Intel Core i3-1210U vs Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL Comparison

The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL and Intel Core i3-1210U are both active, low-power Intel processors, but they target distinct platforms: the former is a desktop part on Socket 1851, while the latter is a mobile chip on BGA 1781. Benchmark results show a clear split in workload dominance. The Core Ultra 3 105UL wins the majority of head-to-head tests, taking 12 of 17 comparisons, but the Core i3-1210U secures decisive victories in several specific tasks. The data indicates that the Core Ultra 3 105UL is the stronger all-around performer, particularly in floating-point and integer math, while the Core i3-1210U offers surprising advantages in compression and prime-number workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench suite provides the clearest evidence of the Core Ultra 3 105UL’s multi-core advantage. Across R15, R20, and R23, the Core Ultra 3 105UL leads by nearly identical margins: 4% in R15 multi-core (881 vs 847), 3.9% in R20 multi-core (3671 vs 3533), and 3.9% in R23 multi-core (8742 vs 8413). Single-core Cinebench results are similarly consistent, with the Core Ultra 3 105UL ahead by 4% in R15 (124 vs 119), 4% in R20 (518 vs 498), and 4% in R23 (1234 vs 1187). This uniformity suggests a stable architectural efficiency advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk.

The largest single victory for the Core Ultra 3 105UL comes in PassMark floating-point math, where it scores 30750 against the Core i3-1210U’s 23815—a substantial 29.1% lead. Integer math also favors the Core Ultra 3 105UL heavily, with a 19.5% advantage (41171 vs 34445). These two results alone indicate that the Core Ultra 3 105UL has significantly stronger arithmetic execution resources. The Core Ultra 3 105UL also wins PassMark multi-thread (10285 vs 10228, a 0.6% margin) and single-thread (3382 vs 3354, a 0.8% margin), though these differences are narrow enough to be considered effectively a tie in practical terms. Data encryption is a near-dead heat, with the Core Ultra 3 105UL winning by a razor-thin 0.1% (6354 vs 6348).

The Core i3-1210U, however, has its own set of wins, and some are far from trivial. Its most significant victory is in PassMark data compression, where it scores 102965 against the Core Ultra 3 105UL’s 93961—an 8.7% advantage. It also wins PassMark find prime numbers by 13.7% (51 vs 44), which is its second-largest margin. PassMark physics shows an 8.1% lead for the Core i3-1210U (781 vs 718), and random string sorting goes to the Core i3-1210U by 4.7% (11727 vs 11179). Extended instructions are another win for the Core i3-1210U, with a 3.7% edge (5852 vs 5634). Notably, the Core i3-1210U achieves these wins despite having fewer cores (6 vs 8) and threads (8 vs 10), suggesting that its per-core capabilities in certain algorithms are superior.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data, the Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL is the higher-performing processor overall. Its 12 wins out of 17 head-to-head tests, combined with the commanding margins in floating-point math (29.1%) and integer math (19.5%), establish it as the better choice for compute-heavy applications. The Cinebench results reinforce this, showing a consistent 4% advantage across all versions of the test. The Core Ultra 3 105UL also holds a higher average benchmark score of 13061 compared to the Core i3-1210U’s 12795, and it ranks in the 68th percentile of all CPUs—the same percentile as its rival, but with a higher absolute score.

The Core i3-1210U is not without merit, but its wins are concentrated in specific niches. Its 8.7% lead in data compression, 13.7% lead in prime-number finding, and 8.1% lead in physics indicate that it has specialized strengths. However, these are outweighed by the Core Ultra 3 105UL’s broader dominance. For a user who prioritizes general-purpose performance, multi-threaded rendering, or arithmetic-heavy workloads, the data clearly favors the Core Ultra 3 105UL. For workloads that specifically involve compression, prime-number calculations, or physics simulations, the Core i3-1210U is the better option despite its lower average score. Neither processor is a clear winner across the board; the choice depends entirely on the workload mix.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL wins in every Cinebench test, covering both single-core and multi-core rendering scenarios. This makes it the preferred processor for 3D rendering, video encoding, and other tasks that rely on sustained multi-threaded performance. Its dominance in floating-point math (30750 vs 23815) and integer math (41171 vs 34445) further extends its reach to scientific computing, financial modeling, and any application that performs heavy arithmetic operations. The data encryption win (6354 vs 6348) is negligible, but the multi-thread and single-thread PassMark wins (0.6% and 0.8% respectively) confirm that the Core Ultra 3 105UL is the more balanced performer.

