Intel Core i3-8145UE vs Intel Core i7-2600S Comparison

The Intel Core i3-8145UE and Intel Core i7-2600S represent two very different eras of Intel’s lineup: a modern 15-watt mobile part against a 65-watt desktop chip from a decade prior. Benchmark data shows a clear overall winner in the i7-2600S, which takes all five head-to-head tests, but the i3-8145UE brings architectural advantages that matter in specific contexts. The average benchmark scores are nearly identical—1154 for the i3 versus 1146 for the i7—and both sit at roughly the same percentile (33rd and 32nd, respectively), yet their performance profiles diverge sharply in multi-threaded workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-2600S wins outright in every benchmark category recorded in the head-to-head comparison. Its advantage ranges from 14.7% to 15.0% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, in both single-core and multi-core tests. The largest single margin is a 15% lead in Cinebench R20 single-core (233 vs 198), while multi-core deltas hover around 14.7–14.9%. This makes the i7-2600S the clear choice for any workload that scales with raw compute throughput, whether that is rendering, video encoding, or heavy multitasking on a desktop platform.

The Intel Core i3-8145UE, despite losing every head-to-head test, is not without a niche. Its 15-watt TDP, compared to the i7-2600S’s 65 watts, means it is designed for thermally constrained mobile environments. The data does not include a direct power efficiency benchmark, but the specification difference alone suggests the i3-8145UE is the practical option for laptops, ultrabooks, or embedded systems where power draw and heat dissipation are primary constraints. Its Whiskey Lake architecture also brings newer integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 620 versus Intel HD 2000), which is a qualitative advantage for media playback and light GPU tasks, though no benchmark scores are provided for graphics.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are separated by more than a generation—they are built on fundamentally different nodes and designs. The i3-8145UE uses a 10 nm process, while the i7-2600S uses 32 nm. That process shrink allows the i3 to pack two cores and four threads into a 15-watt envelope, whereas the i7 uses four cores and eight threads at 65 watts. The i7-2600S compensates for its older node with double the physical cores and double the threads, which directly explains its multi-core benchmark wins.

Cache hierarchies also differ. Both have 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, but the i7-2600S has 8 MB of shared L3 cache versus 4 MB on the i3-8145UE. That extra cache helps the i7 in data-heavy workloads. The i3-8145UE features Whiskey Lake-U architecture with a base clock of 2.20 GHz and boost of 3.90 GHz, while the i7-2600S runs at 2.80 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. Notably, the i7 has a lower boost clock but a higher base clock, which is typical for a desktop part that can sustain higher frequencies under load.

Memory support is another clear split: the i3-8145UE uses DDR4 with dual-channel support and a rated bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the i7-2600S uses DDR3 with dual-channel support and no listed bandwidth figure. The i3 also has a newer PCIe implementation (Gen 3, 16 lanes) that matches the i7, but the i7’s platform is end-of-life, whereas the i3 is still in active production. The i3-8145UE is a mobile part on Intel BGA 1528, and the i7-2600S is a desktop part on Intel Socket 1155.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has better multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-2600S. It wins all multi-core tests: Cinebench R15 (396 vs 337), R20 (1651 vs 1408), and R23 (3933 vs 3354), with deltas of approximately 14.7–14.9%.

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-8145UE faster in any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the i7-2600S winning all five tests, with no wins recorded for the i3-8145UE (winsA: 0, winsB: 5).

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The i3-8145UE has a TDP of 15 watts, while the i7-2600S has a TDP of 65 watts. That is a four-fold difference, making the i3 far more suitable for mobile or low-power systems.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i3-8145UE has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7-2600S has 4 cores and 8 threads, giving it twice the physical cores and twice the logical threads.

Q: Do they support the same memory type?

A: No. The i3-8145UE supports DDR4, while the i7-2600S supports DDR3. Both use dual-channel memory buses, but the i3 has a listed bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, and the i7 has no listed bandwidth.

