Core i3-7020U vs Pentium G4400

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 i3-7020U vs Pentium G4400 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 i3-7020U vs Pentium G4400: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-7020U

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 54W, a 39W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium G4400 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Pentium G4400

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,562 vs 2,567).
❌Launch MSRP is still $64 MSRP, while Core i3-7020U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌260% higher power demand at 54W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-7020U better than Pentium G4400?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G4400 is ahead with a 5.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-7020U pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-7020U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-7020U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i3-7020U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $64 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. Pentium G4400 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2015 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (40.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Core i3-7020U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2015) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-7020U vs Pentium G4400 Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-7020U

The Core i3-7020U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) 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: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,567 points. Launch price was $281.

Pentium G4400

The Pentium G4400 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 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,562 points. Launch price was $64.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-7020U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium G4400's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-7020U versus 3.3 GHz on the Pentium G4400 — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Pentium G4400 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i3-7020U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium G4400 uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7020U scores 2,567 against the Pentium G4400's 2,562 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-7020U. Both processors carry 3 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-7020U	Pentium G4400
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	3.3 GHz+43%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.3 GHz+43%
L3 Cache	3 MB	3 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,567	2,562

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-7020U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G4400 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.