CPU Comparison
Intel Core i3-8121U
Core i5-3330
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: Intel Core i3-8121U vs Intel Core i5-3330
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The benchmark data shows a consistent, narrow victory for the Intel Core i3-8121U across every Cinebench test where both processors were measured. The i3-8121U wins all five head-to-head comparisons, with the i5-3330 failing to take a single test. The margins are uniform, hovering just above 4% in each discipline. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-8121U scores 366 against the i5-3330's 351, a 4.3% advantage. That same 4.3% delta repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the newer chip posts 1527 versus 1464.
Single-core performance tells a similar story. The i3-8121U leads Cinebench R20 single-core by 4.4%, scoring 215 to the i5-3330's 206. Cinebench R23 single-core shows a 4.3% gap, with 513 points against 492. The multi-core results in Cinebench R23 follow the same pattern: 3637 for the i3-8121U, 3486 for the i5-3330, again a 4.3% difference. The consistency of these deltas suggests the advantage is structural rather than workload-specific; it is not a case of one benchmark favoring a particular feature set, but rather a systematic performance edge.
It is worth noting that the i3-8121U achieves this with only two physical cores and four threads, while the i5-3330 has four physical cores and four threads. The i3-8121U's higher per-core efficiency, enabled by its newer architecture and process node, compensates for its lower core count. The data indicates that the i3-8121U is not merely competitive; it is definitively faster in every measured scenario. The average benchmark scores for the two CPUs are close, 1209 for the i3-8121U and 1200 for the i5-3330, but the head-to-head tests show the i3-8121U's edge is real and reproducible across multiple rendering workloads.
FAQ
Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?
A: The Intel Core i3-8121U, with a score of 3637, beats the Intel Core i5-3330's 3486 by 4.3%. This is the largest absolute margin in the head-to-head set, though the percentage delta is identical to the other multi-core tests.
Q: How does the single-core performance of the i3-8121U compare to the i5-3330?
A: The i3-8121U wins both single-core tests. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 215 versus 206, a 4.4% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 513 versus 492, a 4.3% lead. The advantage is consistent across both generations of the Cinebench workload.
Q: Does the i5-3330 win any benchmark in the comparison?
A: No. The head-to-head data lists five tests, and the i5-3330 wins zero of them. The i3-8121U wins all five, with deltas ranging from 4.3% to 4.4%.
Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?
A: The i3-8121U has an average benchmark score of 1209, placing it in the 34th percentile of all CPUs. The i5-3330 has an average score of 1200, also in the 34th percentile. The two are nearly identical in aggregate, despite the i3-8121U's consistent head-to-head wins.
Q: How do the two processors compare to their nearest rivals?
A: The i3-8121U is exactly matched with the Intel Xeon D-1520 at an average score of 1209, and is 0.1% ahead of the Intel Xeon D-1527. It trails the Intel Xeon E5645 and Intel Core i3-7300T by 0.1% each. The i5-3330 is tied with the AMD Athlon PRO 200GE at 1200, trails the AMD Ryzen 3 2200G by 0.2%, and leads the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1605B by 0.4% and the AMD Opteron 3365 by 0.5%.
Q: Which processor has more physical cores?
A: The i5-3330 has four physical cores, while the i3-8121U has two. Despite this, the i3-8121U still wins all multi-core benchmarks, indicating that its architectural efficiency more than compensates for the core count disadvantage.
The Verdict
The data points to a clear winner: the Intel Core i3-8121U. It outperforms the Intel Core i5-3330 in every benchmark where both were tested, with margins between 4.3% and 4.4%. For a user choosing between these two specific processors, the i3-8121U is the stronger performer in rendering workloads, as measured by Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. The i5-3330 offers no performance advantage in any tested scenario.
However, the choice is not solely about raw speed. The i5-3330 has four physical cores, which may be relevant for workloads that scale with core count in ways not captured by these particular benchmarks. But within the data provided, the i3-8121U is faster across the board. The i5-3330's 77-watt TDP is significantly higher than the i3-8121U's 15 watts, which suggests the i3-8121U delivers its superior performance with far lower power consumption. The i3-8121U also supports DDR4 memory, while the i5-3330 is limited to DDR3.
The i5-3330 does include integrated graphics (Intel HD 2500), whereas the i3-8121U lists no integrated graphics in the data. This could be a deciding factor for a system without a discrete GPU. The i3-8121U is an end-of-life mobile part, while the i5-3330 is a desktop processor. For a desktop user with an existing Socket 1155 motherboard, the i5-3330 might be the practical choice. For anyone building new, the i3-8121U's performance and efficiency make it the superior option based on benchmarks alone.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in nearly every core specification. The i3-8121U has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i5-3330 has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clock speeds differ: the i3-8121U runs at 2.20 GHz, the i5-3330 at 3.00 GHz. Boost clocks are identical at 3.20 GHz. Thermal design power is a major differentiator: the i3-8121U is rated at 15 watts, the i5-3330 at 77 watts.
The sockets are incompatible. The i3-8121U uses Intel BGA 1440, a mobile socket, while the i5-3330 uses Intel Socket 1155 for desktops. Memory support also diverges: the i3-8121U uses DDR4 with dual-channel support and a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i5-3330 uses DDR3 with dual-channel support and no bandwidth figure listed. The i3-8121U has a die size of 70.52 mm², compared to the i5-3330's 133 mm².
Cache configurations are similar in per-core structure but differ in total capacity. Both have 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. The L3 cache is shared, with the i3-8121U offering 4 MB and the i5-3330 offering 6 MB. The i5-3330 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 2500); the i3-8121U has no integrated graphics listed. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The PCIe configuration is identical: Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The i3-8121U was released in May 2018 and is marked as end-of-life; the i5-3330 was released in September 2012 with no production status given. Part numbers are SRCVC for the i3-8121U and SR0RQ for the i5-3330.
Architecture Differences
The architectural gap between these two CPUs is substantial, reflecting a six-year difference in design philosophies. The i3-8121U is built on Cannon Lake, a 10 nm process. The i5-3330 uses Ivy Bridge, a 22 nm process. Both are manufactured by Intel, but the process node advantage gives the i3-8121U a significantly smaller die (70.52 mm² versus 133 mm²) and a much lower TDP (15 watts versus 77 watts).
The core architectures are fundamentally different. Cannon Lake is a newer microarchitecture designed for efficiency and per-core throughput. Ivy Bridge is an older design that relied on higher core counts and higher base clocks to deliver performance. The i5-3330's base clock of 3.00 GHz is higher than the i3-8121U's 2.20 GHz, but the i3-8121U's boost clock matches at 3.20 GHz. This suggests the i3-8121U has a wider boost range and better thermal headroom, allowing it to sustain higher clocks under load despite its lower base frequency.
The generation labels confirm the divide: the i3-8121U is listed under "Core i3 (Kaby Lake-U Refresh)" while the i5-3330 is "Core i5 (Ivy Bridge)." The i3-8121U's memory controller supports DDR4, a newer standard with higher bandwidth (38.4 GB/s), whereas the i5-3330 is tied to DDR3. The L3 cache difference (4 MB for the i3-8121U, 6 MB for the i5-3330) is notable, but the benchmark results show that the i3-8121U's architectural efficiency overcomes this deficit. The i5-3330 includes integrated graphics, a feature absent from the i3-8121U's specifications. The i3-8121U is a mobile part, evidenced by its BGA 1440 socket, while the i5-3330 is a desktop part on Socket 1155. These architectural differences explain why the i3-8121U, despite having half the physical cores, wins all benchmarks: it is a more modern design that extracts more work per clock and per watt.