Core i3-1115G4
VS
Pentium Gold 8500

Core i3-1115G4 vs Pentium Gold 8500

Intel

Core i3-1115G4

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2020
VS
Intel

Pentium Gold 8500

5 Cores6 Thrd29 WWMax: 4.4 GHz2022

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-1115G4

#176
Core i9-13900HK
MSRP: $697|Avg: N/A
100%
#178
Core i7-1360P
MSRP: $480|Avg: $280
99%
#179
Core i7-1260P
MSRP: $432|Avg: $432
98%
#555
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
751%
#556
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
740%
#557
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
679%
#558
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
676%
#559
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
670%
#561
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
647%
#562
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
620%
#563
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
619%
#564
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
603%
#567
Core i3-1115G4
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#572
A10-9600P
MSRP: $128|Avg: $50
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500

#167
Core Ultra 7 258V
MSRP: $450|Avg: $400
99%
#169
Core i7-1280P
MSRP: $482|Avg: $482
98%
#515
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
691%
#516
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
680%
#517
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
625%
#518
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
622%
#519
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
616%
#521
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
595%
#522
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
570%
#523
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
570%
#524
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
554%
#527
Pentium Gold 8500
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Pentium Gold 8500 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-1115G4 in both compute-intensive tasks (1.5% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightCore i3-1115G4Pentium 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

InsightCore i3-1115G4Pentium Gold 8500
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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

Intel

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.

Intel

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.

FeatureCore i3-1115G4Pentium 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.

FeatureCore i3-1115G4Pentium 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.

FeatureCore i3-1115G4Pentium 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