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Intel Core i5-8279U vs Intel Core i3-1125G4

Intel Core i5-8279U

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The Intel Core i5-8279U is a quad-core SoC for notebooks based on the Coffee Lake architecture and was announced in the first quarter of 2019. Compared to its predecessor Core i5-7287U, the CPU is now a quad-core with Hyperthreading support for the execution of up to 8 threads simultaneously. The base frequency is 2.4 GHz, but the Turbo goes all the way up to 4.1 GHz. It is also equipped with an Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655 GPU with 128 MB eDRAM, a dual-channel memory controller (DDR4) as well as VP9 and H.265 video decoding as well as encoding. The chip is still manufactured in a 14nm process with FinFET transistors. 

Compared to faster Core i7 model (e.g. Core i7-8559U) with eDRAM and 28 Watts, the i5-8279U only features 6 MB smart cache and a slower clock of the Iris Plus GPU.

Architecture

Intel basically uses the same micro architecture compared to Kaby Lake, so the per-MHz performance does not differ. The manufacturer only reworked the Speed Shift technology for faster dynamic adjustments of voltages and clocks, and the improved 14nm process allows much higher frequencies combined with better efficiency than before.

Performance

Considering the clocks of the Core i5-8259U, its performance should be between above the 15W model Core i7-8650U. The i5-82769U should still be faster than the i7-8650U in practice thanks to the increased TDP, especially during sustained workloads. Compared to the similar named Intel Core i5-8269U, the 8279U offers a slightly lower performance (-200 MHz Turbo, -100 MHz base) although the name suggests otherwise.

Graphics

The integrated Intel Iris Plus 655 Graphics is the GT3e model of the Kaby Lake GPU (Intel Gen. 9.5). It has 48 Execution Units running at 300-1150 MHz and the performance is comparable to a GeForce 930M or 940MX thanks to fast eDRAM cache. However, there aren't any significant improvements compared to the old Iris Plus 650, so modern games can often not be played smoothly or only at the lowest or medium settings, respectively.

Contrary to Skylake, Kaby lake now also supports H.265/HEVC Main 10 with a 10-bit color depth as well as Google's VP9 codec. The dual-core Kaby Lake processors announced in January should also support HDCP 2.2.

Power Consumption

The chip is manufactured in an improved 14nm process with FinFET transistors, which improves the efficiency even further. Intel specifies the TDP with 28 Watts, which can be reduced to 23 Watts (cTDP Down) depending on the usage scenario. The TDP is pretty high compared to the common 15-Watt TDP for quad-core processors, but allows a better utilization of CPU and GPU Turbo.

Intel Core i3-1125G4

► remove from comparison Intel i3-1125G4

The Intel Core i3-1125G4 is a 28 W quad-core SoC for laptops and Ultrabooks of the Tiger Lake family (UP3) that was introduced in September 2020. It integrates four Willow Cove processor cores (8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading). Each core can clock from 2 GHz (guaranteed base speed @ 28 W) to 3.7 GHz (single-core boost). All cores at once can clock at up to 3.3 GHz. The faster Core i7 models offer more Level 3 cache (12 versus 8 MB in the i5) and higher clocked cores.

Another novelty is the integrated Xe GPU based on the completely new Gen 12 architecture. In the i3-1125G4 Intel names the GPU UHD Graphics and offers only 48 of the 96 EUs clocked at 400 - 1250 MHz. The GPU and CPU can together use the 8 MB of L3 cache.

Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (four lanes), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 and Wi-Fi 6 in the chip.

Performance

While we have not tested a single laptop built around the 1125G4 as of October 2023, we expect the chip's multi-thread performance to be 10% to 20% lower than that of the Core i5-1135G7 (4 cores, 8 threads, somewhat higher clock speeds).

Your mileage may vary depending on how high the CPU power limits are and how competent the cooling solution of your system is.

Power consumption

This Core i3 series chip has a default TDP of 12 W to 28 W, the expectation being that laptop makers will go for a higher value in exchange for higher performance. Either way, that's a little too high to allow for passively cooled designs.

The i3-1125G4 is manufactured on Intel's third-gen 10 nm process marketed as SuperFin for average, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.

