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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i3-2120T

2011

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 35W instead of 512W, a 477W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-4200Y.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (403 vs 574).
❌Launch MSRP is still $127 MSRP, while Core i5-4200Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-4200Y

2013

Why buy it

✅+42.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,558 vs 1,570).
❌1362.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 35W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-2120T.

Core i3-2120T

2011

Core i5-4200Y

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 35W instead of 512W, a 477W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-4200Y.

Why buy it

✅+42.4% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (403 vs 574).
❌Launch MSRP is still $127 MSRP, while Core i5-4200Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,558 vs 1,570).
❌1362.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 35W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-2120T.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-2120T better than Core i5-4200Y?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i5-4200Y is ahead with 42.4% stronger Geekbench single-core performance. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-2120T pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-2120T is the better fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-2120T is the smarter buy today. Core i3-2120T is at an unclear MSRP at $127 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you 0.8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Core i5-4200Y is still the better pure gaming CPU with 42.4% stronger Geekbench single-core performance. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (12.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-4200Y is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2011). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Core i3-2120T Benchmark Check

Core i5-4200Y Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
1080p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i3-2120T Open Core i5-4200Y

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
1080p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	28 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	20 FPS

Open Core i3-2120T Open Core i5-4200Y

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
1080p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open Core i3-2120T Open Core i5-4200Y

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
1080p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	39 FPS	39 FPS
medium	39 FPS	39 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	39 FPS

Open Core i3-2120T Open Core i5-4200Y

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-2120T and Core i5-4200Y

Core i3-2120T

The Core i3-2120T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,570 points. Launch price was $50.

Core i5-4200Y

The Core i5-4200Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,558 points. Launch price was $297.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-2120T and Core i5-4200Y share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Core i3-2120T versus 1.9 GHz on the Core i5-4200Y — a 31.1% clock advantage for the Core i3-2120T (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core i3-2120T uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-4200Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-2120T scores 1,570 against the Core i5-4200Y's 1,558 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-2120T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 403 vs 574, a 35% lead for the Core i5-4200Y that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 3 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+37%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+86%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,570	1,558
Geekbench 6 Single	403	574+42%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-2120T uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4200Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Core i3-2120T supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i3-2120T) vs 12 (Core i5-4200Y) — the Core i3-2120T offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: H61,B65,Q65,Q67,H67,P67,Z68,B75,Q75,Q77,H77,Z75,Z77 (Core i3-2120T) and HM86,HM87,QM87 (Core i5-4200Y).

Feature	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
Socket	LGA1155	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+100%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, EPT virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 2000 (Core i3-2120T) and HD Graphics 4200 (Core i5-4200Y) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-2120T targets Budget Desktop, Core i5-4200Y targets Tablet/2-in-1. Direct competitor: Core i3-2120T rivals A6-3500; Core i5-4200Y rivals A4-5150M.

Feature	Core i3-2120T	Core i5-4200Y
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	HD Graphics 2000	HD Graphics 4200
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x, EPT	VT-x, EPT
Target Use	Budget Desktop	Tablet/2-in-1