A4-4300M vs Core i5-3317U

A4-4300M vs Core i5-3317U Performance Spectrum

A4-4300M

2 / 2

1,997

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-3317U

2 / 4

2,014

+0.9%

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 i5-3317U 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 i5-3317U: 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.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,997 vs 2,014).

Core i5-3317U

2012

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌1362.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-3317U better than A4-4300M?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, A4-4300M is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-3317U pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-3317U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-3317U still makes the most sense overall. Core i5-3317U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark.

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

Core i5-3317U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A4-4300M vs Core i5-3317U 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 i5-3317U

The Core i5-3317U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,014 points. Launch price was $225.

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Processing Power

The A4-4300M packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-3317U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the A4-4300M versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-3317U — a 14.3% clock advantage for the A4-4300M (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The A4-4300M uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-3317U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A4-4300M scores 1,997 against the Core i5-3317U's 2,014 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-3317U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A4-4300M vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3317U.

Feature	A4-4300M	Core i5-3317U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3 GHz+15%	2.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+47%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (total)	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,997	2,014
Geekbench 6 Single	282	—

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Memory & Platform

The A4-4300M uses the FS1r2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-3317U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. The Core i5-3317U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.

Feature	A4-4300M	Core i5-3317U
Socket	FS1r2	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	1600
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	32 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A4-4300M) vs true (Core i5-3317U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 7420G (A4-4300M) and Intel HD Graphics 4000 (Core i5-3317U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-4300M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A4-4300M rivals Pentium B980; Core i5-3317U rivals AMD A8-4555M.