution of your system is, and how high the CPU power limits are.

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

This Core i5 series chip has a default TDP, also known as the long-term power limit, of 45 W. Laptop makers are free to reduce that value slightly, 35 W being the minimum Intel-recommended value, resulting in lower clock speed and lower performance. Either way, an active cooling solution will still be needed to dissipate the heat.

The i5-10500H is built with one of the old 14 nm Intel processes for low, as of mid 2023, energy efficiency.

Intel Core i7-11850H

The Intel Core i7-11800H is a high end octa core SoC for gaming laptops and mobile workstations. It is based on the Tiger Lake H45 generation and will be announced in mid 2021. It integrates eight Willow Cove processor cores (16 threads thanks to HyperThreading). The base clock speed depends on the TDP setting and at 45 Watt is at 2.4 GHz. The single core boost speed can reach up to 4.6 GHz, all cores can reach up to 4.2 GHz. The CPU offers 24 MB level 3 cache and supports DDR4-3200 memory. Compared to the slower clocked i7-11800H, the 11850H offers professional management features like Intel vPro, SIPP or TXT.

Thanks to the new Tiger Lake architecture, the i9-11850H should be similar or faster than the old Intel Core i9-10875H (Comet Lake-H, 2.3 - 5.1 GHz, 16 MB L3) in single and multi threaded performance and similar to the Ryzen 9 5800H (Zen 3, 3.2 - 4.4 GHz, 16 MB L3). Therefore, the i7 is well suited for even very demanding tasks.

The SoC also includes the improved Xe graphics card called UHD graphics with all 32 EUs.

Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (20 lanes in the H45 series), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 and Wi-Fi 6E in the chip.

The chip is produced on the improved 10nm process (called 10nm SuperFin) at Intel, which should be comparable to the 7nm process at TSMC (e.g. Ryzen 4000 series). The default TDP is rated at 45 W at 2.4 GHz base speed, at 35 Watt the base clock speed decreases to 2 GHz (cTDP down).

All articles on Tiger Lake can be found on our Tiger Lake architecture hub.