Intel Core 3 201E vs Intel Core i5-13420H Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the database is the complete reversal between Cinebench versions. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Intel Core 3 201E scores 12613 against 11084 for the Intel Core i5-13420H, a 13.8% advantage for the desktop part. The single-core R23 result follows the same pattern: 1780 versus 1689, a 5.4% edge. Yet in the older Cinebench R15 and R20 suites, the mobile chip dominates. The i5-13420H leads by 26.9% in R15 multicore (1738 vs 1271) and by 24.8% in R15 single-core (238 vs 179). In R20, the lead narrows to 11.9% in both multicore (6013 vs 5297) and single-core (848 vs 747). This split suggests the two processors respond very differently to workload scaling across benchmark generations.

PassMark tells a more consistent story. The i5-13420H wins most threaded workloads by wide margins. Integer math goes to the mobile chip at 58156 versus 43894, a 24.5% gap. Floating point math favors the i5 by 22.3% (42806 vs 33260). Data compression shows a 21.6% advantage (209450 vs 164160), while data encryption is 22.7% higher (11559 vs 8931). Extended instructions land at 12897 versus 11035, a 14.4% win, and random string sorting favors the i5 by 19.3% (22045 vs 17783). The PassMark multithread score goes to the i5 as well: 17475 versus 14839, a 15.1% difference.

The Core 3 201E does have its own PassMark victories. Prime number search goes to the desktop chip at 57 versus 52, a 9.6% margin. Physics simulation favors the Core 3 by 12.7% (1141 vs 1012). Single-thread PassMark scores are close, with the Core 3 ahead by 2.5% at 3482 versus 3396. That is a narrow win, but it confirms the desktop part holds a small single-core edge in this suite.

Overall, the database records 6 wins for the Core 3 201E and 11 wins for the i5-13420H across the head-to-head tests. The average benchmark score reinforces the trend: the Core 3 sits at 19056, the i5 at 18511. The Core 3 places in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, while the i5 sits in the 72nd. These are effectively adjacent performance tiers, with the desktop chip slightly ahead on aggregate.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel families despite sharing a 10 nm process node. The Core 3 201E is a Bartlett Lake part, built for the Intel Socket 1700 desktop platform. It uses 4 cores and 8 threads, all running at a 3.60 GHz base clock with a 4.80 GHz boost. The i5-13420H is a Raptor Lake-H mobile part on the Intel BGA 1744 socket, with 8 cores and 12 threads at a 2.10 GHz base and 4.60 GHz boost. The extra cores and threads explain the i5's dominance in heavily threaded PassMark tests, while the higher boost clock helps the Core 3 in single-core Cinebench R23.

Cache layouts differ in L2 only. Both chips have 80 KB of L1 per core and 12 MB of shared L3. The Core 3 provides 1.25 MB of L2 per core, while the i5 offers 2 MB per core. That larger per-core L2 gives the i5 more local data capacity for its eight cores, which likely contributes to its strong integer and floating point throughput.

The Core 3 201E supports ECC memory, a notable feature for reliability-focused desktop builds. The i5-13420H does not. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel memory bus. The Core 3 lists a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s, while the database records no bandwidth figure for the i5. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Core 3 provides Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the i5 provides Gen 5 with 8 lanes. Integrated graphics are different as well, with the Core 3 using UHD Graphics 730 and the i5 using Iris Xe Graphics 80EU.

The thermal design power tells the platform story. The Core 3 is rated at 60 W, typical for a desktop chip with room for a capable air cooler. The i5 is rated at 45 W, a mobile-class figure suited to laptops and compact systems. The Core 3 launched in January 2025 with a launch MSRP of $134. The i5 arrived in January 2023 with no launch MSRP recorded in the database. Both parts are currently listed as active production, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to different buyers for each chip. If the workload is heavily threaded and sustained, the i5-13420H is the stronger choice. Its 8 cores and 12 threads deliver double-digit percentage wins across PassMark integer math, floating point math, compression, encryption, and multithread scores. The 24.5% gap in integer math and 22.3% gap in floating point are not subtle. For rendering in Cinebench R15 and R20, the i5 also leads, with an 11.9% multicore edge in R20 and a 26.9% edge in R15.

