Core i5-3210M vs Core i7-4650U

Core i5-3210M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2012

Core i7-4650U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-3210M

2 / 4

2,469

+0.2%

2,463

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 i5-3210M is positioned at rank 158 and the Core i7-4650U is on rank 793, so the Core i5-3210M 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 i5-3210M

#42

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

MSRP: $749|Avg: N/A

100%

#146

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

333%

#147

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

328%

#148

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

301%

#149

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

300%

#150

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

297%

#152

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

287%

#153

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

275%

#154

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

274%

#155

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

267%

#158

Core i5-3210M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

100%

#173

Celeron N3060

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-4650U

#781

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1191%

#782

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1174%

#783

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1078%

#784

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1073%

#785

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1063%

#787

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1026%

#788

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

984%

#789

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

983%

#790

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

956%

#793

Core i7-4650U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#795

Core i3-1115G4E

MSRP: $213|Avg: $47

100%

#797

Celeron M 900

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#799

Celeron B815

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

#801

Celeron B810

MSRP: $86|Avg: $86

99%

#803

Core i7-1365UE

MSRP: $429|Avg: $429

98%

#805

3020e

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-4650U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-3210M is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-3210M	Core i7-4650U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($30)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell-ULT (2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-3210M	Core i7-4650U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($30)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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 i5-3210M Benchmark Check

Core i7-4650U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-3210M and Core i7-4650U

Core i5-3210M

The Core i5-3210M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) 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 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,469 points. Launch price was $225.

Core i7-4650U

The Core i7-4650U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-ULT (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,463 points. Launch price was $454.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-3210M and Core i7-4650U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-3210M versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-4650U — a 6.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-4650U (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Core i5-3210M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-4650U uses Haswell-ULT (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3210M scores 2,469 against the Core i7-4650U's 2,463 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i5-3210M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3210M vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-4650U.

Feature	Core i5-3210M	Core i7-4650U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.3 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+47%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Haswell-ULT (2013)
PassMark	2,469	2,463
Geekbench 6 Single	600	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,400	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-3210M uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4650U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-3210M	Core i7-4650U
Socket	BGA1023	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-3210M) / not specified (Core i7-4650U). The Core i5-3210M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core i7-4650U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3210M targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-3210M rivals AMD A10-4600M.