Intel Core i3-1215U vs Intel Core i5-1230U Comparison

The Intel Core i3-1215U and Intel Core i5-1230U are both Alder Lake-U mobile processors, yet the benchmark data reveals they are tuned for fundamentally different workloads. The i3-1215U wins 8 of the 19 head-to-head tests, while the i5-1230U takes 11, but the margin and nature of those wins tell a clear story: the i3 is a burst-performance specialist with a massive lead in specific legacy and single-threaded PassMark tests, whereas the i5 is the more consistent all-rounder, particularly in modern multi-core and single-core rendering workloads. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—12604 for the i3 versus 12559 for the i5—placing both at the 67th percentile of all CPUs, with a negligible 0.4% delta separating them in the i3's favor. This is a matchup where the "better" processor depends entirely on which benchmark suite you trust.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i3-1215U establishes its dominance in PassMark's synthetic single-thread and specific instruction tests. Its most striking victory is in PassMark single-thread, where it scores 3218 against the i5's 2712, a commanding 18.7% advantage. This pattern repeats in PassMark extended instructions, with the i3 leading 6868 to 6282 (9.3% ahead), and in PassMark random string sorting, where it wins 13046 to 12760 (2.2% ahead). The i3 also edges out the i5 in PassMark floating-point math, scoring 25379 versus 25340, a slim 0.2% margin, and in data compression, 116705 to 114042 (2.3% ahead). These are workloads that reward raw clock speed and per-core efficiency, and the i3's 1200 MHz base clock paired with a 4.40 GHz boost appears to deliver that.

The Intel Core i5-1230U, conversely, wins decisively in the Cinebench suite and in Geekbench, which are more representative of modern content creation and productivity tasks. It crushes the i3 in Cinebench R20 multi-core, scoring 3903 to 2790—a 28.5% improvement—and in Cinebench R20 single-core, 550 to 393, also a 28.5% margin. The i5's Cinebench R23 single-core lead is similar at 28.4%, scoring 1310 to 938. In Geekbench, the i5 leads by 10.5% in multi-core (4875 to 4365) and 12.6% in single-core (1699 to 1485). The i5 also wins PassMark physics (828 to 583, a 29.6% gap), integer math (38401 to 35534, 7.5% ahead), and multithread (10881 to 10472, 3.8% ahead). The i5's wins are concentrated in tests that scale with core count and modern instruction sets, making it the stronger choice for sustained, multi-threaded workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors share the same Alder Lake architecture and 10 nm Intel process node, but their internal configurations diverge significantly. The i3-1215U is a 6-core, 8-thread part, while the i5-1230U is a 10-core, 12-thread part. This core advantage is the primary driver of the i5's multi-core wins in Cinebench R20 and Geekbench. However, the i3 compensates with a higher base clock of 1200 MHz versus the i5's 1000 MHz, while both boost to the same 4.40 GHz. The cache hierarchy also differs: both have 80 KB of L1 and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, but the i3 has 10 MB of shared L3 cache while the i5 has 12 MB. This extra 2 MB of L3 may help the i5 in certain data-heavy workloads, though the benchmark results suggest clock speed is more impactful in the i3's wins.

The thermal design point is a stark differentiator: the i3 is rated at 15 W TDP, while the i5 is a more power-efficient 9 W. This makes the i5 more suited for fanless or ultra-thin designs, but it may also explain why the i5's multi-core performance, despite having more cores, is not uniformly higher—the lower power envelope likely constrains sustained boost clocks. The integrated graphics also differ: the i3 uses UHD Graphics 64EU, while the i5 uses Iris Xe 80EU, indicating the i5 has more execution units for graphics workloads, though no graphics benchmarks are in the data. The socket changes from Intel BGA 1744 on the i3 to Intel BGA 1781 on the i5, meaning they are not pin-compatible. Both support DDR4 and DDR5 memory in dual-channel mode, and neither supports ECC memory. The i3 lists PCIe Gen 4 with 20 lanes (CPU only), while the i5 only lists "Gen 4" without a lane count.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench results are the most revealing for multi-core performance, and they are contradictory across versions. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3 wins decisively with 669 points to the i5's 514, a 30.2% margin. Yet in Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i5 flips the script, winning 3903 to 2790 (28.5% ahead). The gap widens again in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the i3 reclaims a massive 50.9% lead, scoring 6644 to 4402. This inconsistency is unusual and suggests that the i3's performance scales better with the longer R23 workload, while the i5 hits a thermal or power wall in R23. The single-core Cinebench results are more consistent: the i5 wins R15 (186.8 to 94, a 49.7% margin), R20 (550 to 393, 28.5%), and R23 (1310 to 938, 28.4%). The i5's single-core advantage is real and substantial, making it the better choice for lightly-threaded tasks that rely on a single fast core.

