Intel Core i3-8100 vs Intel Core i5-3470S

The Intel Core i3-8100 was designed as part of the Coffee Lake S architecture for budget-conscious users.

It is based on a 14-nanometer process and offers four cores and four threads. In direct comparison is the Intel Core i5-3470S, a model of the Ivy Bridge S architecture manufactured in a 22-nanometer process, which also has four cores and four threads.

In common benchmarks for single-core and multi-core performance, the Intel Core i3-8100 achieves significantly higher scores than the Intel Core i5-3470S. This difference is well above the ten percent mark, illustrating technological development. Especially when using applications, the Intel Core i3-8100 benefits from the more efficient architecture and a Level 3 cache of 6 MB.

In the area of gaming, the Intel Core i3-8100 provides a more stable frame rate. This is primarily due to the higher memory bandwidth of 38 GB/s and the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630. The Intel Core i5-3470S is technically positioned differently with a bandwidth of 26 GB/s and Intel HD Graphics 2500, but also supports PCIe 3.0.

In terms of power consumption, both processors are specified with a Thermal Design Power of 65 watts. Since the Intel Core i3-8100 uses an optimized manufacturing process, it offers higher energy efficiency per computational operation. In terms of price, the Intel Core i5-3470S is often available cheaper on the used market, but the Intel Core i3-8100 offers the better cost-to-performance ratio.

For home users, the Intel Core i3-8100 is the preferred choice, while the Intel Core i5-3470S is suitable for maintaining existing systems.