Intel Core i3-8145UE vs Intel Core i3-N300 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data reveals a genuinely split personality between these two mobile processors. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Intel Core i3-8145UE posts a score of 3354 against the Intel Core i3-N300's 2546, a commanding 31.7% advantage. This is the single largest victory for the older Whiskey Lake part, and it flips the expected narrative that more cores always win. The 8145UE's two cores with four threads clearly scale better in this particular workload, likely due to higher sustained clock behavior under the test's duration.

However, the Intel Core i3-N300 dominates nearly everywhere else. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the N300 scores 2849 versus the 8145UE's 1408, a massive 50.6% lead. The same 50.6% margin appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the N300 hits 401 while the 8145UE manages only 198. That is a stark gap: the N300 more than doubles the older chip's single-threaded R20 output, which is remarkable given that the N300's boost clock is listed at 3.70 GHz compared to the 8145UE's 3.90 GHz. Raw clock speed does not tell the whole story here; architecture efficiency matters more.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the N300 again takes the win with 416 points against 337, a 19% margin. The only other N300 victory comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it scores 513 versus 473, a 7.8% edge. That is a narrower gap than the R20 single-core result, suggesting workload-specific scaling differences between the two Cinebench versions.

The overall win tally stands at one win for the 8145UE and four wins for the N300. But the magnitude of those wins matters more than the count. The N300's victories are often overwhelming, particularly in R20, while the 8145UE's single triumph in R23 multi-core is substantial but isolated. Average benchmark scores place the 8145UE at 1154 and the N300 at 1135, a mere 1.7% difference, which shows how much the R23 multi-core outlier props up the older chip's aggregate standing. The percentile rankings reflect this near-parity: the 8145UE sits at the 33rd percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the N300 sits just below at the 32nd percentile.

Looking at nearest rivals helps contextualize these scores. The 8145UE's average of 1154 places it essentially tied with the AMD Opteron 4334 (1155, a 0.1% difference) and the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2312 (1156, 0.2% behind). It edges out the Intel Core i5-4430 by 0.4% and the Intel Core i7-3612QE by 0.6%. The N300's average of 1135 puts it 0.1% behind both the Intel Core i5-3570T and the Intel Core i5-2550K, and 0.3% behind the AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE. Both chips are firmly mid-pack performers, not outliers in either direction.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i3-N300 wins four of the five head-to-head tests, including Cinebench R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, and R23 single-core. The Intel Core i3-8145UE wins only Cinebench R23 multi-core.

Q: How big is the N300's advantage in Cinebench R20?

A: The N300 leads by 50.6% in both R20 multi-core (2849 vs 1408) and R20 single-core (401 vs 198). This is the largest margin recorded between the two chips in any test.

Q: Where does the 8145UE actually beat the N300?

A: The 8145UE wins Cinebench R23 multi-core with 3354 points against the N300's 2546, a 31.7% advantage. This is the only test where the older chip comes out ahead.

Q: How do their overall average scores compare?

A: The 8145UE has an average benchmark score of 1154, while the N300 scores 1135. That is a difference of roughly 1.7%, making them statistically near-identical in aggregate performance.

Q: What are their percentile rankings in the database?

A: The 8145UE sits at the 33rd percentile of all CPUs, and the N300 sits at the 32nd percentile. Both are essentially mid-pack performers with no significant separation.

Q: Which chip has the higher single-core R23 score?

A: The N300 leads with 513 against the 8145UE's 473, a 7.8% margin. This is the closest single-core result between the two.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies despite sharing the same 10 nm process node and Intel as the foundry. The Intel Core i3-8145UE is built on Whiskey Lake, a Whiskey Lake-U codename architecture, and belongs to the Core i3 (Whiskey Lake) generation. It offers 2 cores and 4 threads, reflecting a classic high-clock, low-core-count mobile design. The Intel Core i3-N300, by contrast, uses the Gracemont architecture with the Gracemont codename, part of the Core i3 (Alder Lake-N) generation. It packs 8 cores and 8 threads, a much wider configuration aimed at throughput rather than raw single-thread speed.

Cache hierarchies differ substantially. The 8145UE provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, with 4 MB of shared L3. The N300 offers 96 KB of L1 per core and 2 MB of L2 per module, with 6 MB of shared L3. The N300's larger L3 pool is notable, but the per-core L1 advantage suggests a different approach to feeding those eight cores.

