Intel Core 3 100HL vs Intel Core 9 273PE Comparison

Intel Core 3 100HL and Intel Core 9 273PE occupy different tiers within the same socket, and the benchmark data reflects a decisive performance hierarchy. The Core 9 273PE wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head tests, while the Core 3 100HL claims only two victories, both in the same single-thread PassMark test. This analysis breaks down where each processor shows its strengths, the architectural differences that explain the gap, and the specific benchmark results that quantify the separation.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 3 100HL wins exclusively in the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 3735 against the Core 9 273PE's 3650, a 2.3% advantage. This is the only category where the lower-tier chip leads, and it indicates that for lightly threaded workloads that rely on a single core's efficiency at lower power envelopes, the Core 3 100HL holds a narrow edge. No other benchmark in the database shows a Core 3 win.

The Core 9 273PE dominates every other measured category. Its wins span all Cinebench versions, both multi-core and single-core, and every PassMark workload except the single-thread test. The largest margins appear in compute-heavy tasks: PassMark find prime numbers shows a 76.4% advantage, PassMark physics shows a 70.3% advantage, and PassMark floating point math shows a 61% advantage. These are workloads that scale with core count, thread count, and cache size, all areas where the Core 9 273PE has substantial hardware advantages.

For use-case planning, the data suggests the Core 3 100HL suits applications where a single thread's speed at 45 watts TDP is the priority, such as legacy software or lightly threaded daily tasks. The Core 9 273PE is the clear choice for rendering, scientific computation, data compression, encryption, and any workload that can utilize 24 threads. The 15-to-2 win split is unambiguous.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share the Intel Socket 1700 and a 10 nm process node from Intel, but their internal designs diverge significantly. The Core 3 100HL uses Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-PS codename, while the Core 9 273PE uses Bartlett Lake architecture. Both are desktop market segments, but the Core 9 273PE is the newer release, dated 2026-03-08, compared to the Core 3 100HL's 2024-04-07 release.

Core counts differ substantially: the Core 3 100HL has 8 cores and 12 threads, while the Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads. That is a 50% increase in cores and a 100% increase in threads, which directly explains the multi-threaded benchmark margins. The Core 9 273PE also has a higher base clock of 2.30 GHz versus 2.10 GHz, and a higher boost clock of 5.70 GHz versus 4.60 GHz.

Cache configurations show a major gap. Both processors have 80 KB L1 per core and 2 MB L2 per core, but the L3 cache differs: the Core 3 100HL has 12 MB shared, while the Core 9 273PE has 36 MB shared, a threefold increase. This larger L3 cache benefits workloads with repeated data access, such as the PassMark data compression and encryption tests, where the Core 9 273PE leads by 50.2% and 47.3% respectively.

Memory support is similar in type (DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel), but the Core 9 273PE adds ECC memory support and a recorded memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. The Core 3 100HL has no ECC support and no memory bandwidth figure in the database. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Core 3 100HL provides Gen 4 with 8 lanes, while the Core 9 273PE provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes, doubling both the generation and lane count.

Integrated graphics differ as well. The Core 3 100HL uses Iris Xe Graphics with 48 execution units, while the Core 9 273PE uses UHD Graphics 730. The Core 3's Iris Xe is generally more capable for integrated graphics tasks, but the database does not include graphics benchmarks, so this remains a qualitative distinction based on the listed specifications.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results show a consistent pattern. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core 9 273PE scores 3153 against 1506, a 52.2% lead. Single-core R15 shows 445 against 212, also a 52.4% lead. Cinebench R20 multi-core repeats the 52.2% margin: 13140 versus 6278. R20 single-core shows 1855 versus 886, again 52.2%. Cinebench R23 multi-core delivers 31288 versus 14948, another 52.2% lead, and R23 single-core shows 4417 versus 2110, still 52.2%. The uniformity of this 52.2% delta across all six Cinebench tests indicates a consistent per-thread performance advantage scaled by the thread count difference.

PassMark workloads show more variation. Data compression: 405885 versus 202225, a 50.2% lead. Data encryption: 22719 versus 11964, a 47.3% lead. Extended instructions: 24630 versus 12463, a 49.4% lead. Find prime numbers: 203 versus 48, a 76.4% lead, the largest margin in the entire comparison. Floating point math: 107884 versus 42108, a 61% lead. Integer math: 139410 versus 56308, a 59.6% lead. Multithread: 36810 versus 17586, a 52.2% lead. Physics: 3120 versus 928, a 70.3% lead. Random string sorting: 45098 versus 23223, a 48.5% lead.

