Core i5-2415M vs Core i3-4120U
Core i5-2415M
Core i3-4120U
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 i5-2415M is positioned at rank 898 and the Core i3-4120U is on rank 129, so the Core i3-4120U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2415M
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4120U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-2415M | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-2415M | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i5-2415M and Core i3-4120U
Core i5-2415M
The Core i5-2415M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,933 points. Launch price was $225.
Core i3-4120U
The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-2415M and Core i3-4120U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-2415M versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U — a 36.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-2415M (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i5-2415M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-4120U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2415M scores 1,933 against the Core i3-4120U's 1,948 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-4120U. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2415M vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U.
| Feature | Core i5-2415M | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.9 GHz+45% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz+15% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,933 | 1,948 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 462 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,071 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-2415M uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4120U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-2415M) vs 12 (Core i3-4120U) — the Core i5-2415M offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Core i5-2415M | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: VT-x (Core i5-2415M) vs Yes (Core i3-4120U). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 3000 (Core i5-2415M) and Intel HD Graphics 4400 (Core i3-4120U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2415M targets Mobile.
| Feature | Core i5-2415M | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 3000 | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | Yes |
| Target Use | Mobile | — |
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