Memory support also diverges. The 8145UE supports only DDR4 with a dual-channel memory bus, while the N300 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 but only on a single-channel bus. Interestingly, both chips report the same 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth, which indicates that the N300's single-channel configuration is compensated by faster memory technology or controller efficiency. Neither chip supports ECC memory.

PCIe connectivity differs as well. The 8145UE provides Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the N300 provides Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only). The 8145UE's wider PCIe allocation makes it more suitable for configurations needing additional expansion, while the N300's narrower link reflects its lower-power, more integrated design philosophy.

Integrated graphics separate the two further. The 8145UE carries UHD Graphics 620, while the N300 features UHD Graphics 770, a newer and more capable iGPU. The N300's higher-end graphics solution aligns with its newer architecture and likely better media engine support.

Thermal design power tells a clear story: the 8145UE is rated at 15 W TDP, while the N300 sips just 7 W. That is a 53% reduction in power envelope for the N300, which makes the N300's benchmark wins in R20 and R23 single-core all the more impressive. The 8145UE's higher TDP budget presumably allows its two cores to boost aggressively, which helps explain its R23 multi-core win despite having only a quarter of the N300's core count.

Base clock figures are unusual in the database. The 8145UE lists a 2.20 GHz base clock and 3.90 GHz boost. The N300 lists a base clock of 100.00, which appears to be a data artifact, and a 3.70 GHz boost. The boost clocks are close, but the 8145UE edges ahead by 200 MHz. Socket types differ: the 8145UE uses Intel BGA 1528, while the N300 uses Intel BGA 1264. Both are mobile segments with active production status. The 8145UE launched on September 30, 2018, while the N300 arrived much later on January 2, 2023.

Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier. The 8145UE carries part number SRFDT, and the N300 carries SRMDS. The N300 has a launch MSRP of $309, while the 8145UE has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but nuanced recommendation. For workloads that favor Cinebench R23 multi-core scaling, the Intel Core i3-8145UE is the stronger choice, delivering 31.7% more performance than the N300 in that specific test. This makes it suitable for applications with similar scaling characteristics, where its two high-clock cores with hyper-threading can sustain performance over longer render or compute tasks.

For virtually everything else, the Intel Core i3-N300 is the superior processor. It wins Cinebench R15 multi-core by 19%, R20 multi-core by 50.6%, R20 single-core by 50.6%, and R23 single-core by 7.8%. Its 8-core, 8-thread configuration provides substantially better throughput in modern multi-threaded workloads, and its single-core advantage in most tests shows that Gracemont's efficiency cores are not just power-savers but legitimate performers.

The N300 also does all of this at half the TDP: 7 W versus 15 W. That efficiency advantage, combined with support for DDR5 memory and the newer UHD Graphics 770 iGPU, makes it the more future-proof option for compact mobile systems. The 8145UE's only clear advantages are its dual-channel memory bus, wider 16-lane PCIe Gen 3 link, and that one R23 multi-core win. The dual-channel memory and extra PCIe lanes could matter for specific embedded or industrial applications, but for general mobile computing, the N300's benchmark dominance and power efficiency are decisive.

The near-identical average benchmark scores (1154 vs 1135) and percentile rankings (33rd vs 32nd) suggest that neither chip will embarrass the other in mixed workloads. But the distribution of wins heavily favors the N300. Buyers should choose the 8145UE only if their primary application resembles Cinebench R23 multi-core scaling and they need the wider I/O options. Everyone else should pick the N300, which wins more tests, wins by larger margins, and does so while consuming less power.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-8145UE | Intel Core i3-N300 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 8 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2.20 GHz | 100.00 |

| Boost Clock | 3.90 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| TDP | 15 W | 7 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1528 | Intel BGA 1264 |

| Architecture | Whiskey Lake | Gracemont |

| Codename | Whiskey Lake-U | Gracemont |

| Generation | Core i3 (Whiskey Lake) | Core i3 (Alder Lake-N) |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 96 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 2 MB (per module) |

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

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR4, DDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Single-channel |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 9 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 620 | UHD Graphics 770 |

| Release Date | 2018-09-30 | 2023-01-02 |

| Part Number | SRFDT | SRMDS |

| Launch MSRP | N/A | $309 |

The two chips share the same 10 nm process node, Intel foundry, non-ECC memory support, and locked multipliers. The N300's single-channel memory bus is counterbalanced by its DDR5 support, resulting in identical 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth figures. The 8145UE offers more PCIe lanes and a dual-channel bus, while the N300 offers more cores, more cache, a newer iGPU, and a significantly lower TDP.