Q: Which processor is newer and still in production?

A: The i3-8145UE was released on 2018-09-30 and is marked as Active. The i7-2600S was released on 2011-01-08 and is marked as End-of-life.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every major specification category. The i3-8145UE has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the i7-2600S has 4 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 2.20 GHz versus 2.80 GHz, and boost clocks are 3.90 GHz versus 3.80 GHz. TDP is 15 watts versus 65 watts. The i3 uses a 10 nm process, the i7 uses 32 nm. L3 cache is 4 MB shared on the i3, 8 MB shared on the i7. Memory support is DDR4 for the i3, DDR3 for the i7. The i3 has a rated memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s; the i7 has no listed bandwidth. Sockets are Intel BGA 1528 for the i3 and Intel Socket 1155 for the i7. The i3 is a mobile part with UHD Graphics 620; the i7 is a desktop part with Intel HD 2000. Release dates are 2018-09-30 and 2011-01-08. The i3 is Active in production; the i7 is End-of-life. Transistor count and die size are listed only for the i7: 1,160 million transistors and 216 mm². Both have dual-channel memory buses, Gen 3 PCIe with 16 lanes, and no unlocked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test sets the tone: the i7-2600S scores 396 against the i3-8145UE’s 337, a 14.9% lead. That pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i7 posts 1651 versus 1408, a 14.7% margin. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i7 reaches 3933 while the i3 manages 3354, again 14.7% ahead. The consistency is striking—the i7 maintains nearly the same relative advantage across all three multi-core tests, regardless of workload length or scaling.

Single-core results tell a similar story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7 scores 233 against the i3’s 198, a 15% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the i7 scores 555 versus 473, a 14.8% difference. The i7 also has additional benchmarks not run on the i3: Geekbench multi-core at 1765 and single-core at 578. The i3 has no Geekbench data in the pack. The i7’s single-core lead is notable because the i3 has a higher boost clock (3.90 GHz versus 3.80 GHz), yet still loses by roughly 15%. This suggests the architectural efficiency of Whiskey Lake does not overcome the raw per-core capability of the older Sandy Bridge design in these tests.

The average benchmark scores reinforce the near-parity in overall positioning: the i3-8145UE averages 1154, and the i7-2600S averages 1146. Their nearest rivals also overlap—both are within 0.6% of the Intel Core i7-3612QE, and both sit near the Intel Core i5-4430. The i3’s closest rival is the AMD Opteron 4334 (1155, -0.1%), while the i7’s is the AMD Opteron 4284 (1146, 0%). This means that despite the i7’s clean sweep in direct comparisons, the two CPUs occupy essentially the same performance tier in the broader market.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-2600S is the faster processor in every measured benchmark. If the workload is multi-threaded rendering or single-threaded responsiveness, the i7-2600S delivers 14.7–15% more performance across the board. Its four cores, eight threads, and 8 MB of L3 cache give it a structural advantage that the i3-8145UE cannot overcome, even with a newer process node and higher boost clock.

However, the i3-8145UE is not without a clear purpose. Its 15-watt TDP is a decisive factor for mobile or embedded systems where power and thermals are the limiting constraints. The i7-2600S, at 65 watts, is a desktop-only part that requires a Socket 1155 board and a proper cooling solution. The i3 also brings modern DDR4 support, a newer integrated GPU (UHD Graphics 620), and is still in active production, whereas the i7 is end-of-life.

Choose the i7-2600S if you have a desktop platform and need maximum compute performance for its class—it wins every benchmark and offers double the cores and threads. Choose the i3-8145UE if you are building or specifying a low-power mobile system where the 15-watt envelope and modern connectivity matter more than raw score. The average benchmark scores are nearly equal (1154 vs 1146), but the i7’s consistent 15% lead in direct tests makes it the performance pick, while the i3’s efficiency and active production status make it the practical pick for new mobile designs.