CPU Comparison

The Intel Core 5 330 and Intel Core i3-14100 are two very different processors that land in the same performance neighborhood, separated by a mere 0.1% in average benchmark score. The Core 5 330 edges out the i3-14100 with an average score of 18,345 versus 18,318, yet the data shows they achieve parity through completely distinct architectural approaches. The Core 5 330 is a 6-core, 6-thread mobile chip built on Intel’s 3 nm process, while the i3-14100 is a 4-core, 8-thread desktop part on the older 10 nm node. Their overall percentile ranking is identical at 72, but the head-to-head results reveal a lopsided battle: the Core 5 330 wins 15 of 17 benchmark comparisons, with the i3-14100 taking only two outright victories.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the Core 5 330’s dominance across nearly every compute-heavy workload. In Cinebench testing, the Core 5 330 wins all six rounds with consistent 2.6% margins. The R23 multicore score of 13,150 versus 12,820, and the R23 single-core score of 1,856 versus 1,809, both favor the newer chip by the same exact percentage. Even in R15 and R20, the deltas hold steady at 2.2% to 2.6%, suggesting a uniform clock-per-clock advantage rather than workload-specific strengths. The single-thread Passmark results echo this, with the Core 5 330 scoring 4,088 against 3,759, an 8.8% lead.

The gap widens dramatically in specialized floating-point and encryption tasks. The Core 5 330’s Passmark floating point math score of 43,885 crushes the i3-14100’s 35,266, a 24.4% advantage. Data encryption shows a 25.3% lead (11,076 versus 8,838), and physics simulation scores favor the Core 5 330 by 25.4% (1,201 versus 958). The largest single delta appears in prime number finding, where the Core 5 330 more than doubles the i3-14100’s output: 114 versus 55, a 107.3% difference. Extended instruction performance also favors the Core 5 330 by 7.9% (12,808 versus 11,865).

The i3-14100’s two wins are narrow but revealing. In data compression, it posts 174,115 against 145,287, a 16.6% advantage that likely stems from its higher thread count. The other win is even more pronounced: integer math goes to the i3-14100 by 45,329 versus 33,258, a 26.6% margin. These are not minor victories, but they are isolated to integer-heavy workloads where the i3-14100’s 8 threads can be fully utilized. Meanwhile, the multi-thread Passmark score barely separates them, 15,471 versus 15,095 (2.5% for the Core 5 330), and random string sorting is nearly a tie at 17,771 versus 17,397 (2.1% for the Core 5 330).

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core 5 330 has an average score of 18,345, which is 0.1% higher than the Intel Core i3-14100’s 18,318. Both chips sit at the 72nd percentile among all CPUs.

Q: How do the two chips compare in Cinebench R23 multicore performance?

A: The Core 5 330 scores 13,150 in R23 multicore, beating the i3-14100’s 12,820 by 2.6%. The same 2.6% margin applies to R20 and R15 multicore results.

Q: Where does the Core i3-14100 outperform the Core 5 330?

A: The i3-14100 wins in two Passmark tests: data compression (174,115 versus 145,287, a 16.6% lead) and integer math (45,329 versus 33,258, a 26.6% lead). Both wins are attributed to its 8 threads versus the Core 5 330’s 6 threads.

Q: What is the biggest single-benchmark gap between the two?

A: The largest delta is in Passmark find prime numbers, where the Core 5 330 scores 114 against the i3-14100’s 55, a 107.3% advantage. This is the only benchmark where one chip more than doubles the other.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. The Intel Core i3-14100 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core 5 330 does not. This is a notable difference for workstation or server-oriented builds.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance tier despite different core counts?

A: Yes. Despite the Core 5 330 having 6 cores and 6 threads versus the i3-14100’s 4 cores and 8 threads, their average benchmark scores are within 0.1% of each other. The i3-14100’s higher thread count compensates in some workloads, while the Core 5 330’s newer architecture wins in most others.

