Intel Core i3-14100 vs Intel Core Ultra 5 338H Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents an unambiguous hierarchy between these two processors. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H wins all 17 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with zero wins for the Intel Core i3-14100. The average benchmark score for the Ultra 5 338H is 33,989, while the i3-14100 averages 18,318, placing the Ultra 5 roughly 85.5% higher in aggregate performance. The Ultra 5 338H sits in the 84th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the i3-14100 sits in the 72nd percentile. For any workload captured by these benchmarks, the data favors the mobile processor. The i3-14100 remains a viable desktop option only in scenarios where its platform characteristics, such as DDR4 and DDR5 memory support, ECC memory capability, and Socket 1700 compatibility, are required. The Ultra 5 338H delivers higher scores across every single test, from Cinebench rendering to PassMark integer math, making it the stronger choice whenever raw performance is the primary criterion.

Where Each One Wins

The i3-14100 does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison. The data records 17 wins for the Ultra 5 338H and 0 for the i3-14100. Consequently, the use-case split is not about workload preference but about platform and environment. The i3-14100 is a desktop processor with an Intel Socket 1700 interface, a 60 TDP, and support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory. It also supports ECC memory, a feature the Ultra 5 338H lacks. The Ultra 5 338H is a mobile processor with an Intel BGA 2540 socket, a 25 TDP, and LPDDR5X memory support with a recorded memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s. The i3-14100 has a PCIe Gen 5 interface with 16 lanes from the CPU, whereas the Ultra 5 338H has PCIe Gen 5 with only 4 lanes. The data suggests the Ultra 5 338H is the performance leader in all measured categories, while the i3-14100 offers a desktop form factor, ECC memory, and broader memory type support. The Ultra 5 338H also includes an Arc B370 integrated GPU, while the i3-14100 uses UHD Graphics 730. Neither processor has a listed launch MSRP for the Ultra 5 338H, but the i3-14100 has a launch MSRP of $134.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different Intel designs. The i3-14100 belongs to the Core 14th Gen series, uses the Raptor Lake architecture with the Raptor Lake-R codename, and is built on a 10 nm process node. The Ultra 5 338H belongs to the Core Ultra Series 3, uses the Panther Lake architecture with the Panther Lake codename, and is built on a 3 nm process node. Both are manufactured by Intel. The i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Ultra 5 338H has 12 cores and 12 threads. The i3-14100 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 4.70 GHz; the Ultra 5 338H has a base clock of 1.90 GHz and the same boost clock of 4.70 GHz. The cache hierarchies differ substantially. The i3-14100 has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 cache per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Ultra 5 338H has 192 KB of L1 cache per core, 2.5 MB of L2 cache per core, and 18 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size of the i3-14100 is 163 mm²; no die size is recorded for the Ultra 5 338H. The i3-14100 supports DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, while the Ultra 5 338H supports LPDDR5X in a dual-channel configuration with a recorded memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s. The i3-14100 supports ECC memory; the Ultra 5 338H does not. The i3-14100 uses an Intel Socket 1700, while the Ultra 5 338H uses an Intel BGA 2540. The i3-14100 has a TDP of 60, while the Ultra 5 338H has a TDP of 25. The i3-14100 was released on 2024-01-07 and remains active in production; the Ultra 5 338H was released on 2026-01-04 and also remains active. The i3-14100 has a part number of SRMX1, and the Ultra 5 338H has a part number of SA4REQ9EW. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and no transistor counts are recorded for either part. The i3-14100 uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 5 338H uses Arc B370. The market segments are distinct: the i3-14100 is a desktop part, and the Ultra 5 338H is a mobile part.

The architectural differences explain the performance gap. The Ultra 5 338H has three times the core count, a larger L1 cache per core (192 KB versus 80 KB), a larger L2 cache per core (2.5 MB versus 1.25 MB), and a larger shared L3 cache (18 MB versus 12 MB). The smaller 3 nm process node allows for a much lower TDP of 25 versus 60, while still delivering higher performance across all recorded benchmarks. The i3-14100 has a higher base clock of 3.50 GHz versus 1.90 GHz, but both processors boost to 4.70 GHz. The single-thread benchmarks show a smaller gap than the multi-thread benchmarks, which is consistent with the core count difference.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has an average benchmark score of 33,989, while the Intel Core i3-14100 has an average benchmark score of 18,318.

Q: How many cores and threads does each processor have?

A: The Intel Core i3-14100 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has 12 cores and 12 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-14100 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-14100 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has a recorded memory bandwidth of 136.5 GB/s with LPDDR5X memory in a dual-channel configuration.

Q: What integrated graphics does each processor use?

