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

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i3-8121U or Intel Core i3-8121U – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i3-8121U features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2018 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Intel Core i3 series.
To use the Intel Core i3-8121U, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1356 socket.
The Intel Core i3-8130U features 2 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q1/2018 and belongs to the 8 generation of the Intel Core i3 series.
To use the Intel Core i3-8130U, you'll need a motherboard with a BGA 1356 socket.
Intel Core i 8000U Group Intel Core i 8000U
8 Generation 8
Mobile Segment Mobile
Intel Core i3-8121U Name Intel Core i3-8130U
Intel Core i3 Family Intel Core i3
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i3-8121U has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i3-8121U is 2.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.2 GHz.
The Intel Core i3-8130U has 2 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i3-8130U is 2.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.4 GHz.
4 Threads 4
2x Cores 2x
2 CPU Cores 2
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
No Overclocking No
3.2 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.4 GHz
2.2 GHz Frequency 2.2 GHz
2.7 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) 2.8 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i3-8121U does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i3-8130U has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i3-8130U uses the Intel UHD Graphics 620, which has 192 texture shaders
and 24 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 192
-- Release date Q3/2016
-- Technology 14 nm
-- Direct X 12
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 16.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 24
-- GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
-- Generation 9.5
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.0 GHz
GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 620
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- VP8 Decode / Encode
-- VC-1 Decode
-- JPEG Decode / Encode
-- AV1 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP9 Decode / Encode
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode / Encode
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR4-2400, LPDDR4-2400 Memory type DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133
No ECC Yes
32.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
2 Memory channels 2
38.4 GB/s Bandwidth 38.4 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
None TDP down 10 W
15 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 15 W
105 °C Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i3-8121U is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 4.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i3-8130U is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
Q2/2018 Release date Q1/2018
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX-512 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
10 nm Technology 14 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
-- Release price 281 $
Cannon Lake U Architecture Kaby Lake U Refresh
4.0 MB L3-Cache 4.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11 Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
BGA 1356 Socket BGA 1356
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i3-8121U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
7794
7794
Intel Core i3-8130U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
7070
7070

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i3-8121U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
4078
4078
Intel Core i3-8130U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
3600
3600

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i3-8121U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
2414
2414
Intel Core i3-8130U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
2168
2168

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i3-8121U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
1987
1987
Intel Core i3-8130U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
1772
1772

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i3-8130U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
1141
1141
Intel Core i3-8121U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
1114
1114

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i3-8130U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
326
326
Intel Core i3-8121U
2C 4T @ 2.2 GHz
305
305