Where Each One Wins

The Core 5 330 is the clear winner for general productivity and single-threaded responsiveness. Its 8.8% lead in Passmark single-thread performance (4,088 versus 3,759) and consistent 2.6% margins across all Cinebench versions make it the better choice for everyday applications, office work, and lightly threaded software. The 24.4% advantage in floating-point math and 25.3% in encryption also make it superior for scientific simulations, financial modeling, and any workload that relies on heavy math coprocessor activity. The 107.3% margin in prime number finding indicates a significant advantage in integer-heavy algorithmic workloads, despite the i3-14100’s counterintuitive win in the separate integer math test.

The i3-14100 wins specifically in data compression and integer math, making it the pick for file archiving, database operations, and integer-heavy number crunching. Its 16.6% lead in compression (174,115 versus 145,287) and 26.6% lead in integer math (45,329 versus 33,258) show that 8 threads can still outmuscle 6 newer cores when the workload scales with thread count. For users who know their applications are parallel-thread hungry and integer-dominated, the i3-14100 offers a measurable advantage. However, these two wins are exceptions in an otherwise one-sided comparison.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge sharply on nearly every core specification. The Core 5 330 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks differ drastically, with the i3-14100 running at 3.50 GHz versus the Core 5 330’s 1.50 GHz, though the boost clocks are closer: 4.60 GHz for the Core 5 330 and 4.70 GHz for the i3-14100. Thermal design power is a major gap, with the Core 5 330 rated at 15 W and the i3-14100 at 60 W. The socket types are incompatible: the Core 5 330 uses Intel BGA 1516, while the i3-14100 uses Intel Socket 1700.

Cache configurations also differ substantially. The Core 5 330 has 192 KB of L1 cache, 2.5 MB of L2, and 6 MB of shared L3. The i3-14100 lists L1 as 80 KB per core, L2 as 1.25 MB per core, and 12 MB of shared L3. The L3 difference is particularly notable: the i3-14100 has twice the shared L3 at 12 MB versus 6 MB. Memory support varies as well, with the Core 5 330 supporting only DDR5 and LPDDR5X on a single-channel bus, while the i3-14100 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 on a dual-channel bus. The memory bandwidth for the i3-14100 is not listed, but the Core 5 330’s is specified at 59.7 GB/s.

The integrated graphics differ, with the Core 5 330 featuring Intel Xe3 Graphics (2 Xe) and the i3-14100 using UHD Graphics 730. PCIe connectivity is also different: the Core 5 330 offers Gen 4 with 6 CPU lanes, while the i3-14100 offers Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes. The i3-14100 supports ECC memory, which the Core 5 330 does not. The Core 5 330’s die size is not listed, but the i3-14100’s is 163 mm². Their launch dates are separated by over two years, with the i3-14100 releasing on 2024-01-07 and the Core 5 330 on 2026-04-15.

Architecture Differences

The Core 5 330 is built on Intel’s 3 nm process node under the Wildcat Lake codename, while the i3-14100 uses the 10 nm Raptor Lake-R architecture. Both are fabricated by Intel, but the process node difference explains much of the performance-per-watt gap. The Core 5 330 is a mobile-market chip with a 15 W TDP, designed for efficiency, whereas the i3-14100 is a desktop part with a 60 W TDP. The Core 5 330’s 6 cores are all physical with no hyperthreading, while the i3-14100’s 4 cores support 8 threads via hyperthreading. This means the i3-14100 relies on thread-level parallelism to compete, while the Core 5 330 leans on architectural efficiency.

The cache hierarchy represents a philosophical split. The i3-14100 uses a per-core L1 and L2 design (80 KB and 1.25 MB per core) with a larger 12 MB shared L3. The Core 5 330 aggregates its L1 to 192 KB total and 2.5 MB L2, with a smaller 6 MB shared L3. The larger L3 on the i3-14100 may help its compression and integer math wins, where larger working sets fit in cache. The Core 5 330’s Xe3 integrated graphics architecture is newer than the i3-14100’s UHD Graphics 730, though neither is positioned as a gaming solution. The memory controllers diverge too: the Core 5 330 is single-channel with a specified 59.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the i3-14100 is dual-channel with no listed bandwidth figure. The PCIe generation gap (Gen 4 versus Gen 5) and lane count (6 versus 16) reflect the Core 5 330’s mobile focus versus the i3-14100’s desktop expandability. The i3-14100 also supports ECC memory, a feature absent on the Core 5 330, which is notable for reliability-conscious builds.