PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i3-10105T

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($122 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅Delivers 59.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 64.1 vs 40.3 PassMark/$ ($122 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 9 MB).

Core i5-8500T

2018

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-10105T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,730 vs 7,815).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 40.3 vs 64.1 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).

Core i3-10105T

2021

Core i5-8500T

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.3% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($122 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).
✅Delivers 59.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 64.1 vs 40.3 PassMark/$ ($122 MSRP vs $192 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (9 MB vs 6 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 9 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-10105T across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,730 vs 7,815).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 40.3 vs 64.1 PassMark/$ ($192 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-10105T better than Core i5-8500T?

Yes. Core i3-10105T is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 8.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i3-10105T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 8.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-10105T is the better fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i3-10105T is the smarter buy today. Core i3-10105T is $70 cheaper on MSRP at $122 MSRP versus $192 MSRP, and it gives you a 8.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 59.1% better value on MSRP (64.1 vs 40.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-10105T is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2018) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/6. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i3-10105T Benchmark Check

Core i5-8500T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
1080p
low	174 FPS	171 FPS
medium	138 FPS	139 FPS
high	109 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	146 FPS
medium	115 FPS	118 FPS
high	89 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	70 FPS	73 FPS
4K
low	69 FPS	69 FPS
medium	58 FPS	60 FPS
high	45 FPS	47 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	37 FPS

Open Core i3-10105T Open Core i5-8500T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
1080p
low	195 FPS	120 FPS
medium	176 FPS	105 FPS
high	159 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	123 FPS	78 FPS
1440p
low	183 FPS	106 FPS
medium	152 FPS	92 FPS
high	137 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	110 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	143 FPS	90 FPS
medium	123 FPS	81 FPS
high	100 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	55 FPS

Open Core i3-10105T Open Core i5-8500T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
1080p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	183 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	145 FPS

Open Core i3-10105T Open Core i5-8500T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
1080p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
1440p
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS
4K
low	195 FPS	193 FPS
medium	195 FPS	193 FPS
high	195 FPS	193 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	193 FPS

Open Core i3-10105T Open Core i5-8500T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-10105T and Core i5-8500T

Core i3-10105T

The Core i3-10105T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-R (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 7,815 points. Launch price was $134.

Core i5-8500T

The Core i5-8500T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 9 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,730 points. Launch price was $192.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-10105T packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-8500T offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Core i5-8500T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-10105T versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-8500T — a 10.8% clock advantage for the Core i3-10105T (base: 3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-10105T uses the Comet Lake-R (2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-8500T uses Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-10105T scores 7,815 against the Core i5-8500T's 7,730 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i3-10105T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,200 vs 1,192, a 0.7% lead for the Core i3-10105T that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-10105T vs 9 MB (total) on the Core i5-8500T.

Feature	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 6+50%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+11%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+43%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	9 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Comet Lake-R (2021)	Coffee Lake-S (2017−2018)
PassMark	7,815+1%	7,730
Geekbench 6 Single	1,200	1,192
Geekbench 6 Multi	4,000	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-10105T uses the LGA1200 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-8500T uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Core i3-10105T supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H410,B460,H470,Q470,Z490,H510,B560,H570,Q570,Z590 (Core i3-10105T) and H310,B360,H370,Z370,Z390,B365 (Core i5-8500T).

Feature	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
Socket	LGA1200	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2666
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB+100%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: Yes (Core i3-10105T) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-8500T). Both include integrated graphics — UHD Graphics 630 (Core i3-10105T) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i5-8500T) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-8500T targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-8500T rivals Ryzen 3 2200G.

Feature	Core i3-10105T	Core i5-8500T
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	UHD Graphics 630	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Low Power Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i3-10105T launched at $122 MSRP, while the Core i5-8500T debuted at $192. On MSRP ($122 vs $192), the Core i3-10105T is $70 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-10105T delivers 64.1 pts/$ vs 40.3 pts/$ for the Core i5-8500T — making the Core i3-10105T the 45.6% better value option.