The Core 3 201E is the pick for single-thread-sensitive applications and for tasks that scale well in Cinebench R23. It wins R23 multicore by 13.8% and R23 single-core by 5.4%, plus PassMark single-thread by 2.5%. Its 4.80 GHz boost clock gives it a peak frequency advantage over the i5's 4.60 GHz, and that shows in the newer Cinebench suite. The Core 3 also wins physics simulation by 12.7% and prime number search by 9.6%.

The aggregate scores are close: 19056 for the Core 3 versus 18511 for the i5, a difference of roughly 3%. That places both chips in the same performance neighborhood, but the character of that performance is very different. The i5 is a throughput machine for parallel workloads. The Core 3 is a lower-core-count part that punches above its weight in newer rendering tests and single-thread tasks. Desktop buyers with ECC requirements or full 16-lane PCIe Gen 5 needs should lean toward the Core 3. Mobile or compact system builders who want the extra cores and do not need ECC will find the i5 more capable in most threaded applications.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core 3 201E scores 12613 versus 11084 for the i5-13420H, a 13.8% advantage for the desktop chip.

Q: How much faster is the i5-13420H in PassMark integer math?

A: The i5 scores 58156 compared to 43894 for the Core 3, a 24.5% lead.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Core 3 201E supports ECC memory, while the i5-13420H does not.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each chip?

A: The Core 3 201E has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i5-13420H has 8 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Which chip has the higher boost clock?

A: The Core 3 201E boosts to 4.80 GHz, while the i5-13420H boosts to 4.60 GHz.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Core 3 201E averages 19056, and the i5-13420H averages 18511. The Core 3 sits in the 73rd percentile of all CPUs, the i5 in the 72nd.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-13420H wins in raw parallel throughput. PassMark multithread goes to the i5 by 15.1%, and the 8-core design shows in every heavily threaded PassMark workload. Data compression, encryption, integer math, floating point math, extended instructions, and random string sorting all favor the mobile chip by margins between 14.4% and 24.5%. Older Cinebench versions also favor the i5, with R15 multicore up 26.9% and R20 multicore up 11.9%. This is the chip for encoding, compiling, number crunching, and any workload that can use more than four cores.

The Core 3 201E wins in newer Cinebench tests and in a few specific PassMark tasks. R23 multicore goes to the Core 3 by 13.8%, and R23 single-core goes its way by 5.4%. PassMark single-thread also favors the Core 3 by 2.5%. Physics simulation is a 12.7% win, and prime number search is a 9.6% win. The desktop chip also holds the advantage in peak frequency, with a 4.80 GHz boost versus 4.60 GHz. For users running current rendering workloads that scale like R23, the Core 3 is the better performer despite having half the cores.

The platform context matters. The Core 3 offers ECC support, 16 PCIe Gen 5 lanes from the CPU, and a 60 W TDP on the Intel Socket 1700. The i5 offers 8 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, no ECC, and a 45 W TDP on the BGA 1744 mobile socket. The Core 3 is a desktop chip with desktop expansion capabilities. The i5 is a mobile part that can fit in compact systems. Choose by workload first, then by platform requirements.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every headline specification except process node and cache totals. The Core 3 201E uses 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-13420H uses 8 cores and 12 threads. Base clocks are 3.60 GHz versus 2.10 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.80 GHz versus 4.60 GHz. TDP is 60 W for the Core 3 and 45 W for the i5. The Core 3 uses the Intel Socket 1700, the i5 uses the Intel BGA 1744.

Cache differs in L2 only: the Core 3 has 1.25 MB per core, the i5 has 2 MB per core. Both share 12 MB of L3 and 80 KB of L1 per core. Memory support is identical on paper: DDR4 and DDR5, dual-channel. The Core 3 lists 76.8 GB/s of memory bandwidth; the i5 has no recorded bandwidth figure. ECC memory is supported on the Core 3 but not on the i5. PCIe lanes are 16 on the Core 3 versus 8 on the i5, both Gen 5. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 on the Core 3 and Iris Xe Graphics 80EU on the i5. The Core 3 launched in January 2025 at a $134 MSRP; the i5 launched in January 2023 with no MSRP recorded. Both are active production parts with locked multipliers.