
Core i3-1115G4 vs Pentium Gold 8500

Core i3-1115G4

Pentium Gold 8500
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 Core i3-1115G4 is positioned at rank 567 and the Pentium Gold 8500 is on rank 527, so the Pentium Gold 8500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-1115G4
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-1115G4 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) / 10 nm SuperFin) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-1115G4 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Core i3-1115G4 and Pentium Gold 8500

Core i3-1115G4
The Core i3-1115G4 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 September 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1449. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,860 points. Launch price was $281.

Pentium Gold 8500
The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i3-1115G4 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Gold 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Pentium Gold 8500 has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i3-1115G4 versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 — a 7.1% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The Core i3-1115G4 is built on the Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i3-1115G4 scores 5,860 against the Pentium Gold 8500's 5,949 — a 1.5% lead for the Pentium Gold 8500. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-1115G4 vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500.
| Feature | Core i3-1115G4 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 5 / 6+150% |
| Boost Clock | 4.1 GHz | 4.4 GHz+7% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core) | — |
| Process | 10 nm SuperFin | Intel 7 nm-30% |
| Architecture | Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) | — |
| PassMark | 5,860 | 5,949+2% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,579 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-1115G4 uses the FCBGA1449 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Pentium Gold 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-1115G4 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1449 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-3200 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 4 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-1115G4) / not specified (Pentium Gold 8500). The Core i3-1115G4 includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (48 EU)), while the Pentium Gold 8500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-1115G4 targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-1115G4 rivals Ryzen 3 5300U.
| Feature | Core i3-1115G4 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics for 11th Gen (48 EU) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | Yes | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Mainstream Laptop | — |
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