Core i3-6100U vs Core i5-3610ME

CPU

GPU

Core i3-6100U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2015

Core i5-3610ME

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-6100U

2 / 4

2,631

0.0%

2,652

+0.8%

Pentium G860

Pentium Dual Core T2390

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 i3-6100U is positioned at rank 772 and the Core i5-3610ME is on rank 1089, so the Core i3-6100U 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 i3-6100U

#760

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1115%

#761

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1099%

#762

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1009%

#763

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1004%

#764

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

995%

#766

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

961%

#767

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

921%

#768

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

920%

#769

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

895%

#772

Core i3-6100U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#773

Core i7-9750HF

MSRP: $395|Avg: $395

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-3610ME

#1077

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3053%

#1078

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3008%

#1079

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2762%

#1080

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2749%

#1081

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2724%

#1083

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2631%

#1084

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2522%

#1085

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2518%

#1086

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2451%

#1089

Core i5-3610ME

MSRP: $276|Avg: $22

100%

#1090

Core m3-7Y32

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

100%

#1091

Celeron B720

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

99%

#1093

Celeron 847

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

99%

#1094

Core i7-2630QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

98%

#1096

Core i7-2635QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

98%

#1097

Celeron 877

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1098

Celeron Dual-Core SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $50

97%

#1099

Core i5-3337U

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

97%

#1100

Core i5-2450M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1101

Core i5-7Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1102

Core i5-7Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $100

96%

#1104

Pentium 997

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-3610ME delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-6100U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.8% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-6100U	Core i5-3610ME
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($22)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-6100U	Core i5-3610ME
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($22)

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 i3-6100U Benchmark Check

Core i5-3610ME Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-6100U and Core i5-3610ME

Core i3-6100U

The Core i3-6100U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,631 points. Launch price was $281.

Core i5-3610ME

The Core i5-3610ME is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: G2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 2,652 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-6100U and Core i5-3610ME share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-6100U versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-3610ME — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-3610ME (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i3-6100U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-3610ME uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-6100U scores 2,631 against the Core i5-3610ME's 2,652 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i5-3610ME. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-6100U vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3610ME.

Feature	Core i3-6100U	Core i5-3610ME
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	3.3 GHz+43%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.7 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	3 MB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,631	2,652
Geekbench 6 Single	—	585

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-6100U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-3610ME uses G2 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-6100U	Core i5-3610ME
Socket	BGA1356	G2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-6100U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-3610ME). The Core i5-3610ME includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Core i3-6100U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3610ME targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-3610ME rivals Embedded R-Series.