Intel Core i3-14100T vs Intel Core Ultra 9 285 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows a complete sweep for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 across all 17 recorded tests. The Intel Core i3-14100T does not win a single comparison. The most extreme gap appears in PassMark's find prime numbers test, where the Ultra 9 scores 459 against the i3's 56, a delta of -87.8%. That workload relies heavily on integer throughput and cache behavior, both areas where the Arrow Lake part has a massive structural advantage.

Floating-point math follows a similar pattern. The Ultra 9 delivers 194,988 points versus 31,379 for the i3, a -83.9% delta. Data encryption shows a -83.2% gap (46,949 vs 7,881), and random string sorting lands at -78.8% (73,651 vs 15,579). These are not marginal differences; the Ultra 9 is roughly four to eight times faster in each of these threaded workloads.

The Cinebench results reinforce the same conclusion. In Cinebench R23 multicore, the Ultra 9 scores 48,945 against 11,612 for the i3, a -76.3% delta. The same -76.3% delta appears in R20 multicore (20,556 vs 4,877) and R15 multicore (4,933 vs 1,170). Single-core Cinebench tests also favor the Ultra 9 by the same -76.3% margin: R23 single-core is 6,909 vs 1,639, R20 single-core is 2,901 vs 688, and R15 single-core is 696 vs 165.

The closest contest in the entire dataset is PassMark single-thread performance. Here the Ultra 9 scores 4,881 against the i3's 3,498, a -28.3% delta. That is still a clear win for the Ultra 9, but it shows that the i3's Raptor Lake cores retain respectable single-thread capability relative to Arrow Lake. The gap is not as lopsided as in multi-threaded or math-heavy tests.

PassMark multithread shows 56,602 for the Ultra 9 versus 13,662 for the i3, a -75.9% delta. Extended instructions come in at 45,357 vs 10,414, a -77% delta. Integer math is 164,869 vs 40,292, a -75.6% delta. Physics simulation scores 3,598 vs 973, a -73% delta. Data compression shows 602,121 vs 152,636, a -74.7% delta. Every recorded metric follows the same trajectory: the Ultra 9 is decisively ahead, typically by three to seven times.

The average benchmark score tells the broader story. The i3-14100T averages 17,648 points, placing it in the 71st percentile of all CPUs in the database. The Ultra 9 285 averages 75,488 points, placing it in the 95th percentile. That is a 57,840-point gap in average score, which corresponds to a roughly 4.3x overall performance advantage for the Ultra 9.

The Verdict

The data leaves no ambiguity. For any workload measured in this database, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285 is the superior processor. It wins all 17 head-to-head tests, holds a 95th percentile ranking versus 71st for the i3, and delivers an average score that is more than four times higher. The i3-14100T is not competitive with the Ultra 9 in any recorded benchmark.

The i3-14100T has its place, but that place is not alongside the Ultra 9. Its strongest result is PassMark single-thread at 3,498, where it trails by only -28.3%. That suggests the i3 handles lightly threaded tasks with reasonable competence, but even there it loses decisively. In every multi-threaded test, the Ultra 9's 24 cores and 24 threads overwhelm the i3's 4 cores and 8 threads.

From a pure performance standpoint, the Ultra 9 is the only choice. The i3's 35W TDP and lower launch MSRP of $134 make it a low-power, low-cost option, but the Ultra 9's launch MSRP of $579 buys roughly four times the average benchmark performance. The percentile data confirms this: the Ultra 9 sits in the top 5% of all CPUs in the database, while the i3 sits in the upper third.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 wins in every single benchmark category recorded. That includes all Cinebench versions (R15, R20, R23) in both single-core and multicore, plus all PassMark tests: data compression, data encryption, extended instructions, prime number finding, floating-point math, integer math, multithread, physics, random string sorting, and single-thread.

The i3-14100T has no benchmark wins to claim. Its closest relative performance comes in PassMark single-thread, where the -28.3% delta is the smallest gap in the dataset. This indicates the i3 is not entirely outclassed in single-threaded responsiveness, but it still loses that test.

For practical use, the Ultra 9 is the clear choice for CPU-heavy rendering, scientific computing, encryption, compression, and any parallel workload. The i3 could be acceptable for basic desktop tasks where the single-thread score is the main factor, but even that advantage is theoretical since the Ultra 9 wins single-thread too.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 9 285 boosts to 5.60 GHz, while the Intel Core i3-14100T boosts to 4.40 GHz.

Q: How do their Cinebench R23 multicore scores compare?

A: The Ultra 9 scores 48,945, and the i3 scores 11,612, a -76.3% delta favoring the Ultra 9.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the i3-14100T and the Ultra 9 285 list ECC memory support as true.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The Ultra 9 averages 75,488 points, and the i3 averages 17,648 points, a difference of 57,840 points.

Q: Which CPU has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Ultra 9 has 36 MB of shared L3 cache, while the i3 has 12 MB of shared L3 cache.

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

A: The Ultra 9 has 24 cores and 24 threads, while the i3 has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from completely different Intel design families. The i3-14100T uses Raptor Lake architecture, specifically the Raptor Lake-R refresh, built on Intel's 10 nm process with a die size of 163 mm². The Ultra 9 285 uses Arrow Lake architecture, specifically Arrow Lake-S, built on TSMC's 3 nm process with a die size of 243 mm² and 17,800 million transistors.

Core count is the most obvious architectural split. The i3 is a 4-core, 8-thread part with no hyperthreading distinction in the data; it has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Ultra 9 is a 24-core, 24-thread part, meaning it does not rely on simultaneous multithreading to reach its thread count. Cache hierarchies differ accordingly: the i3 has 80 KB L1 per core, 1.25 MB L2 per core, and 12 MB shared L3. The Ultra 9 has 192 KB L1 per core, 3 MB L2 per core, and 36 MB shared L3.

Memory support is another major architectural divergence. The i3 supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the Ultra 9 supports DDR5 only. The Ultra 9 also lists a memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s, a figure not recorded for the i3. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The i3 offers Gen 5 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Ultra 9 offers Gen 5 with 20 lanes (CPU only). Integrated graphics are also different: the i3 uses UHD Graphics 730, while the Ultra 9 uses Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU.

Sockets and platforms are not interchangeable. The i3 uses Intel Socket 1700, and the Ultra 9 uses Intel Socket 1851. Release dates are separated by nearly a year: the i3 launched on 2024-01-07, and the Ultra 9 launched on 2024-12-31.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-14100T | Intel Core Ultra 9 285 |

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

| Series | Core 14th Gen | Core Ultra Series 2 |

| Cores | 4 | 24 |

| Threads | 8 | 24 |

| Base clock | 2.70 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost clock | 4.40 GHz | 5.60 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1700 | Intel Socket 1851 |

| Architecture | Raptor Lake | Arrow Lake |

| Process node | 10 nm | 3 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die size | 163 mm² | 243 mm² |

| L1 cache | 80 KB (per core) | 192 KB (per core) |

| L2 cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | 3 MB (per core) |

| L3 cache | 12 MB (shared) | 36 MB (shared) |

| Memory support | DDR4, DDR5 | DDR5 |

| Memory bandwidth | Not recorded | 102.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 5, 16 lanes | Gen 5, 20 lanes |

| Integrated graphics | UHD Graphics 730 | Arc Xe-LPG Graphics 64EU |

| Launch MSRP | $134 | $579 |

| Release date | 2024-01-07 | 2024-12-31 |

| Part number | SRMX0 | SRQD4 |