Intel Core i3-8130U vs Intel Core i3-8121U

Processor comparisons   20-01-2022
   You may have difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i3-8130U vs Intel Core i3-8121U and decide which is better for games or simple use for rendering, programming, video editing, streaming, machine learning. Here is useful information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special test applications like GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, 7zip, Blender, PCMark 10, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Prime95, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Furmark, UserBenchmark, MATLAB, Gears 5, RealBench, 3DMark, VeraCrypt, Handbrake, AIDA64, WPrime, PassMark, Dolphin Emulator, SuperPi.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i3-8121U or Intel Core i3-8130U.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-8130U

51%

Core i3-8121U

51%

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-8130U

51%

Core i3-8121U

51%

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. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Forza Horizon 4, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Hitman 3, NBA 2K20, Monster Hunter World, Metro Exodus, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Ghostrunner, Control, Half-Life: Alyx, League of Legends (LOL), The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Zero Dawn, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), DOTA 2A, Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	90.1	90.1
Valorant	102.4	102.4
Cyberpunk 2077	57.3	57.3
Apex Legends	96.2	96.2
Call of Duty Warzone	76.8	76.8
Overwatch	82.9	82.9
Red Dead Redemption 2	70.6	70.6
DOOM Eternal	51.2	51.2
Warzone	79.9	79.9
Assassin's Creed	86.0	86.0
Valheim	85.0	85.0

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 tested computers not only did they have 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-8130U

201%

Core i3-8121U

200%

To make a finishing resolution 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 i3-8130U is more energy efficient than the Core i3-8121U as it consumes less power: 15W vs. 15W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, machine learning, video rendering or video editing, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum performance. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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 i3-8130U	Intel Core i3-8121U
Cinbench 15 Single-core	141	139
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	343	305
Cinbench 20 Single-core	283	340
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	498	598
Cinbench 23 Single-core	469	563
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	1820	2184

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

	Intel Core i3-8130U	Intel Core i3-8121U
Single-Core	1937	1939
Multi-Core	3641	4369

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

	Intel Core i3-8130U	Intel Core i3-8121U
Single-Core	905	901
Multi-Core	2053	2063

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, 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, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i3-8130U	Intel Core i3-8121U
Announcement date	March 07, 2018	July 07, 2018
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1356	Unknown
Core name	Kaby Lake R	Cannon Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	8	8
Turbo Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.2 MHz
Frequency	2.2 MHz	2.2 MHz
Cores	2	2
Threads	4	4
Bus rate	4 GT/s	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	10 nm
Transistors count	1700 millions	1800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	15 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133	DDR4-2400, LPDDR4/x-2400
Max. Memory	32 Gb	32 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	4 MB	4 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. 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 i3-8130U is better: 4
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-8121U is better: 10
However, it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely 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 i3-8130U and Intel Core i3-8121U before making a choice which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i3-8130U - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-8130U specs and review.

Intel Core i3-8121U - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-8121U specs and review.