Intel Core i3-1115G4 vs Mediatek MT8127 vs Mediatek MT8389

Intel Core i3-1115G4

The Intel Core i3-1115G4 is a dual-core SoC for laptops and Ultrabooks based on the Tiger Lake-U generation (UP3) that was launched in September 2020. It integrates two Willow Cove processor cores (4 threads thanks to HyperThreading). Each core can clock from 3 GHz (base speed) to 4.1 GHz (single- and dual-core boost). The faster Core i5 and i7 models offer more cores and are therefore significantly faster.

Another novelty is the integrated Xe graphics card based on the completely new Gen 12 architecture. In the i3-1115G4 Intel is naming the GPU UHD Graphics and offers only 48 of the 96 EUs clocked at 400 - 1250 MHz. GPU and CPU can together use the 6 MB of L3 cache.

Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (four lanes), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 and WiFi 6 in the chip.

The chip is produced on the second-gen 10 nm Intel SuperFin process that should be comparable to the 7 nm TSMC process (e.g. Ryzen 4000 series).

Performance

Multi-thread peformance is most comparable to what the Intel Core i5-8250U and the AMD Ryzen 5 3450U deliver. This makes the i3 a more than decent option for day-to-day tasks; that said, any workload of the more taxing kind (such as exporting a high-bitrate, hour long UHD video) will be enough to bring the i3 to its knees.

Thanks to its decent cooling solution and a long-term CPU power limit of 25 W, the ThinkPad L15 G2-20X4S0KU00 is one of the fastest laptops powered by the 1115G4 we know of. It can be more than 20% faster in CPU-bound workloads than the slowest system featuring the same chip in our database, as of August 2023.

Power consumption

This Core i3 series chip has a default TDP of 12 W to 28 W, the expectation being that laptop makers will go for a higher value in exchange for higher performance. Either way, that's a tad too high to allow for passively cooled laptops, tablets, mini-PCs.

The Core i3-1115G4 is built with Intel's third-gen 10 nm process marketed as SuperFin for decent, as of mid 2022, energy efficiency.

Mediatek MT8127

The MediaTek MT8127 is a cheap ARM-SoC (System on a Chip) that is mainly used in Android based tablets. It is manufactured in 28 nm and integrates a quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 processor clocked at 1.5 GHz (typically), a ARM Mali-450 MP4 graphics card (at 600 MHz) and a single channel 32 Bit DDDR3-1333 memory controller (max. 5.3 GB/s).

Processor

The ARM Cortex-A7 design is a 32-Bit entry level core with a much lower performance per MHz than the Cortex-A9. Therefore, the MT8127 is only positioned in the lower mid-range similar to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 400.

Features

The MT8127 integrates function blocks for full HD videos (en- and decoders), WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and FM radio. Camera modules are supported up to 13 MP.

Power Consumption

Due to the low clocked Cortex-A7 cores and the small GPU, the SoC is using not much power and therefore also suited for small tablets.

Mediatek MT8389

The Mediatek MT8389 is a low-cost ARM SoC (System on a Chip) used mainly used in tablets. It is manufactured in 28 nm and integrates a quad-core Cortex-A7 processor and a PowerVR SGX 544 GPU. The CPU cores are typically clocked at 1.2 - 1.5 GHz, while the GPU is clocked at 300 MHz. The official specifications of the MT8389 are identical to the MT8125 SoC.

Performance

Since the Cortex-A7 architecture is somewhat slower than a Krait or Cortex-A9 design at the same clock speed, the performance of the MT8389 is just below Nvidia's Tegra 3 or the Samsung Exynos 4412. The PowerVR SGX 544 is also just a simple low-cost solution not designed for ultra-high resolution displays or very demanding games.

Features

In addition to processor and GPU, the SoC also integrates a decoder for 1080p video, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio, GPS and 2G/3G radios (up to HSPA+). Cameras are supported up to a resolution of 13 MP.

Power consumption

Thanks to the energy-efficient A7 cores and 28 nm manufacturing, the power consumption is low enough to be a fit for tablets.