Intel Core i3-8145U vs Intel Core i7-5500U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly between these two mobile processors. The Intel Core i3-8145U wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, taking all five comparisons. The Intel Core i7-5500U does not win a single recorded test.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-8145U scores 322 against the i7-5500U's 240, a 25.5% advantage. The gap remains consistent across every Cinebench iteration. In R20 multi-core, the i3-8145U posts 1342 versus 1000, again 25.5% ahead. The single-core tests tell the same story: R20 single-core shows 189 against 141, a 25.4% edge, while R23 single-core shows 451 versus 336, a 25.5% margin.

The i7-5500U does have one recorded benchmark that the i3-8145U lacks in the database: a Geekbench multi-core score of 1689 and a Geekbench single-core score of 881. Since the i3-8145U has no Geekbench entry in our measurements, no direct comparison can be made there. However, the average benchmark score across all recorded tests places the i7-5500U at 953 and the i3-8145U at 941, meaning the older chip holds a slight edge in overall average despite losing every shared test.

Both processors sit at the 25th percentile among all CPUs in the database, indicating they occupy similar performance tiers overall. The i7-5500U's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon W3570 at 955 and the Intel Celeron N5105 at 955, both within 0.2% of its average. The i3-8145U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-2715QE at 942 and the AMD Athlon X4 860K at 943, neither more than 0.4% away from its average.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different Intel generations and manufacturing nodes. The i7-5500U uses the Broadwell architecture, specifically Broadwell-U, built on a 14 nm process. The i3-8145U uses the Whiskey Lake architecture, specifically Whiskey Lake-U, also listed as a 10 nm process node.

The manufacturing differences extend to the reported transistor count and die size. The i7-5500U contains 1,300 million transistors on an 82 mm² die. The i3-8145U has no transistor count or die size recorded in the database, so those figures cannot be compared.

Memory support differs substantially. The i7-5500U supports DDR3 memory with dual-channel configuration and a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The i3-8145U supports DDR4 memory, also dual-channel, but with a higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. This represents a 50% bandwidth advantage for the newer chip.

PCIe capabilities also differ. The i7-5500U offers PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes from the CPU, while the i3-8145U offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The newer processor has both a newer PCIe generation and more available lanes.

The integrated graphics differ as well. The i7-5500U carries Intel HD 5500, while the i3-8145U carries UHD Graphics 620. Neither set of graphics benchmarks is recorded in the database, so only the naming difference can be noted.

Both processors share the same core and thread configuration: 2 cores and 4 threads. Cache hierarchies are identical: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

Release timing places these chips roughly three and a half years apart. The i7-5500U launched on 2015-02-28, while the i3-8145U launched on 2018-09-30. Both are marked as end-of-life production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i3-8145U boosts to 3.90 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-5500U boosts to 3.00 GHz. The i3-8145U has a 0.90 GHz higher boost frequency.

Q: Do both processors have the same core count?

A: Yes. Both the Intel Core i7-5500U and the Intel Core i3-8145U have 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor supports faster memory?

A: The Intel Core i3-8145U supports DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Intel Core i7-5500U supports DDR3 with a bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-5500U has an average benchmark score of 953, slightly above the Intel Core i3-8145U's 941. The difference is 12 points in favor of the i7-5500U.

Q: Which processor has a higher launch MSRP?

A: The Intel Core i7-5500U has a launch MSRP of $393, while the Intel Core i3-8145U has a launch MSRP of $281.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: No. Both are listed as end-of-life, meaning neither is currently in production.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specification fields. The base clock differs: the i7-5500U runs at 2.40 GHz, while the i3-8145U runs at 2.10 GHz. The boost clock reverses the order: the i7-5500U boosts to 3.00 GHz, while the i3-8145U boosts to 3.90 GHz.

The socket changes between generations. The i7-5500U uses Intel BGA 1168, while the i3-8145U uses Intel BGA 1528. These sockets are not interchangeable.

The process node differs: 14 nm for the i7-5500U versus 10 nm for the i3-8145U. The i7-5500U has a recorded transistor count of 1,300 million and a die size of 82 mm², while the i3-8145U has no recorded values for either.

