Core i3-3250 vs Core i7-4500U

Core i3-3250

2 Cores4 Thrd55 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2013

Core i7-4500U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-3250

2 / 4

2,460

0.0%

2,490

+1.2%

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 i3-3250 is positioned at rank 846 and the Core i7-4500U is on rank 1183, so the Core i3-3250 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 i3-3250

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

17483%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

16519%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

11994%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

3613%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2862%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2504%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1434%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1415%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1289%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1289%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1274%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1240%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1222%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1218%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1207%

#846

Core i3-3250

MSRP: $138|Avg: $40

100%

#847

Core i3-3240

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

100%

#848

Pentium G640T

MSRP: $64|Avg: $69

100%

#849

Core i7-5930K

MSRP: $583|Avg: $410

100%

#851

Core i3-3240T

MSRP: $117|Avg: $8

100%

#852

Athlon II X2 240

MSRP: $60|Avg: $10

99%

#854

Core i5-2500S

MSRP: $192|Avg: $61

99%

#855

Athlon X2 BE-2400

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

98%

#857

Pentium G850

MSRP: $86|Avg: $75

97%

#858

Core i3-2102

MSRP: $117|Avg: $15

97%

#859

Core i5-3475S

MSRP: $249|Avg: $42

97%

#860

Core i7-2600K

MSRP: $317|Avg: $109

97%

#861

Pentium G860

MSRP: $86|Avg: $36

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4500U

#1171

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

4687%

#1172

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

4618%

#1173

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

4240%

#1174

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

4220%

#1175

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

4182%

#1177

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4038%

#1178

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3872%

#1179

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3866%

#1180

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3762%

#1183

Core i7-4500U

MSRP: $398|Avg: N/A

100%

#1185

Athlon Neo X2 L325

MSRP: $100|Avg: $5

98%

#1186

Core i3-2370M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

97%

#1187

Core i3-3217UE

MSRP: $225|Avg: $35

97%

#1188

Celeron T3000

MSRP: $150|Avg: $54

96%

#1189

Core m7-6Y75

MSRP: $393|Avg: $393

96%

#1190

Core M-5Y10

MSRP: $281|Avg: $20

93%

#1193

Celeron 900

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

90%

#1194

Pentium T3400

MSRP: $150|Avg: $90

90%

#1195

Core 2 Solo SU3500

MSRP: $262|Avg: $15

89%

#1196

Core 2 Duo E8335

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

87%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i3-3250 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i7-4500U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-3250	Core i7-4500U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($40)	⚠️ Higher cost ($398)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-ULT (2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i3-3250 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 90% cheaper ($40 vs $398) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i3-3250	Core i7-4500U
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+883%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($40)	⚠️ Higher cost ($398)

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 i3-3250 Benchmark Check

Core i7-4500U Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-3250 and Core i7-4500U

Core i3-3250

The Core i3-3250 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,460 points. Launch price was $138.

Core i7-4500U

The Core i7-4500U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-ULT (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,490 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-3250 and Core i7-4500U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i3-3250 versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-4500U — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core i3-3250 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i3-3250 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-4500U uses Haswell-ULT (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-3250 scores 2,460 against the Core i7-4500U's 2,490 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i7-4500U. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-3250 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-4500U.

Feature	Core i3-3250	Core i7-4500U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+17%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+94%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Haswell-ULT (2013)
PassMark	2,460	2,490+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-3250 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4500U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-3250	Core i7-4500U
Socket	LGA1155	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-3250) / true (Core i7-4500U). The Core i7-4500U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Core i3-3250 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-4500U targets Mobile.