Intel Core i3-1215UE vs Intel Core i5-1230U

Processor comparisons 11-09-2022

   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i3-1215UE vs Intel Core i5-1230U tests and decide which is better for games or normal use for video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming, rendering. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A thorough review 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 synthetic type tests like Prime95, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), UserBenchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, DaVinci Resolve Studio, SuperPi, Gears 5, WPrime, Blender, Furmark, RealBench, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, VeraCrypt, Blender, 7zip, Handbrake, PassMark, Dolphin Emulator, 3DMark, PCMark 10, AIDA64, MATLAB.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-1230U or Intel Core i3-1215UE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-1215UE

54%

Core i5-1230U

55%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-1230U is 1% better than Core i3-1215UE. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-1215UE

51%

Core i5-1230U

53%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low 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 processors were compared: DOTA 2A, Hitman 3, Monster Hunter World, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, Control, League of Legends (LOL), Metro Exodus, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Battlefield V, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	89.9	94.7
Valorant	102.1	107.6
Cyberpunk 2077	57.2	60.2
Apex Legends	96.0	101.1
Call of Duty Warzone	76.6	80.7
Overwatch	82.7	87.1
Red Dead Redemption 2	70.5	74.2
DOOM Eternal	51.1	53.8
Warzone	79.6	83.9
Assassin's Creed	85.8	90.4
Valheim	84.7	89.3

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: 2K, FullHD or 4K. 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 get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-1215UE

148%

Core i5-1230U

435%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-1230U is more energy efficient than the Core i3-1215UE since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 9W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. 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 plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, streaming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can 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 i3-1215UE	Intel Core i5-1230U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	192	216
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1495	1591
Cinbench 20 Single-core	481	522
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3414	3613
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1144	1221
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	11284	11909

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

	Intel Core i3-1215UE	Intel Core i5-1230U
Single-Core	2696	2856
Multi-Core	15802	16672

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

	Intel Core i3-1215UE	Intel Core i5-1230U
Single-Core	670	1177
Multi-Core	1816	6538

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most helpful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. 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 even in new games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i3-1215UE	Intel Core i5-1230U
Announcement date	March 19, 2022	January 07, 2022
Type	Embedded	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCBGA1744
Core name	Alder Lake	Alder Lake-U
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	12
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	4.4 MHz
Frequency	3.3 MHz	1 MHz
Cores	6	10
Threads	8	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	10 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	9 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	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	10 MB	24 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i3-1215UE is 69% better than Core i5-1230U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-1230U has 4 more core than Core i3-1215UE. 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 i3-1215UE is better: 3
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-1230U is better: 25
Although it should be understood that all the figures in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should totally trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the testing video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i3-1215UE and Intel Core i5-1230U before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-1215UE - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-1215UE specs and review.

Intel Core i5-1230U - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-1230U specs and review.