Core i3-6157U vs Core i5-4278U

Core i3-6157U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2016

Core i5-4278U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-6157U

2 / 4

2,782

0.0%

2,826

+1.6%

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 i3-6157U is positioned at rank 630 and the Core i5-4278U is on rank 726, so the Core i3-6157U 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 i3-6157U

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

97%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

97%

#618

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

844%

#619

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

831%

#620

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

763%

#621

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

760%

#622

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

753%

#624

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

727%

#625

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

697%

#626

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

696%

#627

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

677%

#630

Core i3-6157U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4278U

#714

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1038%

#715

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1023%

#716

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

939%

#717

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

935%

#718

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

926%

#720

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

895%

#721

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

858%

#722

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

856%

#723

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

833%

#726

Core i5-4278U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-4278U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-6157U in both compute-intensive tasks (1.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-6157U	Core i5-4278U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-6157U	Core i5-4278U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 i3-6157U Benchmark Check

Core i5-4278U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-6157U and Core i5-4278U

Core i3-6157U

The Core i3-6157U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) 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. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,782 points. Launch price was $304.

Core i5-4278U

The Core i5-4278U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,826 points. Launch price was $315.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-6157U and Core i5-4278U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-6157U versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-4278U — a 25.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-4278U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i3-6157U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-4278U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-6157U scores 2,782 against the Core i5-4278U's 2,826 — a 1.6% lead for the Core i5-4278U. Both processors carry 3 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-6157U	Core i5-4278U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	3.1 GHz+29%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.6 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	3 MB	3 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,782	2,826+2%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	1,688
Geekbench 6 Single	—	889
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,860

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-6157U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-4278U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Core i3-6157U versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i5-4278U — the Core i3-6157U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-6157U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 12 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Core i3-6157U	Core i5-4278U
Socket	BGA1356	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133+33%	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+100%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	12	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-6157U) vs true (Core i5-4278U). Both include integrated graphics — Iris Graphics 550 (Core i3-6157U) and Intel Iris Graphics 5100 (Core i5-4278U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-6157U targets Mobile.