Memory support differs by generation: DDR3 for the i7-5500U, DDR4 for the i3-8145U. Memory bandwidth follows: 25.6 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s. PCIe support differs: Gen 2 with 12 lanes for the i7-5500U, Gen 3 with 16 lanes for the i3-8145U.

The integrated graphics differ: Intel HD 5500 on the i7-5500U, UHD Graphics 620 on the i3-8145U. Release dates differ: 2015-02-28 for the i7-5500U, 2018-09-30 for the i3-8145U. The launch MSRP also differs, with the i7-5500U at $393 and the i3-8145U at $281. The part numbers are distinct: SR23W for the i7-5500U, SRFFZSRD1WSRD1V for the i3-8145U.

Identical specifications include cores (2), threads (4), TDP (15), L1 cache (64 KB per core), L2 cache (256 KB per core), L3 cache (4 MB shared), ECC support (false for both), market segment (Mobile for both), production status (End-of-life for both), and unlocked multiplier (false for both).

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results show a uniform pattern: the i3-8145U wins every shared benchmark by roughly a quarter. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i3-8145U scores 322 against the i7-5500U's 240, a delta of 25.5%. This is the oldest test in the set, and the margin is already substantial.

Cinebench R20 multi-core repeats the pattern exactly. The i3-8145U scores 1342, the i7-5500U scores 1000, and the delta is again 25.5%. The consistency of this margin across different Cinebench versions suggests a stable performance advantage rather than a workload-specific artifact.

Single-core results show nearly identical margins. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i3-8145U scores 189 against the i7-5500U's 141, a delta of 25.4%. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the scores are 451 and 336 respectively, a delta of 25.5%. The single-core advantage matches the multi-core advantage almost exactly.

Cinebench R23 multi-core rounds out the set with the i3-8145U scoring 3196 and the i7-5500U scoring 2381, a delta of 25.5%. Across all five shared benchmarks, the i3-8145U leads by a margin between 25.4% and 25.5%. The i7-5500U has no wins in the head-to-head set.

The Geekbench results exist only for the i7-5500U: 1689 multi-core and 881 single-core. These scores cannot be compared to the i3-8145U because no Geekbench data is recorded for it. The average benchmark scores, however, tell a slightly different story. The i7-5500U averages 953 across its recorded benchmarks, while the i3-8145U averages 941. The i7-5500U's Geekbench entries likely contribute to this higher average despite its losses in the shared Cinebench tests.

Nearest rival comparisons place both chips in similar company. The i7-5500U's rivals are within 0.3% of its average score. The i3-8145U's rivals are within 0.4%. Neither chip dramatically outperforms or underperforms its immediate peers.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion for most workloads. The Intel Core i3-8145U outperforms the Intel Core i7-5500U in every benchmark where both have recorded scores. The margin is consistent at roughly 25.5% across multi-core and single-core Cinebench tests. Users seeking maximum compute performance from these two options should choose the i3-8145U.

The i7-5500U retains one advantage in the recorded data: its average benchmark score of 953 exceeds the i3-8145U's 941. This is driven by its Geekbench results, which have no counterpart in the i3-8145U's records. A buyer comparing only average scores might favor the i7-5500U, but the head-to-head results show the i3-8145U winning every direct comparison.

The i3-8145U also brings newer platform features. It supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth versus the i7-5500U's DDR3 at 25.6 GB/s. It uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes versus PCIe Gen 2 with 12 lanes. It has a higher boost clock at 3.90 GHz versus 3.00 GHz. Its launch MSRP was lower at $281 versus $393.

The i7-5500U has a higher base clock at 2.40 GHz versus 2.10 GHz, and it is the only one of the two with a recorded transistor count and die size. It also has a lower launch MSRP relative to its rival in the original release context, though both are now end-of-life.

For users prioritizing raw processing speed, the choice is the i3-8145U. For users who rely on Geekbench-style workloads or care about the average benchmark score, the i7-5500U edges ahead in that metric. The i3-8145U's consistent 25.5% lead in shared tests, combined with newer memory and PCIe support, makes it the stronger overall processor in the recorded data.