A: The Intel Core i3-14100 uses UHD Graphics 730. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H uses Arc B370.

Q: What is the TDP of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i3-14100 has a TDP of 60. The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H has a TDP of 25.

Q: Which processor has a higher percentile ranking among all CPUs?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is in the 84th percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel Core i3-14100 is in the 72nd percentile.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent advantage for the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H across every test. The largest margin appears in the PassMark find prime numbers test, where the Ultra 5 338H scores 304 versus 55 for the i3-14100, a delta of -81.9%. That means the Ultra 5 338H delivers roughly 5.5 times the score in that specific workload. The smallest margin is in the PassMark single-thread test, where the Ultra 5 338H scores 4,180 versus 3,759 for the i3-14100, a delta of -10.1%. The Cinebench R23 multicore test shows the Ultra 5 338H scoring 16,331 versus 12,820 for the i3-14100, a delta of -21.5%. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows 2,044 versus 1,809, a delta of -11.5%. The Cinebench R20 multicore test shows 10,213 versus 5,384, a delta of -47.3%. The Cinebench R20 single-core test shows 1,441 versus 759, also a delta of -47.3%. The Cinebench R15 multicore test shows 2,504 versus 1,292, a delta of -48.4%. The Cinebench R15 single-core test shows 305 versus 182, a delta of -40.3%.

The PassMark suite reinforces the pattern. The data compression test shows 276,539 for the Ultra 5 338H versus 174,115 for the i3-14100, a delta of -37%. The data encryption test shows 21,367 versus 8,838, a delta of -58.6%. The extended instructions test shows 23,906 versus 11,865, a delta of -50.4%. The floating point math test shows 84,067 versus 35,266, a delta of -58.1%. The integer math test shows 64,934 versus 45,329, a delta of -30.2%. The multithread test shows 28,717 versus 15,095, a delta of -47.4%. The physics test shows 2,697 versus 958, a delta of -64.5%. The random string sorting test shows 34,082 versus 17,397, a delta of -49%. The singlethread test shows 4,180 versus 3,759, a delta of -10.1%.

The two Geekbench scores recorded for the i3-14100, 7,231 multicore and 2,133 single-core, are not present in the head-to-head table for the Ultra 5 338H, but the PassMark and Cinebench results are sufficient to establish the performance hierarchy. The i3-14100 has no benchmark wins in the recorded head-to-head set. The Ultra 5 338H wins all 17 comparisons. The deltas range from -10.1% to -81.9%, with the largest gaps in prime number finding, physics, encryption, and floating point math, all workloads that scale with core count and parallel execution. The smallest gaps appear in single-thread tests, where the i3-14100's higher base clock of 3.50 GHz partially compensates for the architectural differences, though the Ultra 5 338H still leads by 10.1% in single-thread performance.

The nearest rivals for the i3-14100 in the database include the Intel Core 3 305 with an average score of 18,302 and a delta of 0.1%, the Intel Core 5 330 with 18,345 and a delta of -0.1%, the Intel Core 7 360 with 18,374 and a delta of -0.3%, and the Intel Core i3-13100 with 18,380 and a delta of -0.3%. These rivals are all within 0.3% of the i3-14100's average score of 18,318, indicating that the i3-14100 sits in a tightly packed performance cluster. The nearest rivals for the Ultra 5 338H include the Intel Core Ultra 7 165H with an average score of 34,083 and a delta of -0.3%, the Intel Core i7-12800HX with 33,875 and a delta of 0.3%, the Intel Xeon 6353P with 33,844 and a delta of 0.4%, and the AMD EPYC 4244P with 34,220 and a delta of -0.7%. These rivals are all within 0.7% of the Ultra 5 338H's average score of 33,989, placing it in a performance tier that includes both mobile and server processors.

The data indicates that the Ultra 5 338H is not merely faster in a few tests; it is faster in every recorded workload. The multi-threaded gains are substantial, with deltas of -47.3% in Cinebench R20 multicore, -48.4% in Cinebench R15 multicore, and -47.4% in PassMark multithread. The single-thread gains are smaller but still consistent, with deltas of -11.5% in Cinebench R23 single-core, -40.3% in Cinebench R15 single-core, and -10.1% in PassMark single-thread. The largest delta of -81.9% in the find prime numbers test suggests that the Ultra 5 338H's larger cache hierarchy and higher core count provide a decisive advantage in that workload. The i3-14100's higher base clock does not translate into a single benchmark win, as the Ultra 5 338H's 12 cores, larger caches, and 3 nm process node overcome the clock disadvantage in every test. The recorded data leaves no room for ambiguity: the Intel Core Ultra 5 338H is the superior processor across all measured performance metrics.