Core i3-8109U vs Pentium Gold G6500

CPU

GPU

Core i3-8109U

2 Cores4 Thrd28 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2018

Pentium Gold G6500

2 Cores4 Thrd58 WWMax: 4.1 GHz2020

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-8109U

2 / 4

4,184

0.0%

4,185

0.0%

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. The Core i3-8109U is positioned at rank #857 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

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 i3-8109U

#845

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1402%

#846

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1382%

#847

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1269%

#848

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1263%

#849

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1251%

#851

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1208%

#852

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1159%

#853

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1157%

#854

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1126%

#857

Core i3-8109U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#863

Pentium Dual Core T2390

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

98%

#867

Core i7-1160G7

MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Pentium Gold G6500 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-8109U in both compute-intensive tasks (0% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-8109U	Pentium Gold G6500
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	✨ Modern (Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-8109U	Pentium Gold G6500
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 i3-8109U Benchmark Check

Pentium Gold G6500 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-8109U and Pentium Gold G6500

Core i3-8109U

The Core i3-8109U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,184 points. Launch price was $304.

Pentium Gold G6500

The Pentium Gold G6500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 58 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 4,185 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i3-8109U and Pentium Gold G6500 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i3-8109U versus 4.1 GHz on the Pentium Gold G6500 — a 13% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold G6500 (base: 3 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Core i3-8109U uses the Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8109U scores 4,184 against the Pentium Gold G6500's 4,185 — a 0% lead for the Pentium Gold G6500. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i3-8109U	Pentium Gold G6500
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	4.1 GHz+14%
Base Clock	3 GHz	4.1 GHz+37%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Coffee Lake-U (2018−2019)	Comet Lake (2020−2025)
PassMark	4,184	4,185
Geekbench 6 Single	1,100	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8109U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold G6500 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-8109U	Pentium Gold G6500
Socket	FCBGA1528	LGA1200
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-8109U) / not specified (Pentium Gold G6500). The Core i3-8109U includes integrated graphics (Iris Plus Graphics 655), while the Pentium Gold G6500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-8109U targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-8109U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.