Geekbench mirrors the Cinebench single-core trend, with the i5 winning multi-core 4875 to 4365 (10.5% ahead) and single-core 1699 to 1485 (12.6% ahead). The PassMark results are split: the i3 wins single-thread (3218 to 2712, 18.7% ahead), extended instructions (6868 to 6282, 9.3%), floating-point math (25379 to 25340, 0.2%), data compression (116705 to 114042, 2.3%), and random string sorting (13046 to 12760, 2.2%). The i5 wins data encryption (7176 to 7041, 1.9%), find prime numbers (55 to 32, 41.8% ahead), integer math (38401 to 35534, 7.5%), multithread (10881 to 10472, 3.8%), and physics (828 to 583, 29.6%). The i5's 41.8% lead in find prime numbers is its largest margin, highlighting a strong integer throughput advantage.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear split: choose the Intel Core i3-1215U if your priority is PassMark single-thread performance and specific instruction-heavy tasks. Its 18.7% lead in PassMark single-thread and 9.3% lead in extended instructions are the largest single-thread wins in the entire comparison. It is also the better choice for Cinebench R15 and R23 multi-core workloads, where it leads by 30.2% and 50.9% respectively, suggesting it can sustain high clocks in certain multi-threaded scenarios. The i3's 15 W TDP is higher, but it may be worth it for those specific wins.

Choose the Intel Core i5-1230U for balanced modern performance, especially in Geekbench and Cinebench R20. It wins Geekbench multi-core by 10.5% and single-core by 12.6%, and it dominates Cinebench R20 by 28.5% in both multi-core and single-core. Its 10 cores and 12 threads provide a foundation for integer-heavy workloads, as shown by its 41.8% lead in find prime numbers and 7.5% lead in integer math. The i5's lower 9 W TDP also makes it more attractive for power-constrained devices, and its Iris Xe 80EU graphics outclass the i3's UHD 64EU, even if graphics benchmarks are not in the data. The i5 is the safer all-rounder, while the i3 is a niche performer with specific strengths.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-1215U has an average benchmark score of 12604, while the Intel Core i5-1230U scores 12559. The i3 leads by 0.4%, and both sit at the 67th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: How do the core counts differ between the two?

A: The i3-1215U has 6 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-1230U has 10 cores and 12 threads. Despite having fewer cores, the i3 wins Cinebench R23 multi-core by a 50.9% margin.

Q: Which processor wins the PassMark single-thread test?

A: The i3-1215U wins PassMark single-thread with a score of 3218, compared to the i5-1230U's 2712, a 18.7% advantage for the i3.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i3-1215U has a TDP of 15 W, while the i5-1230U has a TDP of 9 W. The i5 is rated for lower power consumption.

Q: Does the i5-1230U win any Cinebench multi-core tests?

A: Yes, the i5-1230U wins Cinebench R20 multi-core with a score of 3903, beating the i3's 2790 by 28.5%. However, it loses Cinebench R15 and R23 multi-core to the i3.

Q: Which processor has more L3 cache?

A: The i5-1230U has 12 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3-1215U has 10 MB. Both have 80 KB L1 and 1.25 MB L2 per core.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-1215U | Intel Core i5-1230U |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 6 | 10 |

| Threads | 8 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 1200 MHz | 1000 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 4.40 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 9 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1744 | Intel BGA 1781 |

| L3 Cache | 10 MB (shared) | 12 MB (shared) |

| PCIe | Gen 4, 20 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 4 |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 64EU | Iris Xe 80EU |

| Part Number | SRLFU | Not listed |