Core i3-2312M vs Pentium A1018

Core i3-2312M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2011

Pentium A1018

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WW2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-2312M

2 / 4

1,189

+0.1%

Celeron E1200

Celeron B820

Celeron P4505

Celeron Dual-Core T1700

1,188

0.0%

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 i3-2312M is positioned at rank 1200 and the Pentium A1018 is on rank 1105, so the Pentium A1018 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 i3-2312M

#1188

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

5557%

#1189

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

5475%

#1190

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5027%

#1191

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5004%

#1192

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4958%

#1194

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4788%

#1195

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4591%

#1196

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4583%

#1197

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4460%

#1200

Core i3-2312M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1201

Celeron 857

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1202

Celeron 925

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#1203

Core 2 Duo U7700

MSRP: $262|Avg: $10

97%

#1204

Core 2 Duo E8135

MSRP: $200|Avg: $15

97%

#1205

Core Duo T2400

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

96%

#1206

Core 2 Duo U7600

MSRP: $250|Avg: $5

96%

#1207

Pentium M 735

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

94%

#1208

Core i7-620LM

MSRP: $300|Avg: N/A

92%

#1209

Core i7-740QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

92%

#1211

Core 2 Solo SU3300

MSRP: $262|Avg: $50

90%

#1212

Celeron 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

90%

#1213

Celeron U3600

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium A1018

#1093

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3260%

#1094

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3212%

#1095

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2949%

#1096

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2936%

#1097

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2909%

#1099

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2809%

#1100

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2693%

#1101

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2689%

#1102

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2617%

#1105

Pentium A1018

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

100%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

99%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

98%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

97%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

96%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

96%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

95%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

95%

#1120

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-2312M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Pentium A1018 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-2312M	Pentium A1018
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($15)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Pentium A1018 holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $15 (vs $225), it costs 93% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 1399% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i3-2312M.

Insight	Core i3-2312M	Pentium A1018
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1399%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($15)

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.

Core i3-2312M Benchmark Check

Pentium A1018 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-2312M and Pentium A1018

Core i3-2312M

The Core i3-2312M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,189 points. Launch price was $225.

Pentium A1018

The Pentium A1018 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,188 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-2312M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium A1018's 2 cores. The Core i3-2312M is built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i3-2312M scores 1,189 against the Pentium A1018's 1,188 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i3-2312M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-2312M vs 1 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium A1018.

Feature	Core i3-2312M	Pentium A1018
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	—
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)+200%	1 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	—
PassMark	1,189	1,188
Geekbench 6 Multi	731	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the PGA988 socket with PCIe 2.0.

Feature	Core i3-2312M	Pentium A1018
Socket	PGA988	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i3-2312M) / not specified (Pentium A1018). The Core i3-2312M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium A1018 requires a dedicated GPU.