CPU Comparison
Intel Core i5-8265U vs Intel Core i3-1115G4
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i5-8265U is a 4-core, 8-thread low-power mobile processor from the Whiskey Lake family, designed for thin-and-light laptops prioritizing battery life.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Good for daily office tasks and web apps.
Handles word processing and spreadsheets effortlessly, but heavily multitasked office environments will expose the 2-core limitation.
Gaming
Only capable of very light or old games.
The Iris Xe iGPU can handle older or 2D indie games at low settings, but modern AAA titles are unplayable.
Virtualization
Can run light VMs but limited by RAM and power.
2 cores and 4 threads are insufficient for running anything beyond a single, very lightweight virtual machine.
Efficiency
Excellent efficiency for all-day battery life.
The configurable 12W-28W TDP range allows OEMs to tune it for excellent battery life in thin chassis designs.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- Not suitable for AI workloads
- No dedicated NPU
- AVX-512 provides some acceleration for specific vector math workloads
- Not intended for AI development or inference
Content Creation
Gaming
- Integrated graphics too weak for modern gaming
- Good for indie games
- No dedicated gaming features
- Lacks the core count and GPU power for modern gaming
- Can manage basic e-sports titles like League of Legends at 720p/1080p low
- Memory bandwidth limitations heavily cap iGPU performance
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Excellent power efficiency
- 4 cores and 8 threads
- Good burst performance
- Wide OEM adoption
Cons
- Soldered to motherboard
- Weak integrated graphics
- Only PCIe 3.0
- End-of-life
Pros
- High 4.1 GHz boost clock for snappy single-thread tasks
- Modern Iris Xe-LP integrated graphics
- Low 15W TDP enables thin, quiet laptops
- AVX-512 instruction set support
- Efficient 10nm SuperFin manufacturing process
Cons
- Only 2 cores and 4 threads severely limit multitasking
- 6MB L3 cache is small for modern workloads
- Only 4 direct CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes
- No DDR5 or LPDDR5 support
- BGA package prevents any upgrades
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i5-8265U
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- Intel Core i7-8565URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 7 3700URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- Intel Core i5-8250URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 5 2500URival
Thin-and-Light Mobile
Slightly faster with better efficiency.
Compare head-to-headModern dual-core with vastly better single-core speed.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Hex-core mobile chip with much better performance.
Massive IPC and iGPU upgrade with modern features.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i3-1115G4
- AMD Ryzen 3 5300URival
Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 3 3250URival
Mobile
- Compare head-to-headApple M1Rival
Mobile
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2Rival
Mobile
- MediaTek Kompanio 500TRival
Mobile
Offers 4 cores and 8 threads, doubling the multitasking capability with only a small power increase.
Compare head-to-head- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
Provides 6 Zen 2 cores and 12 threads, vastly superior multi-core performance.
12th-gen successor featuring 2 P-Cores and 4 E-Cores for much better background task handling.
Compare head-to-head- Apple M1 (base)Alt
Far superior performance per watt and unmatched battery life in a similar power class.
- AMD Ryzen 3 5400UAlt
6 cores at a competitive price point, offering much better long-term usability.
Our Verdict on Each
A reliable and efficient mobile CPU that brought 4 cores to thin-and-light laptops, still serviceable for basic tasks today.
Best for: Buying a cheap used laptop for basic tasks
Read the full reviewA capable entry-level mobile processor for basic tasks, hindered by its 2-core limit but benefiting from strong single-core speeds and a modern iGPU architecture.
Best for: Purchasing a highly discounted budget laptop for basic school or office work where no heavy multitasking is required.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i5-8265U or Intel Core i3-1115G4?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i5-8265U comes out ahead with a score of 7.5/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i5-8265U or Intel Core i3-1115G4?
For gaming, the Intel Core i5-8265U leads with a gaming performance score of 20/100 among Intel Core i5-8265U and Intel Core i3-1115G4.
Do Intel Core i5-8265U and Intel Core i3-1115G4 use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i5-8265U: Intel BGA 1528, Intel Core i3-1115G4: BGA 1449), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which has more cores?
The Intel Core i5-8265U has the most cores. Core counts: Intel Core i5-8265U (4 cores), Intel Core i3-1115G4 (2 cores).