Intel Core 3 100U vs Intel Core Ultra 5 336H Comparison

The Intel Core 3 100U and Intel Core Ultra 5 336H represent two very different tiers of Intel's mobile lineup, separated by architecture, core count, and performance class. The benchmark data shows a complete sweep: the Core Ultra 5 336H wins all 17 recorded head-to-head tests, with no wins recorded for the Core 3 100U. The Core 3 100U is a 15 W Raptor Lake-U part, while the Core Ultra 5 336H is a 25 W Panther Lake-H processor built on a smaller node. The average benchmark score for the Core 3 100U is 16148, placing it in the 70th percentile of all CPUs, while the Core Ultra 5 336H averages 34485, putting it in the 84th percentile. The differences in core counts, cache sizes, and memory support explain most of the performance gap, but the single-thread and multi-thread deltas reveal the scale of the separation.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 3 100U does not win any benchmark in the recorded data. Across all 17 head-to-head tests, the Core Ultra 5 336H delivers the higher score. The closest margin is in PassMark single-thread performance, where the Core 3 100U scores 3506 against 4013 for the Core Ultra 5 336H, a 12.6% deficit. That is the only test where the Core 3 100U stays within single-digit percentage territory. In every other workload, the gap widens dramatically.

The Core Ultra 5 336H wins decisively in multi-threaded and compute-heavy tasks. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 23991 versus 10624 for the Core 3 100U, a 55.7% advantage. The PassMark integer math test shows a smaller but still substantial lead: 62070 versus 39580, a 36.2% gap. The largest margin appears in PassMark find prime numbers, where the Core Ultra 5 336H scores 299 against 52, a 82.6% difference. Data compression, encryption, floating point math, physics, and random string sorting all favor the Core Ultra 5 336H by margins between 51.3% and 67.8%.

Single-core performance is the only category where the Core 3 100U approaches parity, but it still loses. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows 150 for the Core 3 100U and 341 for the Core Ultra 5 336H, a 56% gap. The R20 single-core test shows 629 versus 1422, a 55.8% gap. The R23 single-core test shows 1499 versus 3387, a 55.7% gap. These results indicate that the Core Ultra 5 336H does not just scale better with more cores; its individual cores are also substantially faster.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split. The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H is the stronger processor for any workload that benefits from raw compute, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded. Its 16 cores and 16 threads, combined with a 3 nm Panther Lake architecture, deliver roughly double the average benchmark score of the Core 3 100U: 34485 versus 16148. The Core Ultra 5 336H also sits in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, compared to the 70th percentile for the Core 3 100U. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-13700HX and AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, with delta percentages of -0.2% and 0.7%, respectively, which places it in the same performance class as those desktop and high-end mobile parts.

The Core 3 100U, by contrast, is positioned near the Intel Core i7-10850H and AMD Ryzen 5 4600H, with delta percentages of -0.3% and -1.2%. That places it firmly in the mid-range mobile segment. For users running lightweight productivity tasks, office applications, or basic web workloads, the Core 3 100U provides adequate performance at a 15 W TDP. The Core Ultra 5 336H uses 25 W, but the benchmark results show that the extra power budget buys a massive performance increase. The only scenario where the Core 3 100U makes sense is when the lower TDP and older, more established platform are priorities, but the recorded data does not show any benchmark where it outperforms the Core Ultra 5 336H.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite shows a consistent performance gap across all versions. In R15 multi-core, the Core 3 100U scores 1070 while the Core Ultra 5 336H scores 2418, a 55.7% difference. In R20 multi-core, the scores are 4462 and 10076, again a 55.7% gap. In R23 multi-core, the scores are 10624 and 23991, a 55.7% difference. The single-core tests follow the same pattern: R15 shows 150 versus 341, R20 shows 629 versus 1422, and R23 shows 1499 versus 3387. The consistency of the delta, around 55.7% to 56%, indicates a fundamental architectural advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

