Intel Core i3-8145U vs Intel Core i7-2715QE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data tells a remarkably consistent story: the Intel Core i3-8145U wins every single head-to-head comparison against the Intel Core i7-2715QE, despite the i7’s older quad-core design. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-8145U scores 322 versus 275 for the i7-2715QE, a 14.6% advantage. That gap persists across every workload tested. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the i3-8145U posts 1342 against the i7’s 1149, a 14.4% margin. The single-core results show an almost identical pattern: the i3-8145U reaches 189 in Cinebench R20 single-core versus 162, and 451 versus 386 in Cinebench R23 single-core, both representing 14.3% and 14.4% leads respectively.

What is striking is the uniformity of the deltas. Whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded, the i3-8145U maintains roughly a 14% performance edge. This suggests the i3’s architectural advantages are not workload-specific but rather fundamental to its design. The i7-2715QE, despite having twice the cores and four additional threads, cannot overcome the generational gap. Even in the most parallel workload tested — Cinebench R23 multi-core — the i3-8145U’s 3196 score beats the i7’s 2737, meaning the newer dual-core with Hyper-Threading outpaces the older quad-core with eight threads.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this parity-breaking result. The i7-2715QE averages 942 across all benchmarks, while the i3-8145U averages 941 — a negligible 0.1% difference in average terms. Yet the head-to-head deltas show a consistent 14%+ advantage for the i3. This discrepancy is explained by the fact that the average includes benchmarks not shared between the two, but the direct comparisons are unambiguous. The i3-8145U wins all five head-to-head tests, and the i7-2715QE wins none.

Where Each One Wins

The i3-8145U wins everywhere in this comparison. There is no benchmark category in the data where the i7-2715QE takes the lead. The i3’s wins span both single-core and multi-core tests, indicating that its advantage is not a matter of thread optimization but raw per-core efficiency and IPC gains from its Whiskey Lake architecture.

For users prioritizing single-threaded responsiveness — typical of everyday application launching, web browsing, and lightly threaded productivity tasks — the i3-8145U’s 14.3% lead in Cinebench R20 single-core and 14.4% lead in R23 single-core is decisive. The i7-2715QE’s higher core count does not compensate for its older Sandy Bridge microarchitecture’s lower instructions-per-clock.

In multi-threaded workloads such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or compilation, one might expect the i7’s 8 threads to help. The data says otherwise. The i3-8145U leads by 14.6% in R15 multi-core, 14.4% in R20 multi-core, and 14.4% in R23 multi-core. The i7’s two extra physical cores (four extra threads) are simply not enough to overcome the i3’s superior per-thread performance. It is notably the i3-8145U’s boost clock reaches 3.90 GHz versus the i7’s 3.00 GHz, though the base clocks are identical at 2.10 GHz.

The only area where the i7-2715QE might be considered competitive is in the average benchmark score comparison, where it edges the i3 by a single point (942 vs 941). However, this is a statistical artifact of different benchmark sets rather than a real performance advantage. When directly compared on identical tests, the i3 wins every time.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from vastly different eras of Intel’s mobile lineup. The i7-2715QE is built on the Sandy Bridge architecture using a 32 nm process node, while the i3-8145U uses the Whiskey Lake architecture on a 10 nm node. This process shrink is a major contributor to the i3’s efficiency and performance per watt.

Core configurations differ dramatically. The i7-2715QE offers 4 cores and 8 threads, while the i3-8145U provides only 2 cores and 4 threads. Despite this, the i3 wins all benchmarks, highlighting how far IPC (instructions per clock) advanced between Sandy Bridge and Whiskey Lake. The i7’s transistor count is listed at 1,160 million with a die size of 216 mm²; the i3’s transistor count and die size are not listed in the data, but the 10 nm process implies a denser, more efficient design.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both share the same L1 (64 KB per core) and L2 (256 KB per core) configurations, but the i7-2715QE has 6 MB of shared L3 cache while the i3-8145U has 4 MB. The i7’s larger L3 cache cannot compensate for its architectural age in the benchmarks.

Memory support marks a significant split. The i3-8145U supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a listed bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i7-2715QE’s memory support is not specified in the data, though its dual-channel memory bus is confirmed. The i3 also features PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, while the i7’s PCIe configuration is not listed.

Integrated graphics differ as well: the i7-2715QE pairs with Intel HD 3000, while the i3-8145U includes UHD Graphics 620. Both target the mobile market segment and are end-of-life products. The i7’s TDP is 45 watts versus the i3’s 15 watts, a threefold difference that speaks to the i3’s efficiency advantages. The i7 uses the older Intel BGA 1023 socket, while the i3 uses Intel BGA 1528.

Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The i7 was released in January 2011, while the i3 arrived in October 2018 — a gap of roughly seven years that explains the architectural chasm.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-8145U is the superior processor in every measured benchmark. Users requiring the highest multi-core throughput will still choose the i3, since it beats the i7 by 14.4% in Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having half the physical cores. The i3’s 14%+ advantages across all five head-to-head tests make it the clear choice for any workload represented in the data.

The i7-2715QE’s only statistical claim is its average benchmark score of 942, which edges the i3’s 941 by a single point. However, this is not a meaningful performance metric for real-world comparison, as the direct head-to-head results favor the i3 in every case. The i7’s higher core count and larger L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB) are outweighed by the i3’s architectural efficiency and higher boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.00 GHz).

For a buyer choosing between these two end-of-life mobile processors, the i3-8145U offers better performance, dramatically lower power consumption (15 W vs 45 W), newer memory support (DDR4), and a more modern integrated GPU (UHD Graphics 620 vs HD 3000). The i7-2715QE’s only advantages are its additional cores and threads, which do not translate into benchmark wins.

The i3-8145U’s launch MSRP is $281. The i7-2715QE has no listed launch MSRP in the data.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i3-8145U wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons, including Cinebench R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core. The i7-2715QE wins zero.

Q: How much faster is the i3-8145U in multi-core workloads?

A: The i3-8145U beats the i7-2715QE by 14.6% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (322 vs 275), 14.4% in R20 multi-core (1342 vs 1149), and 14.4% in R23 multi-core (3196 vs 2737).

Q: Does the i7-2715QE’s higher core count help it win any tests?

A: No. Despite having 4 cores and 8 threads versus the i3’s 2 cores and 4 threads, the i7-2715QE loses every benchmark. The i3’s per-core performance advantage exceeds the i7’s core count advantage.

Q: What are the single-core performance differences?

A: The i3-8145U leads by 14.3% in Cinebench R20 single-core (189 vs 162) and 14.4% in Cinebench R23 single-core (451 vs 386).

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-2715QE averages 942 across all benchmarks, while the i3-8145U averages 941. This 0.1% difference is negligible and contradicts the consistent 14%+ head-to-head advantage held by the i3.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The i7-2715QE has a TDP of 45 watts, while the i3-8145U has a TDP of 15 watts — a threefold difference in favor of the i3.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-2715QE | Intel Core i3-8145U |

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

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1023 | Intel BGA 1528 |

| Architecture | Sandy Bridge | Whiskey Lake |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 10 nm |

| Transistors | 1,160 million | Not listed |

| Die Size | 216 mm² | Not listed |

| L3 Cache | 6 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | Not listed | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Not listed | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 3000 | UHD Graphics 620 |

| Launch MSRP | Not listed | $281 |

| Part Number | SR076 | SRFFZSRD1WSRD1V |

| Release Date | 2011-01-02 | 2018-09-30 |