Intel Core 5 221TE vs Intel Core 5 330 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a striking contrast between these two Intel processors. The Intel Core 5 330 wins 15 of the 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the Intel Core 5 221TE manages just 2 victories. The margins, however, tell a more nuanced story than the raw win count suggests.

Starting with the Cinebench suite, the Intel Core 5 330 delivers a consistent 14% advantage across every single-core and multi-core test. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the 330 scores 13150 against the 221TE's 11305. Single-core R23 shows 1856 versus 1596. This 14% delta repeats in R15 and R20, covering both single and multi-threaded workloads. The consistency of this margin across different render loads indicates a fundamental performance gap rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The Passmark suite reveals where each processor specializes. The 330 dominates in floating-point math, scoring 43885 against 31661, a 27.9% advantage. Extended instructions show a 24.6% lead at 12808 versus 9655. Prime number finding demonstrates the largest multi-test gap: 114 versus 59, a 48.2% difference. Data encryption also favors the 330 at 11076 versus 8963, a 19.1% margin. Physics calculations show an 18.7% gap in favor of the 330, and random string sorting adds a smaller 4.7% win.

The single-thread Passmark results produce the most dramatic discrepancy. The 330 scores 4088 in both passmark_single_thread and passmark_singlethread, while the 221TE manages 1734. That represents a 57.6% deficit for the 221TE, the largest margin recorded in any test. This massive gap in single-threaded throughput shapes the overall character of both processors.

The 221TE's two wins are substantial in their own right. Integer math shows 42303 versus 33258, a 27.2% advantage for the 221TE. Data compression delivers 156682 against 145287, a 7.8% lead. These victories indicate that the 221TE has genuine strengths in specific computational patterns, even though the 330 wins the broader benchmark battle.

The average benchmark scores reflect the overall picture. The 330 posts an average of 18345, placing it in the 72nd percentile of all CPUs. The 221TE averages 17860, sitting at the 71st percentile. The 2.7% difference in average score between the two is modest, yet the distribution of wins is lopsided. The 221TE's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT at 17891 (a 0.2% difference) and the Intel Core 7 350 at 17779 (0.5% ahead of that chip). The 330 sits alongside the Intel Core i3-14100 at 18318 (0.1% difference) and the Intel Core 7 360 at 18374 (0.2% behind). These rival clusters confirm that both processors occupy similar overall performance tiers, despite their divergent benchmark profiles.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core 5 330 establishes its dominance in rendering, physics simulation, encryption, and single-threaded responsiveness. The Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 results, all showing a consistent 14% lead, point toward strong performance in 3D rendering workloads that rely heavily on both multi-core throughput and per-core efficiency. The physics test result of 1201 versus 977 reinforces this pattern, suggesting the 330 handles simulation-heavy tasks with noticeably more headroom. The 57.6% single-thread Passmark advantage has implications for everyday responsiveness, legacy software, and lightly threaded applications that depend on one or two cores reaching maximum boost clocks.

The 330 also takes data encryption with a 19.1% margin, a result that matters for security-focused workloads, VPN throughput, and disk encryption scenarios. Extended instructions show a 24.6% lead, indicating better execution of modern vector and SIMD instruction sets. Floating-point math, often critical in scientific computing and audio processing, favors the 330 by 27.9%. Prime number calculation, a test sensitive to integer and branch performance, shows the 330 at nearly double the 221TE's score.

The Intel Core 5 221TE claims its territory in integer-heavy workloads and data compression. The 27.2% integer math advantage suggests that tasks involving large amounts of simple arithmetic operations, database indexing, or certain types of data processing run faster on this chip. Data compression at 7.8% ahead indicates that archiving and file compression utilities may complete their work more quickly. These two wins, while limited in count, represent real use cases where the 221TE outperforms the 330.

The multithread Passmark score favors the 330 at 15471 versus 13301, a 14% margin that aligns with the Cinebench multi-core results. This suggests the 330's advantage extends beyond synthetic single-core tests into genuinely parallel workloads. The 221TE's 10 cores and 16 threads do not translate into multi-threaded benchmark victories against the 330's 6 cores and 6 threads, which raises questions about how the architectural differences affect real-world scaling.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different manufacturing and design lineages. The Intel Core 5 221TE uses the Bartlett Lake architecture, built on Intel's 10 nm process node. The Intel Core 5 330 uses the Wildcat Lake architecture on a 3 nm process. This process gap helps explain the 330's efficiency advantages, particularly its 15 W TDP compared to the 221TE's 45 W TDP.

Core and thread counts diverge sharply. The 221TE offers 10 cores and 16 threads, enabling simultaneous multithreading. The 330 provides 6 cores and 6 threads, with no multithreading support. Despite having fewer threads, the 330 wins the multi-core Cinebench tests by 14%. This outcome suggests that the 330's individual cores are substantially more capable, likely due to the newer process node and architectural improvements.

