Core i5-3230M vs Core i5-5350U

Core i5-3230M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2013

Core i5-5350U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-3230M

2 / 4

2,565

0.0%

2,589

+0.9%

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 i5-3230M is positioned at rank 30 and the Core i5-5350U is on rank 1126, so the Core i5-3230M 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 i5-3230M

#18

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

172%

#19

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

169%

#20

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

155%

#21

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

155%

#22

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

153%

#24

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

148%

#25

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

142%

#26

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

142%

#27

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

138%

#30

Core i5-3230M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $13

100%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

100%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

99%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

97%

#38

Core 2 Duo T8100

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

90%

#39

Atom 330

MSRP: $43|Avg: $30

89%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

87%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-5350U

#1114

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3569%

#1115

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3517%

#1116

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3229%

#1117

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3214%

#1118

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3185%

#1120

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3075%

#1121

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2949%

#1122

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2944%

#1123

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2865%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

100%

#1127

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

100%

#1128

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

100%

#1129

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

100%

#1130

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

100%

#1131

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

100%

#1132

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1133

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

94%

#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

93%

#1141

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-3230M leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i5-5350U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.9% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-3230M	Core i5-5350U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($13)	⚠️ Higher cost ($315)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i5-3230M stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 96% cheaper ($13 vs $315) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-3230M	Core i5-5350U
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+2301%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($13)	⚠️ Higher cost ($315)

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 i5-3230M Benchmark Check

Core i5-5350U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-3230M and Core i5-5350U

Core i5-3230M

The Core i5-3230M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 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: 2,565 points. Launch price was $225.

Core i5-5350U

The Core i5-5350U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,589 points. Launch price was $315.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-3230M and Core i5-5350U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-3230M versus 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-5350U — a 9.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-3230M (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core i5-3230M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-5350U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3230M scores 2,565 against the Core i5-5350U's 2,589 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-5350U. Both processors carry 3 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-3230M	Core i5-5350U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+10%	2.9 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+44%	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,565	2,589
Geekbench 6 Single	565	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,128	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-3230M uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-5350U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Core i5-3230M supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-3230M) vs 12 (Core i5-5350U) — the Core i5-3230M offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Core i5-3230M	Core i5-5350U
Socket	BGA1023	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	LPDDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+100%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support VT-x, VT-d virtualization. Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 4000 (Core i5-3230M) and HD Graphics 6000 (Core i5-5350U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3230M targets Gaming, Core i5-5350U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Core i5-3230M rivals Ryzen 5 3500U.