The only Core 3 victory comes in PassMark single-thread: 3735 versus 3650, a 2.3% lead. This appears twice in the database under slightly different test names (passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread), both recording the same scores and same delta. The Core 9 273PE's higher boost clock of 5.70 GHz does not translate into a single-thread win in PassMark, suggesting that the Core 3 100HL's architecture achieves higher instruction-level efficiency in this specific test despite the lower clock.

The average benchmark score reinforces the gap: the Core 9 273PE averages 49845, while the Core 3 100HL averages 23545. The Core 9 273PE sits at the 90th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core 3 100HL sits at the 76th percentile. In the nearest rivals list, the Core 9 273PE matches the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388 within 0.1% and the Intel Core i5-14600KF within 0.9%, while the Core 3 100HL trades within 1.2% of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and 1.1% of the Intel Core Ultra 7 266V.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core 9 273PE has 12 cores and 24 threads. The Intel Core 3 100HL has 8 cores and 12 threads.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Core 9 273PE leads by 76.4%, scoring 203 versus 48.

Q: Does the Core 3 100HL win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark single-thread test with a score of 3735 versus 3650, a 2.3% advantage. This is the only test it wins.

Q: How do the cache sizes compare?

A: Both have 80 KB L1 per core and 2 MB L2 per core. The Core 3 100HL has 12 MB shared L3, while the Core 9 273PE has 36 MB shared L3.

Q: What memory and PCIe differences exist?

A: Both support DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode. The Core 9 273PE supports ECC memory and has 89.6 GB/s memory bandwidth, plus PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes. The Core 3 100HL has no ECC support and uses PCIe Gen 4 with 8 lanes.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The Core 3 100HL has a base clock of 2.10 GHz and a boost clock of 4.60 GHz. The Core 9 273PE has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 5.70 GHz.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 8 (Core 3 100HL) versus 12 (Core 9 273PE)
• Threads: 12 versus 24
• Base clock: 2.10 GHz versus 2.30 GHz
• Boost clock: 4.60 GHz versus 5.70 GHz
• TDP: 45 versus 65
• Architecture: Raptor Lake versus Bartlett Lake
• Codename: Raptor Lake-PS versus Bartlett Lake
• Generation: Core 3 (Raptor Lake-PS) versus Core 9 (Bartlett Lake)
• L3 cache: 12 MB shared versus 36 MB shared
• ECC memory: false versus true
• Memory bandwidth: not recorded versus 89.6 GB/s
• PCIe: Gen 4, 8 lanes versus Gen 5, 16 lanes
• Integrated graphics: Iris Xe Graphics 48EU versus UHD Graphics 730
• Release date: 2024-04-07 versus 2026-03-08
• Launch MSRP: none recorded versus $549
• Part number: unknown versus SA4QD

The socket, process node, foundry, L1 and L2 cache sizes, memory type, memory bus, and multiplier lock status are identical. Both are active production parts and both are desktop market segments.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear choice based on workload requirements. The Intel Core 9 273PE is the superior processor for multithreaded tasks, holding a 52.2% lead across all Cinebench multi-core tests and similarly large margins in PassMark physics, floating point math, and integer math. Its 12 cores, 24 threads, 36 MB L3 cache, and higher clock speeds combine to deliver roughly double the average benchmark score (49845 versus 23545) and a 90th percentile ranking versus 76th for the Core 3 100HL.

The Intel Core 3 100HL offers one specific advantage: a 2.3% higher PassMark single-thread score (3735 versus 3650). For users running applications that are strictly single-threaded and sensitive to per-core efficiency rather than raw clock speed, the Core 3 100HL delivers a measurable, though small, edge. Its 45 watt TDP also indicates a lower power envelope than the Core 9 273PE's 65 watts, which may matter in thermally constrained systems, though the database does not include power consumption measurements.

For any workload that can use more than one thread, the Core 9 273PE is the data-backed choice. The Core 3 100HL's single-thread win is narrow and isolated, while the Core 9 273PE's advantages range from 47.3% to 76.4% across 15 different tests. The release dates also matter: the Core 9 273PE launched on 2026-03-08 with a recorded launch MSRP of $549, while the Core 3 100HL launched on 2024-04-07 with no MSRP recorded. The Core 9 273PE's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i9-13980HX and AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370, both within 1.2%, placing it firmly in high-performance territory. The Core 3 100HL's nearest rivals are mid-range parts like the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H and Intel Core Ultra 7 266V, confirming its lower tier position. The selection between these two processors depends entirely on whether the single-thread PassMark advantage of the Core 3 100HL outweighs the overwhelming multi-threaded superiority of the Core 9 273PE.