Core i5-10310U vs Pentium Gold 8500
Core i5-10310U
Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 i5-10310U is positioned at rank 566 and the Pentium Gold 8500 is on rank 527, so the Pentium Gold 8500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-10310U
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-10310U | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-10310U | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-10310U and Pentium Gold 8500
Core i5-10310U
The Core i5-10310U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 13 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,864 points. Launch price was $149.
Pentium Gold 8500
The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i5-10310U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Pentium Gold 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Pentium Gold 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-10310U versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 — identical boost frequencies. The Core i5-10310U is built on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. In PassMark, the Core i5-10310U scores 5,864 against the Pentium Gold 8500's 5,949 — a 1.4% lead for the Pentium Gold 8500. L3 cache: 6 MB on the Core i5-10310U vs 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium Gold 8500.
| Feature | Core i5-10310U | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 5 / 6+25% |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz | 4.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.7 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache+33% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | — |
| Process | 14 nm | Intel 7 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) | — |
| PassMark | 5,864 | 5,949+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,284 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-10310U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-10310U | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1528 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-10310U) / not specified (Pentium Gold 8500). The Core i5-10310U includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics for 10th Gen), while the Pentium Gold 8500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-10310U targets Business Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-10310U rivals Ryzen 5 PRO 4650U.
| Feature | Core i5-10310U | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | UHD Graphics for 10th Gen | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Business Laptop | — |
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