Intel’s Newest Chip delivers a Performance Leap: Core Ultra 3 205 Outpaces Previous Generation
A new contender has entered the entry-level processor market, and it’s making waves. Intel’s recently unveiled Core Ultra 3 205, built on the Arrow Lake architecture for the LGA 1851 platform, is demonstrating significant performance gains over its predecessor, the Core i3-14100, offering a compelling option for budget-conscious PC builders. The processor combines a hybrid architecture with both Performance-cores (p-cores) and efficient-cores (e-cores) alongside an integrated GPU (IGPU) and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU).
This launch is particularly relevant as consumers seek affordable upgrades and new builds without sacrificing performance. The Core Ultra 3 205 aims to deliver precisely that, bridging the gap between cost and capability. Its arrival signals Intel’s commitment to bringing advanced features, like a dedicated NPU, down to more accessible price points.
The Core ultra 3 205 features four “lion Cove” p-cores, each with 3MB of L2 cache, and four “Skymont” e-cores sharing 4MB of L2 cache. A 15MB L3 cache complements the core configuration, with boost frequencies reaching up to 4.9 GHz for p-cores and 4.2 GHz for e-cores. Integrated graphics are handled by an IGPU with 2 Xe cores, and the processor also includes a 13 TOPS NPU.
Initial benchmarks reveal substantial improvements over the Core i3-14100. In Cinebench R23, the core ultra 3 205 demonstrates a 48% increase in performance. Single-core performance also sees a boost of 16%.
Perhaps the most striking improvement is found in the integrated graphics performance. Under 3DMark Time Spy, the Core Ultra 3 205’s IGPU achieves a 75% performance increase compared to its predecessor - a considerable jump for an entry-level processor.