ModelIntel Core i5-8279UIntel Core i3-1125G4
SeriesIntel Coffee LakeIntel Tiger Lake
CodenameCoffee Lake-UTiger Lake-UP3
Series: Tiger Lake Tiger Lake-UP3
Intel Core i7-8559U compare2.7 - 4.5 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i7-8557U compare1.7 - 4.5 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-8269U compare2.6 - 4.2 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i5-8279U « 2.4 - 4.1 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i5-8259U compare2.3 - 3.8 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i5-8257U compare1.4 - 3.9 GHz4 / 8 cores6 MB L3
Intel Core i3-8109U compare3 - 3.6 GHz2 / 4 cores4 MB L3
Intel Core i7-1195G7 compare2.9 - 5 GHz4 / 8 cores12 MB L3
Intel Core i7-1185G7 compare3 - 4.8 GHz4 / 8 cores12 MB L3
Intel Core i7-1165G7 compare2.8 - 4.7 GHz4 / 8 cores12 MB L3
Intel Core i5-1155G7 compare2.5 - 4.5 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-1145G7 compare2.6 - 4.4 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i5-1135G7 compare2.4 - 4.2 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i3-1125G4 « 2 - 3.7 GHz4 / 8 cores8 MB L3
Intel Core i3-1115G4 compare3 - 4.1 GHz2 / 4 cores6 MB L3
Clock2400 - 4100 MHz2000 - 3700 MHz
L1 Cache256 KB320 KB
L2 Cache1 MB5 MB
L3 Cache6 MB8 MB
Cores / Threads4 / 84 / 8
TDP28 Watt28 Watt
Technology14 nm10 nm
max. Temp.100 °C100 °C
SocketFCBGA1528BGA1449
FeaturesDual-Channel DDR4 Memory Controller, HyperThreading, AVX, AVX2, Quick Sync, Virtualization, AES-NI, Intel SSE4.1, Intel SSE 4.2DDR4-3200/LPDDR4x-3733 RAM, PCIe 4, 4 GT/s bus, DL Boost, GNA, MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, AVX2, AVX-512, BMI2, ABM, FMA, ADX, VMX, SMX, SMEP, SMAP, EIST, TM1, TM2, Hyper-Threading, Turbo, SST, AES-NI, RDRAND, RDSEED, SHA, TME
iGPUIntel Iris Plus Graphics 655 (300 - 1150 MHz)Intel UHD Graphics Xe G4 48EUs (400 - 1250 MHz)
Architecturex86x86
Announced
Manufacturerark.intel.comark.intel.com

Benchmarks

Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
421 Points (47%)
Cinebench R20 - Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
1717 Points (4%)
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit
min: 743     avg: 750     median: 750 (5%)     max: 757 Points
Cinebench R15 - Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64 Bit
min: 166     avg: 167.5     median: 167.5 (50%)     max: 169 Points
Cinebench R11.5 - Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64 Bit
8.3 Points (11%)
Cinebench R11.5 - Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64 Bit
1.9 Points (48%)
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Single (32bit)
6551 Points (40%)
Cinebench R10 - Cinebench R10 Rend. Multi (32bit)
24096 Points (17%)
wPrime 2.10 - wPrime 2.0 1024m *
266.1 s (3%)
wPrime 2.10 - wPrime 2.0 32m *
8.6 s (2%)
WinRAR - WinRAR 4.0
5862 Points (9%)
7-Zip 18.03 - 7-Zip 18.03 Multli Thread 4 runs
22683 MIPS (13%)
7-Zip 18.03 - 7-Zip 18.03 Single Thread 4 runs
4276 MIPS (51%)
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0 - x264 Pass 2
45.7 fps (16%)
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0 - x264 Pass 1
190 fps (44%)
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - HWBOT x265 4k Preset
6 fps (11%)
Blender - Blender 2.79 BMW27 CPU *
627 Seconds (4%)
3DMark 06 - CPU - 3DMark 06 - CPU
8830 Points (19%)
Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 1M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 1M *
9.2 s (2%)
Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 2M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 2M *
21.3 s (1%)
Super Pi Mod 1.5 XS 32M - Super Pi mod 1.5 XS 32M *
512 s (2%)
3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Physics
21476 Points (17%)
3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme Physics
21581 Points (18%)
3DMark - 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited Physics
24185 Points (20%)
3DMark - 3DMark Cloud Gate Physics
7017 Points (18%)
3DMark - 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Physics
10411 Points (19%)
3DMark - 3DMark Time Spy CPU
3439 Points (14%)
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.4 64 Bit Single-Core
1198 Points (51%)
Geekbench 5.5 - Geekbench 5.1 - 5.4 64 Bit Multi-Core
3738 Points (7%)
Geekbench 4.4 - Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 64 Bit Single-Core
4850 Points (48%)
Geekbench 4.4 - Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 64 Bit Multi-Core
17643 Points (19%)
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Kraken 1.1 Total Score *
740 ms (1%)
Octane V2 - Octane V2 Total Score
44259 Points (40%)

Average Benchmarks Intel Core i5-8279U → 0% n=

Average Benchmarks Intel Core i3-1125G4 → 0% n=

- Range of benchmark values for this graphics card
- Average benchmark values for this graphics card
* Smaller numbers mean a higher performance
1 This benchmark is not used for the average calculation

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Redaktion, 2017-09- 8 (Update: 2023-07- 1)