Core i3-380M vs Core i5-430M

Both the Core i3-380M and Core i5-430M share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.53 GHz on the Core i3-380M versus 2.53 GHz on the Core i5-430M — a 130.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-430M (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). Both are built on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture using a 32 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i3-380M scores 1,212 against the Core i5-430M's 1,210 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-380M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 450 vs 350, a 25% lead for the Core i3-380M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,100 vs 750 (37.8% advantage for the Core i3-380M). Both processors carry 3 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Both processors use the PGA988 socket with PCIe 2.0. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57,QM57 (Core i3-380M) and HM55 (Core i5-430M).

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i3-380M) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-430M). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Gen 1) (Core i3-380M) and Intel HD Graphics (Core i5-430M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-380M targets Legacy Laptop, Core i5-430M targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-380M rivals AMD Athlon II P320; Core i5-430M rivals AMD Turion II M620.

At current prices ($25 vs $33), the Core i3-380M is $8 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i3-380M delivers 48.5 pts/$ vs 36.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-430M — making the Core i3-380M the 27.7% better value option.