Intel Core i3-1210U vs Intel Core i9-10980HK

Processor comparisons   10-01-2022
   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i3-1210U vs Intel Core i9-10980HK and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, programming, video editing, machine learning, streaming. Here you can find all information from various benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests such as AIDA64, 7zip, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, 3DMark, MATLAB, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Prime95, SuperPi, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, RealBench, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Handbrake, Gears 5, PCMark 10, WPrime, VeraCrypt, Blender, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Grand Theft Auto V
Overwatch
Valorant
DOOM: Eternal
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Watch Dogs Legion
Fortnite
Fallout 76
Valheim
Halo Infinite
Borderlands 3
Rainbow Six Siege
Last Man Standing
Red Dead Redemption 2
Apex Legends
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Cyberpunk 2077
Death Stranding

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10980HK or Intel Core i3-1210U.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i3-1210U

54%

Core i9-10980HK

55%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10980HK is 1% better than Core i3-1210U. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-1210U

53%

Core i9-10980HK

55%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Horizon Zero Dawn, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Battlefield V, NBA 2K20, Monster Hunter World, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, Control, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Metro Exodus, League of Legends (LOL), Hitman 3.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.3	97.2
Valorant	107.1	110.5
Cyberpunk 2077	60.0	61.9
Apex Legends	100.7	103.9
Call of Duty Warzone	80.3	82.9
Overwatch	86.8	89.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.9	76.2
DOOM Eternal	53.6	55.2
Warzone	83.6	86.2
Assassin's Creed	90.0	92.8
Valheim	88.9	91.7

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-1210U

409%

Core i9-10980HK

106%

To make a finishing decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i3-1210U is more energy efficient than the Core i9-10980HK since it has less power consumption: 9W vs. 45W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video editing or video rendering, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the program that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i9-10980HK
Cinbench 15 Single-core	204	219
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1495	1627
Cinbench 20 Single-core	490	507
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3395	3643
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1147	1136
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	11189	11013

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i9-10980HK
Single-Core	2684	2913
Multi-Core	15665	16588

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i9-10980HK
Single-Core	1106	1437
Multi-Core	6143	9056

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i9-10980HK
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2020
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCBGA1440
Core name	Alder Lake-U	Comet Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	10
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	5.3 MHz
Frequency	1 MHz	2.4 MHz
Cores	6	8
Threads	8	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	10 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	2100 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	9 W	45 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	24 MB	16 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i9-10980HK is 58% better than Core i3-1210U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10980HK has 2 more core than Core i3-1210U. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-1210U is better: 8
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10980HK is better: 24
Although it should be understood that the summary data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i3-1210U and Intel Core i9-10980HK before deciding which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-1210U - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i3-1210U specs and review.

Intel Core i9-10980HK - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i9-10980HK specs and review.