Intel Core i3-10105T vs Intel Core i7-7820HK Comparison

The Intel Core i3-10105T and Intel Core i7-7820HK are both 4-core, 8-thread processors from Intel, but they come from different eras and target different platforms. The i3-10105T is a 35W desktop part built on the Comet Lake architecture, while the i7-7820HK is a 45W mobile part from the Kaby Lake generation. Despite the i3's lower tier, benchmark data shows it consistently outperforms the older i7 in Cinebench tests, while the i7 fights back in Geekbench. This comparison splits along platform and workload lines.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Core i3-10105T has a base clock of 3.00 GHz, compared to the 2.90 GHz base clock of the Intel Core i7-7820HK. Both processors share the same 3.90 GHz boost clock.

Q: How do their thermal design power (TDP) ratings compare?

A: The i3-10105T is rated at 35W TDP, while the i7-7820HK is rated at 45W TDP. This makes the i3 the more power-efficient option on paper, despite being the newer part.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The Intel Core i7-7820HK has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i3-10105T has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The i7 has a 2 MB advantage in this area.

Q: What are their average benchmark scores?

A: The i3-10105T has an average benchmark score of 2058, placing it in the 46th percentile of all CPUs. The i7-7820HK has an average score of 2048, also in the 46th percentile.

Q: Is the i7-7820HK overclockable?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-7820HK has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable. The Intel Core i3-10105T does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Q: What memory types does each CPU support?

A: The i3-10105T supports DDR4 memory only, while the i7-7820HK supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory. Both use a dual-channel memory bus.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two chips is significant, even though both are built on Intel's 14 nm process node. The i3-10105T is part of the Comet Lake generation, specifically the Comet Lake-R refresh, and uses the Intel Socket 1200 platform. It integrates UHD Graphics 630. In contrast, the i7-7820HK is a Kaby Lake-H mobile part using the older Intel BGA 1440 socket, with Intel HD Graphics 630 as its integrated GPU.

The cache hierarchy differs notably. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, but the i7 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache versus 6 MB on the i3. This larger L3 pool on the older Kaby Lake chip is a holdover from its higher-tier positioning at launch. The i7 also has a larger die size at 126 mm², a detail not listed for the i3.

The i7-7820HK supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the i3-10105T is limited to DDR4. The i3 lists a memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s, a figure that is not provided for the i7. Both CPUs support PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Notably, the i7 is marked as end-of-life, while the i3 remains in active production.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results paint a clear picture of workload-specific strengths. The i3-10105T dominates in rendering and multi-threaded compute tasks, winning all six Cinebench tests. This includes a 670 score in Cinebench R15 multicore versus 635 for the i7, and a 6656 score in Cinebench R23 multicore versus 6306. For single-threaded Cinebench workloads, the i3 also leads consistently, suggesting better per-core efficiency in that benchmark suite.

The i7-7820HK takes its wins in Geekbench. It scores 4173 in Geekbench multicore, a substantial 12.6% lead over the i3's 3649. It also edges out the i3 in Geekbench single-core, scoring 1273 versus 1265, a slim 0.6% margin. This suggests that the Geekbench workload favors the older Kaby Lake architecture, possibly due to its larger cache or different memory handling characteristics.

In practical terms, the i3-10105T is the better choice for Cinebench-style rendering and content creation tasks. The i7-7820HK, despite being older and on a mobile socket, shows stronger Geekbench performance, which may translate to advantages in certain general-purpose or system-level tasks.

Specification Differences

• Base Clock: 3.00 GHz (i3-10105T) vs 2.90 GHz (i7-7820HK)
• TDP: 35W (i3-10105T) vs 45W (i7-7820HK)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1200 (i3-10105T) vs Intel BGA 1440 (i7-7820HK)
• Architecture: Comet Lake (i3-10105T) vs Kaby Lake (i7-7820HK)
• Codename: Comet Lake-R (i3-10105T) vs Kaby Lake-H (i7-7820HK)
• Generation: Core i3 (Comet Lake) vs Core i7 (Kaby Lake-H)
• Die Size: Not listed (i3-10105T) vs 126 mm² (i7-7820HK)
• L3 Cache: 6 MB shared (i3-10105T) vs 8 MB shared (i7-7820HK)
• Memory Support: DDR4 only (i3-10105T) vs DDR3 and DDR4 (i7-7820HK)
• Memory Bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s (i3-10105T) vs not listed (i7-7820HK)
• Integrated Graphics: UHD Graphics 630 (i3-10105T) vs Intel HD Graphics 630 (i7-7820HK)
• Market Segment: Desktop (i3-10105T) vs Mobile (i7-7820HK)
• Production Status: Active (i3-10105T) vs End-of-life (i7-7820HK)
• Release Date: 2021-03-15 (i3-10105T) vs 2017-01-02 (i7-7820HK)
• Launch MSRP: $134 (i3-10105T) vs $378 (i7-7820HK)
• Multiplier Unlocked: No (i3-10105T) vs Yes (i7-7820HK)
• Part Number: SRH3R (i3-10105T) vs SR32P (i7-7820HK)

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are a clean sweep for the i3-10105T, with consistent margins across all versions. In Cinebench R15, the i3 scores 670 multicore and 94 single-core, beating the i7's 635 and 89 by 5.5% and 5.6%, respectively. The pattern holds in Cinebench R20, where the i3's 2795 multicore and 394 single-core beat the i7's 2648 and 373 by 5.6% in both cases.

Cinebench R23 follows the same trend. The i3 scores 6656 multicore and 939 single-core, compared to the i7's 6306 and 890. That is a 5.6% lead in multicore and a 5.5% lead in single-core. These margins are remarkably consistent, indicating that the i3's architectural refinements in Comet Lake deliver a uniform performance uplift over Kaby Lake in Cinebench.

Geekbench tells a different story. The i7-7820HK posts a 4173 multicore score, which is 12.6% higher than the i3's 3649. This is the largest performance delta in either direction across all benchmarks. The single-core Geekbench result is much closer, with the i7's 1273 edging out the i3's 1265 by just 0.6%.

In total, the i3-10105T wins 6 out of 8 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The i7's two wins are both in Geekbench, with the multicore victory being decisive and the single-core win being marginal.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the Intel Core i3-10105T for most workloads. It wins every Cinebench test, which are standard measures of rendering and CPU compute performance, with margins around 5.5% to 5.6%. It does this while consuming 10W less power (35W vs 45W) and being the more modern, actively-produced part. For anyone building a desktop system focused on rendering, encoding, or other multi-threaded productivity tasks, the i3-10105T is the superior choice based on these benchmark results.

The Intel Core i7-7820HK is not without its merits, though. Its Geekbench multicore score is notably higher, by 12.6%, which suggests it may have an edge in workloads that resemble Geekbench's test patterns. Additionally, its larger 8 MB L3 cache and unlocked multiplier offer flexibility that the i3 lacks. However, it is a mobile part on a BGA 1440 socket, end-of-life, and launched at a significantly higher MSRP of $378 versus $134 for the i3.

For a desktop builder, the i3-10105T is the practical pick: it is faster in the majority of benchmarks, has a lower TDP, and is an active product on a standard desktop socket. The i7-7820HK makes sense only if you specifically need its Geekbench strengths, require the larger cache, or are working within an existing mobile platform that uses the BGA 1440 socket. Based on the head-to-head data, the i3-10105T is the better all-around processor.