Difference Between 9th and 10th Generation Intel Processors

Intel celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018, but the year also brought with its series of problems. It reportedly lost Apple’s confidence for chipsets for MacOS, struggled with Spectre and meltdown, and even lost its CEO.

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However, the chip giant is gradually bouncing back from that turbulent year. After several years of delay, the company is now introducing its first real 10 nanometer CPUs into the world. It’s releasing the 10th generation processor, which promises more advanced features and improved performance than the previous 9th generation processors. There are some upgrades in performance and features from the 9th Gen processors, but what is the real difference between 9th vs 10th generation Intel processors.

Difference between 9th vs 10th generation Intel processors

Difference between 9th vs 10th generation Intel processors

The major difference between the 9th and 10th generation processors is the fact that the latter model comes with Sunny Core architecture. It offers an 18% improvement in performance over the previous generations of processors, including the 8th and 9th generation processors.

Actually, there isn’t much difference between the 8th and 9th generation processors, only that the 9th Core is a rehash or a little upgrade of the features of the 8th generation processor. But this newest 10th gen processor comes with more improved features with Gen11 graphics architecture.  Let’s find out other features or upgrades available for the 10th gen processors, and whether they are worth spending the extra cash.

9th vs 10th generation Intel processors – performance

Although both processors have high-performance levels, the 10th gen model is slightly better. One of the better things you will get from the 10th generation processors is the improved focus on artificial intelligence (AI).

Intel has improved the AI features of the 10th Gen processor to make their systems more responsive. As a result, the 10th Gen processor offers a 2.5x improvement on the 9th Gen processors in terms of AI performance due to the deep learning Boost technology. It maximizes performance and predicts workloads.

9th vs 10th generation Intel processors – Graphics and gaming

Graphics and gaming performance is pretty straightforward for both the 9th and 10th Gen Intel processors.

Generally, CPUs with the best graphics performance usually produce prettier graphics and smoother gaming.

With the 10th Gen processors, you will get the best rating of “G7” in terms of gaming performance. However, there isn’t any difference between the 9th and 10th Gen processors when it comes to graphics performance. They both offer similar performance levels.

Also, the Intel 10th Gen processor will come with Gen 11 graphics and Iris Plus graphics architecture. It promises to offer improved features in Ice Lake-powered systems.

Although the 9th Gen processors allow you to watch 4K videos, this new 10th Gen processor will enable you to watch these videos in billions of colors. It will also be possible to play the high-end games on any laptop with the 10th Gen processor in 1080p resolution.

Also, there is more improvement in the HEVC encoding on 10th Gen processors which usually play 4k videos much faster than a system running on the 9th Gen processor. With this new improvement, users can spend lesser time waiting to carry out tasks, whether the user just wants to share videos quickly or a professional creator.

9th vs 10th generation Intel processors – Features

The 10th Gen processor comes with new updates and extra features. The addition of real Integrated Thunderbolt 3 into the 10th Gen processor will make it easier for CPU manufacturers to build their systems with the new feature. With the Thunderbolt feature, CPUs will be able to conserve more power because it consumes less power than before.

Also, it is smaller, which creates space for laptop makers to install Thunderbolt 3 port on either side of their devices. With the integrated Thunderbolt, users will start seeing the feature on both sides of their slim laptops, which is pretty fascinating. And it’s only available in the 10th Gen Core Intel Processor.

Another difference between Intel’s 9th Gen and 10th Gen processor is in the area of Wi-Fi. While the 9th Gen is a rehash of the Wi-Fi 802.11ac feature, the 10th Gen processor will offer Wi-Fi 6 feature. And according to Intel, the new feature will be three times better than the previous feature in the 9th Gen processor.

The 10th Gen processor has an improved update on a lot of features than recent generations. It’s because Intel is about setting up the 10-nanometer protocol in the 10th Gen processor, something it has been planning for a very long time. It will be a major upgrade from the 14nm process the company has been using in previous processors, including the 9th Gen processors.

With a smaller process, the CPUs will be making use of the processors will be more efficient. It will also minimize their power consumption, which will increase their battery life.

Presently, there are about 11 10th Generation processors right now, which are designed for slim and convertible laptops. The 11 chips further divide into six higher-performance U-series and five low-power Y-series options.

This allows CPU manufacturers to choose between making high-end laptops or affordable ones with the available 10th Gen core processors. Each of the processors is spread across a wide range of core options, including i7, i5, and i3 CPUs. The same thing applies to the Intel 9th Gen processors.

9th vs 10th Generation Intel processors – Capabilities

Apart from the architectural and die shrink changes, there are some specification differences between the 9th and 10th Gen processors. The 10th Gen processors have more efficient 11th generation graphics with a more improved number of execution units. It makes it much more powerful and tougher for gaming CPUs without dedicated graphics, compared to the 9th Gen processors.

However, the 9th Gen processors have higher clock speeds than the 10th Gen models, which highlight the issues Intel is facing to get high frequencies from 10 nm components.

So, in areas where performance can be determined by clock speeds, the 9th Gen processor still shows its effectiveness. Some software applications and games may require this feature. However, other areas where the 10th Gen processors show massive improvement supersede the less efficient clock speed feature.

More cores are usually better for highly demanding content creation activities such as advanced photo editing, 3D modeling, or video editing. The 10th generation processors will suit the multi-core performance systems. They have more cores than the 9th Generation processors, which means improved performance in highly demanding chores.

But if are only interested in using your system for multitasking, browsing the internet, and other office jobs, then having a dual-core or quad-core will be enough. In that case, a 9th Generation processor will serve you well.

Also, note that the 9th Gen processor supports up to i9-9900K, so you will still be having enough core options, even though the 10th Gen model offers broader core options.

Frequently asked questions

The following are answers to the most common questions about 9th vs 10th generation Intel processors.

  1. Is the 10th Gen processor worth it?

    Yes. If you are using a laptop or system for high-end chores like heavy video editing, you will need the best system for such a level of performance. Fortunately, the 10th Gen processor is an upgrade and offers improved performance.

  2. What is the major difference between the Intel 9th and 10th Gen processors?

    The main difference is the fact that the 10th Gen processor offers 10-nanometer protocols, and provides better AI features.

  3. What are the new features in 10th Gen processors?

    There are several upgraded features of the 10th Gen processors, including the integration of Thunderbolt 3, Wi-Fi 6, as well as more multi-core capabilities.

ProductBrandNamePrice
Difference Between 9th and 10th Generation Intel Processors 5IntelIntel Core i9-10900X Desktop Processor 10 CoresCheck Price on Amazon
Difference Between 9th and 10th Generation Intel Processors 6IntelIntel Core i9-9900KCheck Price on Amazon

* If you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more details, please visit our Privacy policy page.

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