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 i3-1315UE

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1344 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $312 MSRP, while Core i5-1038NG7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-1038NG7

2020

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-1315UE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,823 vs 9,003).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 10 MB).
❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1344 with DDR4, while Core i3-1315UE moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Core i3-1315UE

2023

Core i5-1038NG7

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.8% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 28W, a 13W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FCBGA1744 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1344 and DDR4.
✅25% more PCIe lanes (20 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $312 MSRP, while Core i5-1038NG7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-1315UE across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (8,823 vs 9,003).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (6 MB vs 10 MB).
❌86.7% higher power demand at 28W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1344 with DDR4, while Core i3-1315UE moves to FCBGA1744 and DDR5.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-1315UE better than Core i5-1038NG7?

Yes. Core i3-1315UE is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 11.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2% 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 i3-1315UE is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 11.8% 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 i3-1315UE is the better fit. You are getting 2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB).

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

Core i3-1315UE is the smarter buy today. Core i3-1315UE is at an unclear MSRP at $312 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 11.8% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (28.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i3-1315UE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2020), a healthier platform with FCBGA1744 and DDR5 instead of FCBGA1344, 66.7% larger total L3 cache (10 MB vs 6 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/8. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

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 i3-1315UE Benchmark Check

Core i5-1038NG7 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
1080p
low	177 FPS	166 FPS
medium	145 FPS	134 FPS
high	121 FPS	106 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	83 FPS
1440p
low	146 FPS	144 FPS
medium	116 FPS	116 FPS
high	96 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	71 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	68 FPS
medium	69 FPS	59 FPS
high	55 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i3-1315UE Open Core i5-1038NG7

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
1080p
low	185 FPS	125 FPS
medium	158 FPS	106 FPS
high	144 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	77 FPS
1440p
low	162 FPS	107 FPS
medium	140 FPS	93 FPS
high	131 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	131 FPS	83 FPS
medium	117 FPS	75 FPS
high	110 FPS	63 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	48 FPS

Open Core i3-1315UE Open Core i5-1038NG7

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
1080p
low	225 FPS	221 FPS
medium	225 FPS	221 FPS
high	225 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	221 FPS
medium	225 FPS	221 FPS
high	225 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	221 FPS
4K
low	225 FPS	221 FPS
medium	225 FPS	221 FPS
high	225 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i3-1315UE Open Core i5-1038NG7

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
1080p
low	225 FPS	221 FPS
medium	225 FPS	221 FPS
high	225 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	221 FPS
1440p
low	225 FPS	221 FPS
medium	225 FPS	221 FPS
high	225 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	221 FPS
4K
low	225 FPS	221 FPS
medium	225 FPS	221 FPS
high	225 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	225 FPS	221 FPS

Open Core i3-1315UE Open Core i5-1038NG7

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-1315UE and Core i5-1038NG7

Core i3-1315UE

The Core i3-1315UE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U (2023) architecture. It features 6 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 9,003 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-1038NG7

The Core i5-1038NG7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Ice Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1344. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200, LPDDR4-3733. Passmark benchmark score: 8,823 points. Launch price was $320.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-1315UE packs 6 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-1038NG7 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i3-1315UE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.5 GHz on the Core i3-1315UE versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i5-1038NG7 — a 16.9% clock advantage for the Core i3-1315UE (base: 1.2 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i3-1315UE uses the Raptor Lake-U (2023) architecture (10 nm), while the Core i5-1038NG7 uses Ice Lake-U (2019−2020) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-1315UE scores 9,003 against the Core i5-1038NG7's 8,823 — a 2% lead for the Core i3-1315UE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,000 vs 1,250, a 46.2% lead for the Core i3-1315UE that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 10 MB (total) on the Core i3-1315UE vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-1038NG7.

Feature	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
Cores / Threads	6 / 8+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4.5 GHz+18%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.2 GHz	2 GHz+67%
L3 Cache	10 MB (total)+67%	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm	10 nm
Architecture	Raptor Lake-U (2023)	Ice Lake-U (2019−2020)
PassMark	9,003+2%	8,823
Geekbench 6 Single	2,000+60%	1,250
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,100	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-1315UE uses the FCBGA1744 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Core i5-1038NG7 uses FCBGA1344 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5200 on the Core i3-1315UE versus LPDDR4-3733 on the Core i5-1038NG7 — the Core i3-1315UE supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-1315UE supports up to 96 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Core i3-1315UE) vs 16 (Core i5-1038NG7) — the Core i3-1315UE offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
Socket	FCBGA1744	FCBGA1344
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+67%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5200+25%	LPDDR4-3733
Max RAM Capacity	96 GB+50%	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	20+25%	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Only the Core i5-1038NG7 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-1315UE) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1038NG7). Both include integrated graphics — Intel UHD Graphics (Core i3-1315UE) and Iris Plus Graphics G7 (Core i5-1038NG7) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-1315UE targets Mainstream Laptop, Core i5-1038NG7 targets Premium Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1038NG7 rivals Ryzen 7 4800U.

Feature	Core i3-1315UE	Core i5-1038NG7
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel UHD Graphics	Iris Plus Graphics G7
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Mainstream Laptop	Premium Laptop