
Atom C3538 vs Pentium G2130

Atom C3538

Pentium G2130
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 Atom C3538 is positioned at rank 389 and the Pentium G2130 is on rank 675, so the Atom C3538 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3538
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G2130
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom C3538 | Pentium G2130 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($8) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom C3538 | Pentium G2130 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($8) |
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 Atom C3538 and Pentium G2130

Atom C3538
The Atom C3538 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2133. Passmark benchmark score: 1,910 points. Launch price was $75.

Pentium G2130
The Pentium G2130 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 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 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,915 points. Launch price was $90.
Processing Power
The Atom C3538 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G2130 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Atom C3538 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Atom C3538 versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G2130 — a 41.5% clock advantage for the Pentium G2130 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Atom C3538 uses the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium G2130 uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Atom C3538 scores 1,910 against the Pentium G2130's 1,915 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium G2130. L3 cache: 8 MB on the Atom C3538 vs 3072 kB (total) on the Pentium G2130.
| Feature | Atom C3538 | Pentium G2130 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.2 GHz+52% |
| Base Clock | 2.1 GHz | 3.2 GHz+52% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB+167% | 3072 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 8 MB+3100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Goldmont (2016−2017) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,910 | 1,915 |
Memory & Platform
The Atom C3538 uses the FCBGA1310 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G2130 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Atom C3538 | Pentium G2130 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1310 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 256 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
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