The Intel Core i3-1210U wins in four distinct PassMark categories, each pointing to a specific use case. Its largest win in data compression (102965 vs 93961) suggests an advantage in file archiving, backup software, and database operations that heavily compress data. The prime-number finding win (51 vs 44) is relevant for cryptography and certain mathematical algorithms. The physics simulation win (781 vs 718) indicates better performance in physics engines, which could benefit game physics or engineering simulations. Random string sorting (11727 vs 11179) is a narrower win but points to an edge in sorting algorithms used in database indexing and text processing. The extended instructions win (5852 vs 5634) indicates a slight advantage in workloads that leverage SIMD and other specialized instruction sets.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core performance in Cinebench?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL consistently outperforms the Intel Core i3-1210U in all Cinebench multi-core tests, with leads of 4% in R15 (881 vs 847), 3.9% in R20 (3671 vs 3533), and 3.9% in R23 (8742 vs 8413).

Q: Are the single-core performances significantly different?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL holds a 4% lead in all three Cinebench single-core tests (R15: 124 vs 119; R20: 518 vs 498; R23: 1234 vs 1187). In PassMark single-thread, the lead is smaller at 0.8% (3382 vs 3354).

Q: In which benchmark does the Intel Core i3-1210U have its biggest advantage?

A: The Core i3-1210U’s largest win is in PassMark data compression, where it scores 102965 versus the Core Ultra 3 105UL’s 93961, an 8.7% difference.

Q: How do the two processors compare in terms of core and thread counts?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL has 8 cores and 10 threads, while the Intel Core i3-1210U has 6 cores and 8 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the Core i3-1210U wins in several PassMark tests.

Q: Which processor has a higher overall average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL has an average benchmark score of 13061, compared to 12795 for the Intel Core i3-1210U. Both processors are in the 68th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What is the difference in their TDP ratings?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL has a TDP of 15 watts, while the Intel Core i3-1210U has a TDP of 9 watts, making the Core i3-1210U the lower-power option.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on entirely different architectures and target different market segments. The Intel Core Ultra 3 105UL uses the Meteor Lake architecture (specifically Meteor Lake-PS) and is fabricated on a 7 nm process at Intel. It is a desktop processor with a TDP of 15 watts, a base clock of 1.50 GHz, and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 112 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 10 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core Ultra 3 105UL supports DDR5 memory (dependent on the motherboard) over a dual-channel bus with a memory bandwidth of 89.6 GB/s. It has 8 PCIe Gen 4 lanes (CPU only) and integrates Arc Xe-LPG graphics with 48 execution units. The processor has a launch MSRP of $295 and uses Socket 1851.

The Intel Core i3-1210U uses the Alder Lake architecture (specifically Alder Lake-U) and is fabricated on a 10 nm process at Intel. It is a mobile processor with a TDP of 9 watts, a base clock of 1000.00 MHz, and a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. Its cache configuration includes 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 10 MB of shared L3 cache. The Core i3-1210U supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory over a dual-channel bus, though its memory bandwidth is not specified. It has PCIe Gen 4 support and integrates UHD Graphics with 64 execution units. The processor uses BGA 1781 and has no listed launch MSRP.

The most notable architectural difference is the process node: the Core Ultra 3 105UL uses a smaller 7 nm node versus 10 nm for the Core i3-1210U, which likely contributes to its higher core count and better arithmetic performance. The L1 and L2 cache sizes are larger per core on the Core Ultra 3 105UL (112 KB vs 80 KB L1; 2 MB vs 1.25 MB L2), though both share 10 MB of L3. The integrated graphics differ as well, with the Core Ultra 3 105UL featuring Arc Xe-LPG 48EU and the Core i3-1210U featuring UHD Graphics 64EU—the latter has more execution units but is from an older architecture. The Core Ultra 3 105UL’s desktop socket and higher TDP (15W vs 9W) suggest it is designed for always-connected systems, while the Core i3-1210U’s mobile socket and lower TDP target thin-and-light laptops. Memory support also differs, with the Core Ultra 3 105UL being DDR5-only and the Core i3-1210U supporting both DDR4 and DDR5.