PassMark results show the widest and narrowest margins of the entire comparison. The narrowest is single-thread, where 3506 versus 4013 yields a 12.6% gap. The widest is find prime numbers, where 52 versus 299 yields an 82.6% gap. Floating point math shows 28322 versus 82415, a 65.6% gap. Extended instructions show 7894 versus 24542, a 67.8% gap. Physics shows 876 versus 2682, a 67.3% gap. Data encryption shows 8128 versus 21291, a 61.8% gap. Random string sorting shows 15191 versus 34402, a 55.8% gap. Multithread shows 12522 versus 28545, a 56.1% gap. Data compression shows 136497 versus 280340, a 51.3% gap. Integer math shows 39580 versus 62070, a 36.2% gap.

The pattern is clear: the Core Ultra 5 336H leads in every category, and the lead is largest in tasks that stress parallel execution, SIMD instructions, or heavy arithmetic. The Core 3 100U comes closest in single-threaded PassMark, but even there it trails by over 12%.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 336H has 16 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core 3 100U has 6 cores and 8 threads.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Core Ultra 5 336H scores 23991, while the Core 3 100U scores 10624, a 55.7% difference.

Q: Which CPU has the higher boost clock?

A: The Core 3 100U has a boost clock of 4.70 GHz, which is higher than the 4.60 GHz boost clock of the Core Ultra 5 336H. Despite this, the Core Ultra 5 336H wins every single-core benchmark.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Core 3 100U has an average benchmark score of 16148, and the Core Ultra 5 336H has an average benchmark score of 34485.

Q: Which processor uses a smaller manufacturing process?

A: The Core Ultra 5 336H is built on a 3 nm process, while the Core 3 100U uses a 10 nm process.

Q: How do the two processors compare in PassMark single-thread performance?

A: The Core Ultra 5 336H scores 4013, and the Core 3 100U scores 3506, a 12.6% difference. This is the smallest margin in any head-to-head test.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different architectural families. The Core 3 100U uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-U codename, built on a 10 nm process. The Core Ultra 5 336H uses the Panther Lake architecture with the Panther Lake codename, built on a 3 nm process. Both are produced by Intel, but the process node difference is substantial.

The core counts also differ significantly. The Core 3 100U has 6 cores and 8 threads, indicating a hybrid configuration with fewer physical cores than threads. The Core Ultra 5 336H has 16 cores and 16 threads, which suggests a different core arrangement where thread count matches core count. The cache hierarchy scales accordingly. 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 336H has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache.

Memory support differs as well. The Core 3 100U supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the Core Ultra 5 336H supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X. The Core Ultra 5 336H also has a recorded memory bandwidth of 115.2 GB/s, while the Core 3 100U has no memory bandwidth figure in the data. PCIe support is also different: the Core 3 100U uses Gen 4 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Core Ultra 5 336H uses Gen 5 with 12 lanes (CPU only).

The integrated graphics differ. The Core 3 100U uses UHD Graphics 64EU, while the Core Ultra 5 336H uses Intel Xe3 Graphics. The sockets are incompatible: the Core 3 100U uses Intel BGA 1744, and the Core Ultra 5 336H uses Intel BGA 2540.

Specification Differences

The base clocks differ: the Core 3 100U runs at 1.20 GHz, and the Core Ultra 5 336H runs at 1.90 GHz. The boost clocks are close, with the Core 3 100U at 4.70 GHz and the Core Ultra 5 336H at 4.60 GHz. TDP also differs: the Core 3 100U has a 15 W TDP, and the Core Ultra 5 336H has a 25 W TDP.

The Core 3 100U has a launch MSRP of $426. The Core Ultra 5 336H has no launch MSRP in the data. The Core 3 100U was released on 2024-01-07, and the Core Ultra 5 336H was released on 2026-01-04. The part numbers are SRMYL for the Core 3 100U and SA4RD for the Core Ultra 5 336H. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and neither supports ECC memory. Both are classified as mobile market segment parts and are listed as active in production.