Intel Core i5-8260U vs Intel Core i3-1115G4E

Processor comparisons 03-04-2021

   If you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i5-8260U vs Intel Core i3-1115G4E and understand which is better for games or normal use for streaming, programming, rendering, machine learning, video editing. Here is useful information from real video editing and streaming tests or various 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 joint testing in synthetic type tests like 7zip, MATLAB, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Gears 5, VeraCrypt, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PCMark 10, RealBench, SuperPi, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, PassMark, 3DMark, AIDA64, Prime95, WPrime, Handbrake, Dolphin Emulator, Furmark, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i3-1115G4E or Intel Core i5-8260U.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i5-8260U

52%

Core i3-1115G4E

51%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i5-8260U is 1% better than Core i3-1115G4E. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-8260U

52%

Core i3-1115G4E

51%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will run 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, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Battlefield V, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, NBA 2K20, Half-Life: Alyx, Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, League of Legends (LOL), Metro Exodus, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Monster Hunter World, Control, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	92.3	90.8
Valorant	104.9	103.2
Cyberpunk 2077	58.7	57.8
Apex Legends	98.6	97.0
Call of Duty Warzone	78.7	77.4
Overwatch	85.0	83.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	72.4	71.2
DOOM Eternal	52.4	51.6
Warzone	81.8	80.5
Assassin's Creed	88.1	86.7
Valheim	87.1	85.6

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 comparisons 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. You will get more accurate information about how powerful 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 i5-8260U

221%

Core i3-1115G4E

209%

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 i5-8260U is more energy efficient than the Core i3-1115G4E since it has less power consumption: 15W vs. 20W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is 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 video editing or video rendering, programming, machine learning, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU includes all threads and cores that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to work, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-8260U	Intel Core i3-1115G4E
Cinbench 15 Single-core	157	147
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	596	578
Cinbench 20 Single-core	409	390
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	2046	1428
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1029	768
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	4033	2982

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

	Intel Core i5-8260U	Intel Core i3-1115G4E
Single-Core	2385	2571
Multi-Core	7652	5966

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

	Intel Core i5-8260U	Intel Core i3-1115G4E
Single-Core	997	1254
Multi-Core	4222	2732

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 later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i5-8260U	Intel Core i3-1115G4E
Announcement date	April 01, 2020	October 01, 2020
Type	Laptop	Laptop
Socket	FCBGA1528	FCBGA1449
Core name	Coffee Lake	Tiger Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	8	11
Turbo Frequency	3.9 MHz	3.9 MHz
Frequency	1.6 MHz	2.2 MHz
Cores	4	2
Threads	8	4
Bus rate	4 GT/s OPI	4 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	10 nm
Transistors count	1900 millions	3200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	15 W	20 W
Memory type	DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133	DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-3733
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	37.5 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	6 MB	6 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 i3-1115G4E is 27% better than Core i5-8260U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i5-8260U has 2 more core than Core i3-1115G4E. 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 i5-8260U is better: 24
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i3-1115G4E is better: 7
Although it should be realized that all the data in the table above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i5-8260U and Intel Core i3-1115G4E before deciding which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i5-8260U - all data

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

• Intel Core i5-8260U specs and review.

Intel Core i3-1115G4E - all data

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

• Intel Core i3-1115G4E specs and review.