CPU Comparison
Intel Core i3-1005G1 vs Intel Core i3-8145U
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The Intel Core i3-1005G1 is a 15-watt Ice Lake-U mobile processor featuring two Sunny Cove cores and basic UHD graphics, launched at $281 to bring 10nm to budget-friendly ultrabooks.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Single-app use is fine, but opening multiple browser tabs alongside Office apps will cause noticeable slowdowns.
Adequate for a single Word or Excel window, but modern heavy web applications will saturate the 4 threads quickly.
Gaming
The basic UHD graphics are too weak for any meaningful gaming experience.
Not capable of modern gaming. UHD 620 can only handle very old or lightweight 2D games.
Virtualization
2 cores and 4 threads are barely enough for the host OS, let alone a virtual machine.
4 threads and 4MB cache make virtualization practically impossible for anything beyond a tiny Linux container.
Efficiency
Good efficiency for a 15W chip, allowing for 6-8 hours of real-world battery life in basic ultrabooks.
The 10nm process provided good idle battery life for 2018-era laptops, though sustained loads drain the battery quickly due to the low core count.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- DLBoost is supported but the 2-core CPU heavily limits AI workload processing
- No AI hardware.
- 2 cores are insufficient for any modern AI workload.
Content Creation
Gaming
- The basic UHD graphics lack the power for even casual gaming
- CPU will bottleneck any game that relies on more than two threads
- UHD 620 is not a gaming GPU.
- 2 cores cannot feed modern game engines.
- Playable only in legacy eSports titles at lowest settings.
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Native Thunderbolt 3 support is excellent for docking stations
- Sunny Cove architecture provides strong single-thread performance for basic tasks
- 15W TDP allows for slim, portable laptop designs
- DDR4 and LPDDR4X memory flexibility
- 10nm process was very efficient for its time
Cons
- Only 2 cores and 4 threads, which is inexcusable at its $281 MSRP
- Basic UHD graphics lack the power of the Iris Plus found on other Ice Lake chips
- No PCIe 4.0 support
- Cannot handle modern multi-tab browsing without stuttering
- L3 cache is limited to 4 MB
Pros
- Hardware security fixes out of the box
- 10nm power efficiency for its era
- High 3.9 GHz single-core boost
- Configurable TDP for different chassis sizes
Cons
- Only 2 cores and 4 threads
- Very high $281 launch price for a dual-core
- Lacks LPDDR4 support
- UHD 620 graphics are obsolete
- Completely outclassed by modern ARM chips
Competitors & Alternatives
Intel Core i3-1005G1
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200URival
Budget Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 5 3500URival
Mainstream Mobile
- Intel Core i3-1005G4Rival
Better Graphics Ice Lake-U
- Intel Pentium Gold 6405URival
Ultra-Budget Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 3 4300URival
Next-Gen Budget Mobile
A 4-core Ice Lake alternative that solves the multitasking bottleneck.
Compare head-to-head- Intel Core i3-1115G1Alt
The 11th-gen successor with higher clocks and better integrated graphics.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5500UAlt
A modern 6-core laptop CPU that completely outclasses this 2-core chip.
A modern 10-core (hybrid) Intel chip that redefines budget laptop performance.
Compare head-to-head
Intel Core i3-8145U
- AMD Ryzen 3 2200URival
Budget Mobile
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200URival
Budget Mobile
- Intel Core i3-8130URival
Previous Gen Mobile
- Intel Pentium Gold 5405URival
Entry Mobile
- Apple A12X BionicRival
Premium Tablet
A 4-core Whiskey Lake chip that provides drastically better multitasking.
Compare head-to-headThe Ice Lake successor offers better graphics and LPDDR4X support.
Compare head-to-head- Alt
For modern lightweight laptops, ARM architecture provides exponentially better performance and battery life.
Compare head-to-head - Intel N100Alt
For embedded or ultra-budget replacements, the N100 offers 4 modern cores.
Our Verdict on Each
The i3-1005G1 successfully brought 10nm and Thunderbolt 3 to cheap laptops, but its 2-core CPU and stripped-back graphics make it a poor choice for anything beyond light tasks.
Best for: The only scenario where an i3-1005G1 laptop makes sense is if it is being sold at an extreme clearance price (under $100) and you need a disposable machine for a child's schoolwork or a dedicated document viewer. The inclusion of Thunderbolt 3 means it can connect to high-speed docks, which might be useful for legacy office setups.
Read the full reviewHistorically significant for being Intel's first 10nm mobile i3 with hardware security fixes, but its 2-core layout and high $281 launch price make it entirely obsolete for modern computing.
Best for: Only if repairing an existing laptop that uses this specific chip and the board is not compatible with newer generations.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Intel Core i3-1005G1 or Intel Core i3-8145U?
Based on our editorial ratings, the Intel Core i3-1005G1 comes out ahead with a score of 4/10. 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 i3-1005G1 or Intel Core i3-8145U?
For gaming, the Intel Core i3-1005G1 leads with a gaming performance score of 5/100 among Intel Core i3-1005G1 and Intel Core i3-8145U.
Do Intel Core i3-1005G1 and Intel Core i3-8145U use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i3-1005G1: BGA 1526, Intel Core i3-8145U: BGA 1528), so each needs a compatible motherboard.
Which is faster in multi-core benchmarks?
The Intel Core i3-1005G1 posts the highest multi-core benchmark score. Multi-core results: Intel Core i3-1005G1 (0). Benchmark figures are approximate and workload-dependent.