CPU Comparison
Intel Core i3-1005G1 vs Intel Core i3-8145UE
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.
Handles single dedicated embedded applications well but will struggle with heavy multitasking due to 2 cores.
Gaming
The basic UHD graphics are too weak for any meaningful gaming experience.
Not applicable for industrial use cases.
Virtualization
2 cores and 4 threads are barely enough for the host OS, let alone a virtual machine.
4 threads allow for a very lightweight container or VM, but this is not a primary use case.
Efficiency
Good efficiency for a 15W chip, allowing for 6-8 hours of real-world battery life in basic ultrabooks.
Excellent when configured to the 12.5W cTDP down, enabling fanless operation and minimal power draw.
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- DLBoost is supported but the 2-core CPU heavily limits AI workload processing
- No dedicated AI hardware.
- CPU inference is extremely slow on 2 cores.
- Not suitable for any AI workloads.
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
- This is an embedded processor not designed for gaming.
- UHD 620 cannot handle modern 3D workloads.
- Form factors using this chip lack discrete GPU support.
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
- 12.5W cTDP down enables true fanless designs
- Long-lifecycle embedded support
- Hardware security mitigations included
- 10nm power efficiency
- Dual-channel memory support
Cons
- Only 2 cores and 4 threads
- Expensive for the compute performance offered
- Lacks LPDDR4/DDR5 support
- Outdated UHD Graphics 620
- No PCIe 4.0 support
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 i3-8145UE
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200URival
Budget Mobile
- Intel Celeron J4125Rival
Low-Power Embedded
- Intel Pentium Silver J5005Rival
Low-Power Embedded
- AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 3200GERival
Embedded Desktop
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 850Rival
Always-Connected
The non-embedded variant if long-lifecycle guarantees are not strictly required.
Compare head-to-head- Intel N100 (Alder Lake-N)Alt
A vastly superior modern alternative for new embedded designs featuring 4 efficient cores.
- AMD Ryzen 5 3580UAlt
Provides significantly more multi-threaded performance if the embedded chassis can handle the thermals.
- ARM Cortex-A78 Based SoCsAlt
Better efficiency for pure edge IoT tasks that do not strictly require x86.
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 reviewA niche embedded chip that brings hardware-level security mitigations and 10nm efficiency to industrial form factors, though its 2-core architecture is fundamentally outdated for anything beyond basic embedded tasks.
Best for: Only for OEMs maintaining existing 8th gen embedded product lines or replacing failed units in active industrial installations.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is faster for gaming, Intel Core i3-1005G1 or Intel Core i3-8145UE?
For gaming, the Intel Core i3-1005G1 leads with a gaming performance score of 5/100 among Intel Core i3-1005G1 and Intel Core i3-8145UE.
Do Intel Core i3-1005G1 and Intel Core i3-8145UE use the same socket?
No. They use different sockets (Intel Core i3-1005G1: BGA 1526, Intel Core i3-8145UE: 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.