Intel Core 3 201TE vs Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus Comparison

FAQ

Q: What are the core and thread counts of the two processors?

A: The Intel Core 3 201TE has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus has 24 cores and 24 threads.

Q: How do the boost clocks compare between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus reaches a boost clock of 5.50 GHz, which is higher than the 4.60 GHz boost clock of the Intel Core 3 201TE.

Q: Which processor uses a smaller manufacturing process node?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is built on a 3 nm process node, while the Intel Core 3 201TE uses a 10 nm node.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core 3 201TE and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus support ECC memory.

Q: What is the market segment for each processor?

A: The Intel Core 3 201TE is designated as a Desktop processor, while the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is designated as a Mobile processor.

Q: What is the L3 cache capacity on each processor?

A: The Intel Core 3 201TE has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, whereas the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus has 36 MB of shared L3 cache.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core 3 201TE and the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus represent two distinct design philosophies from Intel. The Core 3 201TE uses the Bartlett Lake codename, a 10 nm process node fabricated by Intel, and features a traditional 4-core, 8-thread layout. Its L1 cache is 80 KB per core, L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core, and it shares 12 MB of L3 cache. This processor is designed for the Intel Socket 1700 platform, a desktop-oriented socket, and ships with UHD Graphics 730 as its integrated graphics solution. The die size measures 163 mm², and the processor supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. It provides PCIe Gen 5 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, on the other hand, belongs to the Core Ultra Series 2 and uses the Arrow Lake-HX Refresh codename. It is built on a 3 nm process node by TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors packed into a 243 mm² die. The architecture scales to 24 cores and 24 threads, with significantly larger cache allocations: 192 KB of L1 per core, 3 MB of L2 per core, and 36 MB of shared L3. This processor uses the Intel BGA 2114 socket, targeting mobile platforms. Its integrated graphics are the Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU, a more advanced GPU compared to the UHD Graphics 730. Memory support is limited to DDR5, still dual-channel, but the bandwidth rises to 102.4 GB/s. PCIe connectivity expands to Gen 5 with 20 lanes from the CPU. The multiplier is unlocked on the Ultra 9, while the Core 3 201TE is locked. Both chips support ECC memory.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data available for comparison covers only the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, as the Intel Core 3 201TE has no recorded benchmark scores in the database. This absence of data means that direct head-to-head comparisons must rely on the Ultra 9's absolute scores and its standing relative to other processors in the database.

The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus delivers a Cinebench R15 multicore score of 5981 and a single-core score of 340. In Cinebench R20, the multicore result is 21198, with a single-core score of 2992. Cinebench R23 shows a multicore score of 39684 and a single-core score of 2356. These numbers indicate a processor with substantial multi-threaded capacity, consistent with its 24-core, 24-thread configuration.

PassMark results reinforce this picture. The multithread score is 59439, while the single-thread score is 4951. In specialized workloads, the data shows a data compression score of 658724, a data encryption score of 50008, and an extended instructions score of 51290. The floating point math score reaches 201773, integer math scores 164839, and random string sorting hits 80327. Physics testing produces a score of 3387, and the prime number finding test yields 519.

The database places the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus at the 95th percentile among all CPUs, with an average benchmark score of 79574. Its nearest rivals in the database are the Intel Core i9-14900KF with an average score of 79371 and a delta of 0.3%, the AMD EPYC 7413 with a score of 80041 and a delta of -0.6%, the Intel Core i9-14900K with a score of 79097 and a delta of 0.6%, and the Intel Xeon w5-2565X with a score of 80671 and a delta of -1.4%. These deltas place the Ultra 9 within a narrow band of performance around these high-end desktop and server processors, slightly ahead of the Core i9-14900KF and Core i9-14900K, and slightly behind the EPYC 7413 and Xeon w5-2565X.

Because the Core 3 201TE has no benchmark entries, a numeric comparison between the two is not possible from the recorded data. The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus stands as the only measured participant, and its results place it firmly in the upper tier of processor performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification field in the database.

The core and thread counts are starkly different: the Core 3 201TE uses 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus uses 24 cores and 24 threads. Base clocks are close, 2.90 GHz for the Core 3 versus 2.70 GHz for the Ultra 9, but the boost clock favors the Ultra 9 at 5.50 GHz against 4.60 GHz. TDP ratings differ as well, with the Core 3 at 45 watts and the Ultra 9 at 55 watts.

The process node marks a major generational gap: 10 nm for the Core 3, 3 nm for the Ultra 9. The foundry also differs, with Intel producing the Core 3 and TSMC producing the Ultra 9. Transistor counts are not listed for the Core 3, but the Ultra 9 carries 17,800 million transistors. Die size measures 163 mm² for the Core 3 and 243 mm² for the Ultra 9.

Cache hierarchies diverge substantially. L1 cache is 80 KB per core on the Core 3 versus 192 KB per core on the Ultra 9. L2 cache is 1.25 MB per core on the Core 3 versus 3 MB per core on the Ultra 9. L3 cache is 12 MB shared on the Core 3 versus 36 MB shared on the Ultra 9.

Memory support shows a split: the Core 3 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 9 supports only DDR5. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but bandwidth rises from 76.8 GB/s on the Core 3 to 102.4 GB/s on the Ultra 9. PCIe lanes from the CPU also increase, from 16 lanes on the Core 3 to 20 lanes on the Ultra 9, with both supporting Gen 5.

Integrated graphics differ: the Core 3 uses UHD Graphics 730, and the Ultra 9 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU. The socket types are not shared, with the Core 3 on Intel Socket 1700 and the Ultra 9 on Intel BGA 2114. Market segments also differ, Desktop for the Core 3 and Mobile for the Ultra 9. The multiplier is unlocked on the Ultra 9 but locked on the Core 3. The release dates are separated by over a year, with the Core 3 launching on January 12, 2025, and the Ultra 9 on March 16, 2026. The Core 3 has a launch MSRP of $134, while the Ultra 9 has no recorded launch MSRP.

The codenames and generations also differ: Bartlett Lake for the Core 3 versus Arrow Lake-HX Refresh for the Ultra 9. ECC memory support is present on both processors.

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear hierarchy. The Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is a high-end, 24-core mobile processor with benchmark scores that place it at the 95th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score of 79574 puts it in direct competition with processors like the Core i9-14900KF and the AMD EPYC 7413, with deltas of 0.3% and -0.6% respectively. It is within 0.6% of the Core i9-14900K and trails the Xeon w5-2565X by 1.4%. For multi-threaded workloads, the data confirms this processor is positioned among the strongest available.

The Intel Core 3 201TE, by contrast, has no benchmark scores recorded in the database. Its specifications indicate a modest desktop processor: 4 cores, 8 threads, a 4.60 GHz boost clock, and 12 MB of L3 cache. It uses the older 10 nm process node, supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, and carries a launch MSRP of $134. The absence of benchmark data means the database cannot confirm its performance level relative to the Ultra 9 or any other processor.

The choice between these two processors depends entirely on workload requirements and platform constraints. The Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus is the only one of the two with measured performance data, and that data shows a processor operating at the top of the performance curve. The Core 3 201TE is a lower-specification desktop part with a smaller core count, smaller cache, and lower boost clock. The data does not support a direct performance comparison, but the specification gap, particularly in core count and L3 cache, is substantial. Users requiring maximum multi-threaded throughput and who can accommodate a mobile BGA platform would be directed toward the Ultra 9 by the recorded data. Users on a desktop Socket 1700 platform with modest compute needs would find the Core 3 201TE aligned with its specification profile, though its performance remains unmeasured in the database.