Intel Core 3 100U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a decisive sweep in favor of the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus across all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The Intel Core 3 100U does not record a single victory in any measured test, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus wins every workload category tested.

The largest margin appears in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 486 compared to the Core 3 100U's 52, a delta of -89.3% from the perspective of the smaller chip. This represents the most extreme performance gap in the entire comparison set. Similarly, extended instructions show the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus at 44,565 against 7,894 for the Core 3 100U, a -82.3% delta. Floating point math follows closely: the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus records 162,692 versus 28,322, a -82.6% difference.

In encryption workloads, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus delivers 42,144 in PassMark data encryption, while the Core 3 100U manages only 8,128, a -80.7% delta. Data compression shows the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus at 568,721 compared to 136,497 for the Core 3 100U, a -76% gap. Random string sorting favors the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus at 69,090 against 15,191, a -78% difference. The multithreaded PassMark score stands at 51,596 for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and 12,522 for the Core 3 100U, a -75.7% delta. Physics simulation follows the pattern: 3,494 versus 876, a -74.9% gap. Integer math shows 125,091 against 39,580, a -68.4% difference.

Cinebench results reinforce the same hierarchy. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 30,867 versus 10,624 for the Core 3 100U, a -65.6% delta. The single-core R23 test shows 2,261 against 1,499, a smaller but still substantial -33.7% margin. Cinebench R20 multicore records 18,442 for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and 4,462 for the Core 3 100U, a -75.8% delta. The R20 single-core test shows 2,603 versus 629, also -75.8%. Cinebench R15 multicore delivers 4,640 against 1,070, a -76.9% gap, while R15 single-core scores 328 versus 150, a -54.3% delta.

The narrowest margin in the entire dataset appears in PassMark single-thread performance, where the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 4,757 against 3,506 for the Core 3 100U, a -26.3% delta. This indicates that while the multi-core advantage is overwhelming, the single-thread gap, though clear, is comparatively modest. The benchmark data also shows that the Core 3 100U ranks at the 70th percentile among all CPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus sits at the 93rd percentile.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that these two processors occupy entirely different performance classes. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus wins all 17 head-to-head tests, with average benchmark scores of 66,855 compared to 16,148 for the Core 3 100U. The nearest rivals for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus include the AMD EPYC 4465P at 66,925 (-0.1% delta), the Intel Xeon 6515P at 67,006 (-0.2%), and the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX at 67,469 (-0.9%). The Core 3 100U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-10850H at 16,204 (-0.3%), the Intel Core i5-10600KF at 16,228 (-0.5%), and the Intel Core i7-1260U at 16,320 (-1.1%).

For workloads that demand heavy multi-threaded throughput, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the clear choice based on the recorded data. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 30,867 is roughly three times the Core 3 100U's 10,624. The PassMark multithread score of 51,596 versus 12,522 reinforces this conclusion. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus also shows strong single-thread performance, with the PassMark single-thread score of 4,757 exceeding the Core 3 100U's 3,506 by a meaningful margin.

The Core 3 100U, by contrast, records substantially lower scores across every category. Its highest relative performance appears in single-threaded PassMark tests, where the -26.3% delta against the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the closest result in the dataset. However, the gap remains decisive in every measured workload. The data does not support using the Core 3 100U for performance-sensitive applications when the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is available.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus records an average benchmark score of 66,855, while the Intel Core 3 100U records 16,148.

Q: How large is the single-thread performance gap?

A: In the PassMark single-thread test, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 4,757 versus 3,506 for the Core 3 100U, a -26.3% delta. This is the smallest margin in the head-to-head comparison set.

Q: What is the difference in Cinebench R23 multicore performance?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus scores 30,867 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Core 3 100U scores 10,624, representing a -65.6% delta.

Q: How do the two processors compare in the PassMark physics test?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus records 3,494 in the PassMark physics test, while the Core 3 100U records 876, a -74.9% delta.

Q: Which processor has a higher percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus ranks at the 93rd percentile, while the Core 3 100U ranks at the 70th percentile.

Q: What is the closest benchmark margin between the two?

A: The closest margin is in the PassMark single-thread test, where the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus leads by -26.3%. The next closest is Cinebench R23 single-core at -33.7%.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every measured specification. The Core 3 100U features 6 cores and 8 threads, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus features 18 cores and 18 threads. Base clocks stand at 1.20 GHz for the Core 3 100U and 4.20 GHz for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus. Boost clocks reach 4.70 GHz on the Core 3 100U and 5.30 GHz on the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus.

Thermal design power shows a substantial difference: the Core 3 100U is rated at 15 W, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is rated at 125 W. The socket types differ as well, with the Core 3 100U using Intel BGA 1744 and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus using Intel Socket 1851. The Core 3 100U is a mobile segment processor, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus targets the desktop segment.

Memory support differs: the Core 3 100U supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus supports ECC memory, while the Core 3 100U does not. PCIe connectivity also varies, with the Core 3 100U offering Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only) and the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus offering Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only).

The multiplier is unlocked on the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, while the Core 3 100U has a locked multiplier. The integrated graphics differ as well: the Core 3 100U uses UHD Graphics 64EU, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The Core 3 100U launched on 2024-01-07, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus launched on 2026-03-10.

Architecture Differences

The Core 3 100U is built on Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-U codename, manufactured on a 10 nm process node by Intel. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus uses the Arrow Lake Refresh codename, part of the Core Ultra Series 2, and is manufactured on a 3 nm process node by TSMC. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus contains 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die, while the Core 3 100U does not have transistor count or die size recorded in the database.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly between the two. The Core 3 100U has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 10 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 3 MB of L2 cache per core, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The memory bandwidth for the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is recorded at 115.2 GB/s, while no memory bandwidth figure is recorded for the Core 3 100U.

The production status for both is Active. The Core 3 100U has the part number SRMYL, while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has the part number SA4UZ. The Core 3 100U is designated as part of the Core 3 generation (Raptor Lake-U), while the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus belongs to the Ultra 5 generation (Arrow Lake). The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus has a launch MSRP of $199.

Where Each One Wins

The data records 17 wins for the Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus and 0 wins for the Intel Core 3 100U. The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus demonstrates superiority in every benchmark category included in the database. The largest advantages appear in compute-intensive workloads such as prime number finding (-89.3%), extended instructions (-82.3%), and floating point math (-82.6%). The smallest advantage appears in single-threaded PassMark performance (-26.3%).

For multi-threaded productivity workloads, the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus delivers scores three to four times higher than the Core 3 100U across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests. The PassMark multithread score of 51,596 versus 12,522 confirms this pattern. Data compression, encryption, and random string sorting all show the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus leading by margins between 76% and 80.7%.

The Core 3 100U does not record a single benchmark win in the dataset. Its closest relative performance appears in single-threaded tasks, where the -26.3% delta against the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus represents the narrowest gap. The Core 3 100U's 70th percentile ranking and average score of 16,148 place it in a different performance tier from the Core Ultra 5 250K Plus, which achieves a 93rd percentile ranking and an average score of 66,855.

The Core Ultra 5 250K Plus also shows strong positioning against its nearest rivals, with deltas of -0.1% against the AMD EPYC 4465P, -0.2% against the Intel Xeon 6515P, -0.9% against the Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, and +1.1% against the Intel Core Ultra 5 250KF Plus. The Core 3 100U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-10850H at -0.3%, the Intel Core i5-10600KF at -0.5%, the Intel Core i7-1260U at -1.1%, and the AMD Ryzen 5 4600H at -1.2%.