Core i5-10210U vs Microsoft SQ1

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 i5-10210U is positioned at rank 868 and the Microsoft SQ1 is on rank 877, so the Core i5-10210U 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 i5-10210U

#856

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1435%

#857

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1414%

#858

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1298%

#859

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1293%

#860

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1281%

#862

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1237%

#863

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1186%

#864

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1184%

#865

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1152%

#868

Core i5-10210U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#873

Celeron M 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

99%

#877

Microsoft SQ1

MSRP: $300|Avg: $180

98%

#879

Core i5-6440HQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

98%

#883

Celeron Dual-Core T1600

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Microsoft SQ1

#865

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1458%

#866

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1436%

#867

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1318%

#868

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1312%

#869

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1300%

#871

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1256%

#872

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1204%

#873

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1202%

#874

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1170%

#877

Microsoft SQ1

MSRP: $300|Avg: $180

100%

#879

Core i5-6440HQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

100%

#883

Celeron Dual-Core T1600

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

99%

#884

Athlon II N330

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

99%

#889

Core i7-7820EQ

MSRP: $378|Avg: $378

98%

#890

Celeron 7305

MSRP: $128|Avg: $107

98%

#891

E-300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $20

97%

#892

Core i7-7820HK

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-10210U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Microsoft SQ1 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-10210U	Microsoft SQ1
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($180)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) / 14 nm)	✨ Modern (Cortex-A76 / A55 (Kryo 495) (2019) / 7 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-10210U	Microsoft SQ1
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($180)

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 i5-10210U Benchmark Check

Microsoft SQ1 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10210U and Microsoft SQ1

Core i5-10210U

The Core i5-10210U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,071 points. Launch price was $149.

Microsoft SQ1

The Microsoft SQ1 is manufactured by Microsoft. It was released in 2 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Cortex-A76 / A55 (Kryo 495) (2019) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Max frequency: 3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. Built on 7 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): + 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 6,039 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-10210U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Microsoft SQ1 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the Microsoft SQ1 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-10210U versus 3 GHz on the Microsoft SQ1 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-10210U. The Core i5-10210U uses the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Microsoft SQ1 uses Cortex-A76 / A55 (Kryo 495) (2019) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-10210U scores 6,071 against the Microsoft SQ1's 6,039 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-10210U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-10210U vs 2 MB on the Microsoft SQ1.

Feature	Core i5-10210U	Microsoft SQ1
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	8 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+40%	3 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)+200%	2 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	—
Process	14 nm	7 nm-50%
Architecture	Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)	Cortex-A76 / A55 (Kryo 495) (2019)
PassMark	6,071	6,039