Cache configurations also differ significantly. The 221TE carries 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 24 MB of shared L3 cache. The 330 specifies 192 KB of L1, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The 330's larger per-core L1 and L2 allocations support its single-thread performance, while the 221TE's larger L3 pool offers more shared capacity for its 10 cores.

Memory support and bandwidth present another divide. The 221TE supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, delivering 76.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X over a single-channel bus, with 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. The 221TE also supports ECC memory, while the 330 does not. The 330's lower memory bandwidth did not prevent it from winning the multi-core benchmarks, which is notable given the memory-intensive nature of Cinebench workloads.

Connectivity differs as well. The 221TE uses Intel Socket 1700 with PCIe Gen 5 and 16 CPU lanes. The 330 uses Intel BGA 1516 with PCIe Gen 4 and 6 CPU lanes. The 221TE is a desktop part, while the 330 targets mobile. Integrated graphics also differ: the 221TE uses UHD Graphics 730, while the 330 features Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores.

Clock speeds favor the 221TE on paper. Its base clock is 1.80 GHz with a 5.00 GHz boost. The 330 starts at 1.50 GHz and boosts to 4.60 GHz. Despite lower clock speeds, the 330 outperforms the 221TE in single-threaded tests by a wide margin, indicating that architectural efficiency outweighs raw clock rate in this comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 averages 18345 across all recorded benchmarks, while the Intel Core 5 221TE averages 17860. The 330 also holds a slightly higher percentile ranking at 72 versus 71.

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

A: In Passmark single-thread tests, the 330 scores 4088 against the 221TE's 1734, a 57.6% advantage. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows a narrower 14% gap, with the 330 at 1856 and the 221TE at 1596.

Q: Does the 221TE win any benchmarks?

A: Yes. The 221TE wins integer math with 42303 versus 33258, a 27.2% margin, and data compression with 156682 versus 145287, a 7.8% margin.

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

A: The 221TE has 10 cores and 16 threads. The 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads with no multithreading.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The 221TE supports DDR4 and DDR5 in dual-channel mode with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth and ECC support. The 330 supports DDR5 and LPDDR5X in single-channel mode with 59.7 GB/s bandwidth and no ECC.

Q: How do their TDP ratings compare?

A: The 221TE has a TDP of 45 W, while the 330 has a TDP of 15 W. The 330 achieves higher benchmark scores while consuming far less power according to these specifications.

The Verdict

The recorded data points to the Intel Core 5 330 as the stronger overall performer. It wins 15 of 17 head-to-head tests, holds a higher average benchmark score, and achieves these results with a 15 W TDP against the 221TE's 45 W TDP. The 330's consistent 14% lead across all Cinebench versions, its 57.6% single-thread Passmark advantage, and its higher percentile ranking all support this conclusion.

The Intel Core 5 221TE still has a defined role. Its 27.2% integer math win and 7.8% data compression win demonstrate that it handles certain workload types more effectively. The dual-channel memory interface with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth, ECC support, and PCIe Gen 5 connectivity make it a more expandable desktop platform. The 10-core, 16-thread configuration offers more parallel hardware, even if benchmark results show the 330's 6 cores delivering better multi-core scores.

For workloads dominated by rendering, floating-point math, encryption, physics, or single-threaded applications, the data favors the 330. For integer-heavy processing, data compression, and use cases requiring ECC memory or desktop socket flexibility, the 221TE presents a compelling case. The 330's mobile BGA form factor and the 221TE's desktop socket are also decisive factors for system builders. The benchmarks show a clear overall winner in the 330, but the 221TE's specific strengths are measurable and real.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in every major specification category recorded in the database.

The 221TE uses 10 cores and 16 threads, while the 330 uses 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks are 1.80 GHz for the 221TE and 1.50 GHz for the 330. Boost clocks are 5.00 GHz and 4.60 GHz respectively. TDP ratings are 45 W for the 221TE and 15 W for the 330.

The 221TE uses Intel Socket 1700, while the 330 uses Intel BGA 1516. The 221TE is built on Bartlett Lake with a 10 nm process, while the 330 uses Wildcat Lake on a 3 nm process. The 221TE's die size is 215 mm²; no die size is recorded for the 330.

Cache layouts differ: the 221TE has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 24 MB shared L3. The 330 has 192 KB L1, 2.5 MB L2, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support includes DDR4 and DDR5 for the 221TE versus DDR5 and LPDDR5X for the 330. The 221TE uses dual-channel memory with 76.8 GB/s bandwidth; the 330 uses single-channel with 59.7 GB/s. ECC is supported on the 221TE only.

PCIe capabilities show Gen 5 with 16 lanes for the 221TE and Gen 4 with 6 lanes for the 330. Integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 730 on the 221TE versus Intel Xe3 Graphics with 2 Xe cores on the 330. Market segments differ: desktop for the 221TE, mobile for the 330. The 221TE launched on 2025-01-12, the 330 on 2026-04-15. The 221TE has a launch MSRP of $232; the 330 has a launch MSRP of $309. Both are active production parts with locked multipliers.