Core i5-2510E vs Core i3-4030U

Core i5-2510E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2011

Core i3-4030U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2510E

2 / 4

1,884

+0.4%

1,876

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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-2510E is positioned at rank 1131 and the Core i3-4030U is on rank 75, so the Core i3-4030U 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 i5-2510E

#1119

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3582%

#1120

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3530%

#1121

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3241%

#1122

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3226%

#1123

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3196%

#1125

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3087%

#1126

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2960%

#1127

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2955%

#1128

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2875%

#1131

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

100%

#1132

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

100%

#1134

Core i3-2330E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $10

99%

#1135

Core i5-4288U

MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A

95%

#1136

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1137

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

94%

#1138

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

94%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

#1141

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

93%

#1142

Pentium B950

MSRP: $134|Avg: $35

93%

#1143

Celeron 220

MSRP: $42|Avg: $42

93%

#1144

Pentium B960

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

93%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4030U

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

96%

#63

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

235%

#64

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

231%

#65

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

212%

#66

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

211%

#67

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

209%

#69

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

202%

#70

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

194%

#71

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

193%

#72

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

188%

#75

Core i3-4030U

MSRP: $281|Avg: N/A

100%

#79

Atom D2500

MSRP: $42|Avg: N/A

97%

#88

Core 2 Duo T7500

MSRP: $316|Avg: $5

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-2510E delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-4030U in both compute-intensive tasks (0.4% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-2510E	Core i3-4030U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($30)	⚠️ Higher cost ($281)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i5-2510E stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 89% cheaper ($30 vs $281) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-2510E	Core i3-4030U
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+841%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($30)	⚠️ Higher cost ($281)

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 i5-2510E Benchmark Check

Core i3-4030U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2510E and Core i3-4030U

Core i5-2510E

The Core i5-2510E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,884 points. Launch price was $266.

Core i3-4030U

The Core i3-4030U 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 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 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: 1,876 points. Launch price was $281.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-2510E and Core i3-4030U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-2510E versus 1.9 GHz on the Core i3-4030U — a 48% clock advantage for the Core i5-2510E (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-2510E uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-4030U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2510E scores 1,884 against the Core i3-4030U's 1,876 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-2510E. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2510E vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4030U.

Feature	Core i5-2510E	Core i3-4030U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz+63%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+32%	1.9 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	1,884	1,876
Geekbench 6 Single	527	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2510E uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4030U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-2510E	Core i3-4030U
Socket	PGA988	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-2510E) / not specified (Core i3-4030U). The Core i5-2510E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Core i3-4030U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2510E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-2510E rivals Embedded R-Series.