A4-4300M vs Core i3-5015U

A4-4300M vs Core i3-5015U Performance Spectrum

A4-4300M

2 / 2

1,997

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-5015U

2 / 4

1,990

0.0%

Celeron N3350

Celeron G1610T

Core i5-4202Y

Pentium Dual Core T2390

About PassMark

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.

A4-4300M vs Core i3-5015U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A4-4300M vs Core i3-5015U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A4-4300M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 512W, a 477W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i3-5015U

2015

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,990 vs 1,997).
❌1362.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is A4-4300M better than Core i3-5015U?

Yes. A4-4300M is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, A4-4300M is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A4-4300M is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

A4-4300M still makes the most sense overall. A4-4300M comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Core i3-5015U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

A4-4300M vs Core i3-5015U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A4-4300M

The A4-4300M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: unknown. Passmark benchmark score: 1,997 points. Launch price was $50.

Core i3-5015U

The Core i3-5015U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,990 points. Launch price was $275.

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Processing Power

The A4-4300M packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-5015U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the A4-4300M versus 2.1 GHz on the Core i3-5015U — a 35.3% clock advantage for the A4-4300M (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The A4-4300M uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-5015U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A4-4300M scores 1,997 against the Core i3-5015U's 1,990 — a 0.4% lead for the A4-4300M. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A4-4300M vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-5015U.

Feature	A4-4300M	Core i3-5015U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3 GHz+43%	2.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+19%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (total)	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	1,997	1,990
Geekbench 6 Single	282	—

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Memory & Platform

The A4-4300M uses the FS1r2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-5015U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (A4-4300M) vs 12 (Core i3-5015U) — the A4-4300M offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	A4-4300M	Core i3-5015U
Socket	FS1r2	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A4-4300M) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-5015U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 7420G (A4-4300M) and HD Graphics 5500 (Core i3-5015U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-4300M targets Budget Laptop, Core i3-5015U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: A4-4300M rivals Pentium B980.