CPU
GPU
Core i5-1230U
Ryzen 3 5400U
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 i5-1230U is positioned at rank 620 and the Ryzen 3 5400U is on rank 387, so the Ryzen 3 5400U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-1230U
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 3 5400U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-1230U | Ryzen 3 5400U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-1230U | Ryzen 3 5400U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i5-1230U and Ryzen 3 5400U
Core i5-1230U
The Core i5-1230U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,995 points. Launch price was $149.
Ryzen 3 5400U
The Ryzen 3 5400U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 11,002 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i5-1230U packs 10 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 3 5400U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i5-1230U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1230U versus 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5400U — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-1230U (base: 1 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-1230U uses the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture (Intel 7 nm), while the Ryzen 3 5400U uses Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1230U scores 10,995 against the Ryzen 3 5400U's 11,002 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 3 5400U. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1230U vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 5400U.
| Feature | Core i5-1230U | Ryzen 3 5400U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 10 / 12+150% | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 4.4 GHz+10% | 4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1 GHz | 2.6 GHz+160% |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB (total)+50% | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1.25 MB (per core)+150% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | Intel 7 nm | 7 nm |
| Architecture | Alder Lake-U (2022) | Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) |
| PassMark | 10,995 | 11,002 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,625 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-1230U uses the FCBGA1781 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen 3 5400U uses FP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-1230U | Ryzen 3 5400U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1781 | FP6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 5.0+25% | PCIe 4.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR5-5200 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 14 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1230U) / not specified (Ryzen 3 5400U). The Core i5-1230U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Ryzen 3 5400U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1230U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1230U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.
| Feature | Core i5-1230U | Ryzen 3 5400U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Thin & Light Laptop | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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