CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i5-8269U and Intel Core i3-10100 are both 4-core, 8-thread processors from Intel, but they target different market segments and deliver starkly contrasting performance profiles. The data shows a clear split: the i5-8269U dominates multi-threaded and most single-threaded workloads, while the i3-10100 claims a narrow victory in one legacy single-core test. This analysis walks through their benchmark results, architectural differences, and the practical implications for potential users, using only the supplied data.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results are decisively lopsided, with the Intel Core i5-8269U winning 5 of the 6 head-to-head comparisons. The i5-8269U’s advantage is most pronounced in multi-core workloads, where it leads by massive margins. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5-8269U scores 609 against the i3-10100’s 258, a delta of 136%. This pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core (2538 vs 1076, +135.9%) and Cinebench R23 multi-core (6044 vs 2564, +135.7%). These results indicate the i5-8269U is the clear choice for rendering, video encoding, or any task that scales across all cores and threads.

Surprisingly, the i5-8269U also wins in single-core Cinebench tests, despite the i3-10100 having a higher boost clock. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-8269U scores 358 versus 152 for the i3-10100, a 135.5% delta. Similarly, in Cinebench R23 single-core, the i5-8269U posts 853 against 362, a 135.6% delta. This is counterintuitive given the clock speed difference, but the benchmark data is unambiguous.

The lone victory for the Intel Core i3-10100 comes in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 88 against the i5-8269U’s 85. This is a narrow 3.4% margin. However, this is an older benchmark, and the i5-8269U’s dominance in the newer R20 and R23 single-core tests suggests that the i3-10100’s win is an anomaly rather than a consistent trend. The i3-10100 also has additional 3DMark and Geekbench results in its benchmark suite, but these are not part of the head-to-head comparison, so they do not factor into the win tally.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations, which explains much of their performance disparity. The Intel Core i5-8269U is built on the Kaby Lake architecture, specifically the Kaby Lake-R refresh, with a 14 nm process node from Intel. Its die size is 123 mm². In contrast, the Intel Core i3-10100 uses the Comet Lake architecture, also on a 14 nm node, but with no die size listed in the data. Both are fabricated by Intel.

The i5-8269U is a mobile processor with a 28 W TDP, while the i3-10100 is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP. This is notable because the i5-8269U achieves its higher performance despite a significantly lower thermal design power, suggesting a more efficient design or different binning. The i5-8269U uses the Intel BGA 1356 socket, while the i3-10100 uses Intel Socket 1200. The i3-10100 has a part number of SRH3N.

Cache configurations are identical: both have 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is also the same, with both supporting DDR4 and neither supporting ECC memory. The i3-10100 has additional memory details listed, including dual-channel memory bus and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, along with PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, but these fields are not specified for the i5-8269U.

Integrated graphics differ: the i5-8269U includes Iris Pro Plus, while the i3-10100 features UHD Graphics 630. Both processors have 4 cores and 8 threads, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-8269U was released in 2018, while the i3-10100 came later in 2020. The i5-8269U’s base clock is 2.60 GHz with a 4.20 GHz boost, whereas the i3-10100 starts at 3.60 GHz and boosts to 4.30 GHz.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i5-8269U is the superior processor for almost every workload measured. Its multi-core Cinebench scores are roughly 136% higher across R15, R20, and R23, which is a massive gap. Even in single-core tests, the i5-8269U leads by over 135% in the newer R20 and R23 benchmarks. The only exception is Cinebench R15 single-core, where the i3-10100 edges ahead by 3.4%.

Users who prioritize rendering, content creation, or any multi-threaded application should choose the i5-8269U without hesitation. The data shows it delivers more than double the performance in multi-core scenarios. Even for single-threaded tasks in modern benchmarks, the i5-8269U is ahead, making it the better all-around choice for the tested workloads.

The i3-10100’s strengths lie outside the head-to-head benchmark set. It has a higher base and boost clock, a desktop socket with likely easier upgrade paths, and additional 3DMark and Geekbench scores that are not compared directly. However, within the Cinebench tests, it is consistently behind. The i3-10100 is only preferable if the user specifically relies on Cinebench R15 single-core performance, where it shows a small lead, or if the desktop form factor is a hard requirement.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core Cinebench R23 score?

A: The Intel Core i5-8269U, with a score of 6044 compared to the Intel Core i3-10100’s 2564, representing a 135.7% delta.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-10100 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins Cinebench R15 single-core with a score of 88 against the i5-8269U’s 85, a 3.4% margin.

Q: What are the TDP differences between the two processors?

A: The i5-8269U has a TDP of 28 W, while the i3-10100 has a TDP of 65 W.

Q: Are the cache sizes identical between the two CPUs?

A: Yes, both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Q: What integrated graphics does each processor feature?

A: The i5-8269U features Iris Pro Plus, while the i3-10100 features UHD Graphics 630.

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core Cinebench R20 score?

A: The i5-8269U scores 358, which is 135.5% higher than the i3-10100’s 152.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core i5-8269U is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it scores 609 versus the i3-10100’s 258, a delta of 136%. This is the most extreme margin in the entire comparison, indicating a fundamental performance advantage in heavily threaded workloads. The i5-8269U also wins Cinebench R20 multi-core by 135.9% (2538 vs 1076) and Cinebench R23 multi-core by 135.7% (6044 vs 2564). These consistent deltas across multiple generations of the Cinebench benchmark suggest a stable and predictable performance gap.

In single-core tests, the i5-8269U continues its dominance. Cinebench R20 single-core shows a 135.5% delta (358 vs 152), and Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 135.6% delta (853 vs 362). These results are surprising given the i3-10100’s higher boost clock of 4.30 GHz against the i5-8269U’s 4.20 GHz. The benchmark data indicates that raw clock speed does not translate to single-core performance in these newer tests, possibly due to architectural efficiency or power management differences.

The only win for the Intel Core i3-10100 is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where it scores 88 against the i5-8269U’s 85. The delta is -3.4%, meaning the i3-10100 is ahead by that small margin. This is the closest result in the head-to-head set and the only one where the desktop processor outperforms the mobile chip. However, given the i5-8269U’s overwhelming wins in every other test, this single data point appears to be an outlier rather than a meaningful trend.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification areas. The i5-8269U has a base clock of 2.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, while the i3-10100 has a higher base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 4.30 GHz. Despite the i3-10100’s clock advantage, the i5-8269U performs better in most benchmarks, as detailed above.

The TDP is a major differentiator: the i5-8269U is rated at 28 W, making it a low-power mobile part, while the i3-10100 consumes 65 W as a desktop processor. The sockets are incompatible, with the i5-8269U using Intel BGA 1356 and the i3-10100 using Intel Socket 1200. The i5-8269U uses the Kaby Lake architecture with a die size of 123 mm², while the i3-10100 uses Comet Lake with no die size listed.

The i5-8269U has a market segment of Mobile and a release date in 2018, while the i3-10100 is Desktop and was released in 2020. The i3-10100 has a part number (SRH3N), while the i5-8269U does not list one. The integrated graphics differ, as noted, with Iris Pro Plus on the i5-8269U and UHD Graphics 630 on the i3-10100. Both have 4 cores, 8 threads, 14 nm process nodes, and the same cache structure. Neither has an unlocked multiplier, and both support DDR4 memory without ECC. The i3-10100 lists additional memory and PCIe specifications (dual-channel bus, 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, Gen 3 with 16 lanes), while those fields are absent for the i5-8269U.