Intel Core i3-8145UE vs Intel Core i5-2550K Comparison

Intel Core i3-8145UE vs Intel Core i5-2550K: the data shows a clear, consistent winner across every recorded benchmark. The older desktop chip, the i5-2550K, leads in all five head-to-head tests, while the newer mobile i3-8145UE trails by roughly 7 to 8 percent in each. That consistency matters: it means the performance gap is not a fluke of one workload, but a steady advantage for the Sandy Bridge part in the measured Cinebench suite.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest measured difference appears in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the i5-2550K scores 365 against the i3-8145UE's 337. That is a 7.7 percent deficit for the i3. Similarly, in Cinebench R20 multicore, the i5-2550K posts 1523 versus 1408, a 7.6 percent gap. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R23 multicore, with the i5-2550K at 3628 and the i3-8145UE at 3354, again a 7.6 percent difference.

Single-core results tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i5-2550K scores 215, while the i3-8145UE manages 198, a 7.9 percent lead for the older chip. Cinebench R23 single-core sees the i5-2550K at 512 versus 473 for the i3, a 7.6 percent advantage. Notably, the i3-8145UE has no recorded single-core score for Cinebench R15, while the i5-2550K shows a score of 51 in that test, but the head-to-head table only includes the five tests where both were measured.

The i5-2550K wins all five head-to-head benchmarks. It does not lose a single test. The closest margin is the 7.6 percent in the R20 and R23 multicore runs, and the widest is the 7.9 percent in R20 single-core. The i3-8145UE's average benchmark score is 1154, placing it in the 33rd percentile among all CPUs, while the i5-2550K's average is 1136, in the 32nd percentile. That puts them nearly level in overall standing, but the direct comparison favors the i5-2550K in every measured workload.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and different design philosophies. The i3-8145UE is a Whiskey Lake part, built on Intel's 10 nm process, with two cores and four threads. It is a mobile chip, soldered to an Intel BGA 1528 socket, with a base clock of 2.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. Its thermal design power is 15 watts, reflecting its low-power laptop target.

The i5-2550K is a Sandy Bridge desktop processor, fabricated on a 32 nm process. It has four cores and four threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Its thermal design power is 95 watts, nearly six times that of the i3-8145UE. It uses the Intel Socket 1155, and it is marked as end-of-life, while the i3-8145UE is still active in production.

Cache sizes differ as well. The i3-8145UE has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3. The i5-2550K has the same L1 and L2 structure per core, but its L3 is 6 MB shared, which is 50 percent larger. The i5-2550K also carries a transistor count of 1,160 million on a 216 mm² die, while the i3-8145UE has no recorded transistor or die size data.

Memory support diverges sharply. The i3-8145UE uses DDR4 with dual-channel access and a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i5-2550K uses DDR3, also dual-channel, but with a lower bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The i3-8145UE supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-2550K is limited to PCIe Gen 2 with the same lane count.

Integrated graphics also separate the two. The i3-8145UE includes UHD Graphics 620, while the i5-2550K has no integrated graphics at all. The i3-8145UE is unlocked in its multiplier? No, it is not. The i5-2550K, however, has an unlocked multiplier, which allows manual overclocking. The i3-8145UE is a locked part.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The i3-8145UE has a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, which is higher than the i5-2550K's boost clock of 3.80 GHz.

Q: Does the i5-2550K support ECC memory?

A: No. Neither the i5-2550K nor the i3-8145UE supports ECC memory, according to the recorded data.

Q: Why does the i5-2550K win in multicore tests despite being older?

A: The i5-2550K has four physical cores, while the i3-8145UE has only two cores with four threads via Hyper-Threading. In the measured Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests, the i5-2550K leads by 7.6 to 7.7 percent, which aligns with its additional physical cores.

Q: What is the thermal design power of each chip?

A: The i3-8145UE is rated at 15 watts, and the i5-2550K is rated at 95 watts. That is a substantial difference in power draw and cooling requirements.

Q: Is the i3-8145UE's memory bandwidth higher?

A: Yes. The i3-8145UE supports DDR4 with a memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i5-2550K supports DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s.

Q: Can the i5-2550K be overclocked?

A: Yes. The i5-2550K has an unlocked multiplier, which enables overclocking. The i3-8145UE does not have an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. Core count: the i3-8145UE has 2 cores, the i5-2550K has 4 cores. Thread count: the i3-8145UE has 4 threads, the i5-2550K also has 4 threads. Base clock: 2.20 GHz versus 3.40 GHz. Boost clock: 3.90 GHz versus 3.80 GHz. TDP: 15 watts versus 95 watts.

Socket: Intel BGA 1528 versus Intel Socket 1155. Architecture: Whiskey Lake versus Sandy Bridge. Process node: 10 nm versus 32 nm. The i5-2550K has a transistor count of 1,160 million and a die size of 216 mm², while the i3-8145UE has no recorded figures for either.

L3 cache: 4 MB shared on the i3-8145UE, 6 MB shared on the i5-2550K. Memory support: DDR4 versus DDR3. Memory bandwidth: 38.4 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s. PCIe generation: Gen 3 versus Gen 2, both with 16 lanes.

Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 620 on the i3-8145UE, none on the i5-2550K. Market segment: mobile versus desktop. Production status: active versus end-of-life. Release date: 2018-09-30 versus 2012-01-29. The i5-2550K has an unlocked multiplier, the i3-8145UE does not. The i5-2550K has a launch MSRP of $235, which is recorded once here.

Where Each One Wins

The i5-2550K wins every head-to-head benchmark in the database. It is faster in Cinebench R15 multicore, Cinebench R20 multicore, Cinebench R20 single-core, Cinebench R23 multicore, and Cinebench R23 single-core. The margins range from 7.6 percent to 7.9 percent. If the workload is CPU-bound rendering or single-threaded performance as measured by Cinebench, the i5-2550K is the clear choice.

The i3-8145UE does not win any recorded benchmark against the i5-2550K. However, it has advantages outside raw Cinebench scores. It has a much lower TDP at 15 watts, which makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops with limited cooling. It supports DDR4 memory with higher bandwidth at 38.4 GB/s, and it includes integrated UHD Graphics 620, which the i5-2550K lacks entirely. It is also a newer part, released in 2018, and remains in active production.

For a desktop user with a discrete GPU, the i5-2550K's lack of integrated graphics is irrelevant, and its higher power draw is manageable with a proper cooler. For a mobile user or a system without a discrete GPU, the i3-8145UE's integrated graphics and lower power envelope are practical strengths, even if its Cinebench scores are lower.

The Verdict

The data directs a straightforward choice. If the priority is raw CPU performance in the measured Cinebench tests, the Intel Core i5-2550K is the winner. It beats the i3-8145UE in all five head-to-head benchmarks, with a consistent 7.6 to 7.9 percent lead. Its four physical cores and higher base clock deliver that advantage, and its unlocked multiplier offers headroom for overclocking, assuming the platform supports it.

The i3-8145UE is not a competitive performer against the i5-2550K in these tests, but it serves a different purpose. Its 15 watt TDP, DDR4 support, and integrated graphics make it a viable choice for a low-power laptop or a compact system where the i5-2550K's 95 watt draw and lack of iGPU would be disqualifying. The i3-8145UE also holds a 33rd percentile ranking versus the i5-2550K's 32nd, which suggests that in the broader database, they are statistically near peers, but the direct comparison favors the i5-2550K.

In short, pick the i5-2550K for performance, pick the i3-8145UE for mobility and integrated graphics. There is no middle ground in the recorded results. The i5-2550K wins every test, and the i3-8145UE wins no test. The verdict is that simple.