Intel Core i3-8100 vs Intel Core i5-10210U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-10210U and Intel Core i3-8100 are both end-of-life 14 nm parts, but they target entirely different platforms: the former is a 25 W mobile chip on Intel BGA 1440, while the latter is a 65 W desktop chip on Intel Socket 1151. Despite the i3-8100’s higher 3.60 GHz base clock and lack of a boost clock, the i5-10210U wins 10 of the 19 head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with decisive victories in Cinebench and integer math. The i3-8100 counters with wins in Geekbench multi-core, PassMark single-thread, and several specialized workloads. The data suggests the i5-10210U is the better all-round performer for threaded workloads, while the i3-8100 holds advantages in legacy single-thread and certain instruction-heavy tasks. Neither chip dominates outright; the choice depends on whether the workload favors the i5’s Hyper-Threading or the i3’s higher sustained clock speeds.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data, the Intel Core i5-10210U is the stronger pick for users prioritizing multi-threaded rendering and encryption, as it leads the i3-8100 by 36.1% in Cinebench R15 multi-core and by 40.4% in PassMark integer math. The i3-8100, however, is not obsolete: it wins Geekbench multi-core by 11.7% and PassMark extended instructions by 26.9%, making it preferable for workloads that scale with raw clock speed rather than thread count. For general desktop use, the i3-8100’s PassMark single-thread score of 2203 beats the i5-10210U’s 2131, a 3.3% edge that translates to snappier legacy applications. The i5-10210U’s 10 wins versus 9 for the i3-8100 is nearly a tie, but the margin of victory in Cinebench (around 36% across all versions) is far larger than the i3’s typical 1-3% wins. Therefore, the verdict is: pick the i5-10210U for heavy multi-core compute, pick the i3-8100 for single-thread responsiveness and instruction-heavy tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-10210U wins decisively in all Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23), with deltas ranging from 35.8% to 36.1% in both single-core and multi-core variants. It also takes PassMark integer math (40.4% ahead), data encryption (12.2% ahead), random string sorting (5.7% ahead), and multithread (0.3% ahead). The i3-8100 wins PassMark extended instructions (26.9% ahead), find prime numbers (33.3% ahead), physics (11.3% ahead), Geekbench multi-core (11.7% ahead), and floating point math (0.8% ahead). The single-core Geekbench race is a virtual tie, with the i3-8100 ahead by just 0.1%. The i5-10210U’s wins are concentrated in integer-heavy and encryption workloads, while the i3-8100 dominates floating point, extended instructions, and prime number finding. The i3-8100 also wins PassMark single-thread by 3.3%, indicating its higher base clock benefits single-threaded legacy code.

Architecture Differences

Both processors use Intel’s 14 nm process node, but they belong to different generations and microarchitectures. The i5-10210U is Comet Lake-U, a 10th-generation mobile design, while the i3-8100 is Coffee Lake, an 8th-generation desktop design. The i5-10210U has 4 cores and 8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading, whereas the i3-8100 has 4 cores and 4 threads with no Hyper-Threading. Both share identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. The i5-10210U has a 1600 MHz base clock and 4.20 GHz boost clock, while the i3-8100 has a 3600 MHz base clock and no boost clock. The i5-10210U draws 25 W TDP, the i3-8100 draws 65 W. The i5-10210U supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory, while the i3-8100 supports only DDR4. The i3-8100 has a dual-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-10210U’s memory bus and bandwidth are not specified. The i3-8100 supports ECC memory; the i5-10210U does not. The i3-8100 exposes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-10210U’s PCIe configuration is unspecified. The i5-10210U has UHD Graphics, while the i3-8100 has UHD Graphics 630. The i3-8100 has a die size of 126 mm²; the i5-10210U’s die size is not listed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i5-10210U scores 5122 versus 3769 for the i3-8100, a 35.9% advantage.

Q: Does the i3-8100 have Hyper-Threading?

A: No, the i3-8100 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the i5-10210U has 4 cores and 8 threads.

Q: Which CPU wins Geekbench multi-core?

A: The Intel Core i3-8100 wins with a score of 3458 versus 3054 for the i5-10210U, an 11.7% delta.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i5-10210U has a 25 W TDP, while the i3-8100 has a 65 W TDP.

Q: Which processor has ECC memory support?

A: The Intel Core i3-8100 supports ECC memory; the i5-10210U does not.

Q: How close is the PassMark single-thread score?

A: The i3-8100 leads 2203 to 2131, a 3.3% margin.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided results come from the Cinebench suite, where the i5-10210U wins every test by roughly 36%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i5 scores 516 against the i3’s 379 (36.1% delta). The single-core R15 test shows 72 versus 53 (35.8%). Moving to R20, the i5 leads 2151 to 1582 (36%), and in R23 it leads 5122 to 3769 (35.9%). The i5-10210U also dominates PassMark integer math, scoring 22732 versus 16191, a 40.4% advantage. In data encryption, the i5 wins 2051 to 1828 (12.2%). The i3-8100’s largest win is in PassMark extended instructions, 7212 versus 5269 (26.9%). It also wins find prime numbers by 33.3% (27 vs 18) and physics by 11.3% (462 vs 410). Geekbench multi-core goes to the i3, 3458 to 3054 (11.7%), while single-core is nearly identical at 1214 vs 1213 (0.1%). The i3 wins PassMark floating point math narrowly, 13774 to 13657 (0.8%), and PassMark single-thread by 3.3% (2203 vs 2131). The i5 wins random string sorting by 5.7% (10730 vs 10150) and multithread by a razor-thin 0.3% (6104 vs 6086). Data compression goes to the i3, 82992 vs 80157 (3.4%). Overall, the i5’s wins are larger in magnitude, while the i3’s wins are more numerous in specialized tasks.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specifications. The i5-10210U has 8 threads versus 4 for the i3-8100. Base clocks differ significantly: 1600 MHz for the i5 versus 3600 MHz for the i3. The i5 has a 4.20 GHz boost clock; the i3 has no boost clock listed. TDP is 25 W for the i5 and 65 W for the i3. The i5 uses Intel BGA 1440 socket, while the i3 uses Intel Socket 1151. The i5 is Comet Lake-U (10th Gen), the i3 is Coffee Lake (8th Gen). The i5 supports DDR3 and DDR4 memory; the i3 supports DDR4 only. The i3 has a dual-channel memory bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth; the i5’s memory bus and bandwidth are not specified. The i3 supports ECC memory; the i5 does not. The i3 has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only); the i5’s PCIe is unspecified. The i5 has UHD Graphics; the i3 has UHD Graphics 630. The i3 has a die size of 126 mm²; the i5’s die size is not listed. The i3 has a launch MSRP of $117; the i5 has no launch MSRP. Both are end-of-life production status.