A8-3500M vs Pentium 2030M
A8-3500M
Pentium 2030M
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The A8-3500M is positioned at rank 821 and the Pentium 2030M is on rank 27, so the Pentium 2030M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A8-3500M
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 2030M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A8-3500M | Pentium 2030M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($134) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A8-3500M | Pentium 2030M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($134) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of A8-3500M and Pentium 2030M
A8-3500M
The A8-3500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,391 points. Launch price was $90.
Pentium 2030M
The Pentium 2030M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,396 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
The A8-3500M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 2030M offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A8-3500M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the A8-3500M versus 2.5 GHz on the Pentium 2030M — a 4.1% clock advantage for the Pentium 2030M (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The A8-3500M uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium 2030M uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A8-3500M scores 1,391 against the Pentium 2030M's 1,396 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium 2030M. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A8-3500M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2030M.
| Feature | A8-3500M | Pentium 2030M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.5 GHz+4% |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.5 GHz+67% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,391 | 1,396 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 231 | — |
Memory & Platform
The A8-3500M uses the FS1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 2030M uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | A8-3500M | Pentium 2030M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FS1 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 20 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (A8-3500M) / not specified (Pentium 2030M). The A8-3500M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6620G), while the Pentium 2030M requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-3500M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A8-3500M rivals Core i3-2310M.
| Feature | A8-3500M | Pentium 2030M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Radeon HD 6620G | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Budget Laptop | — |
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