Core i3-4100E vs Pentium Gold 4425Y

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.

Core i3-4100E vs Pentium Gold 4425Y FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i3-4100E vs Pentium Gold 4425Y: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-4100E

2013

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 4600, while Pentium Gold 4425Y needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,848 vs 1,854).
❌Launch MSRP is still $225 MSRP, while Pentium Gold 4425Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium Gold 4425Y

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 3 MB).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-4100E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold 4425Y better than Core i3-4100E?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-4100E is ahead with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 4425Y pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark. Core i3-4100E also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold 4425Y is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold 4425Y is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Pentium Gold 4425Y comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $225 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. Core i3-4100E only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games.

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

Pentium Gold 4425Y makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-4100E vs Pentium Gold 4425Y Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i3-4100E

The Core i3-4100E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB + 3 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,848 points. Launch price was $225.

Pentium Gold 4425Y

The Pentium Gold 4425Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 April 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,854 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i3-4100E and Pentium Gold 4425Y share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-4100E versus 1.7 GHz on the Pentium Gold 4425Y — a 34.1% clock advantage for the Core i3-4100E (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i3-4100E uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium Gold 4425Y uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4100E scores 1,848 against the Pentium Gold 4425Y's 1,854 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium Gold 4425Y. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4100E vs 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 4425Y.

Feature	Core i3-4100E	Pentium Gold 4425Y
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+41%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+41%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%	2 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	1,848	1,854
Geekbench 6 Single	550	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-4100E uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold 4425Y uses FCBGA1515 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-4100E	Pentium Gold 4425Y
Socket	BGA1364	FCBGA1515
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-4100E) / not specified (Pentium Gold 4425Y). The Core i3-4100E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Pentium Gold 4425Y requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4100E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i3-4100E rivals Embedded R-Series.