Core i5-3320M vs Core i3-6100U

Core i5-3320M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2012

Core i3-6100U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-3320M

2 / 4

2,660

+1.1%

Core Duo T2400

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2,631

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 i5-3320M is positioned at rank 65 and the Core i3-6100U is on rank 772, so the Core i5-3320M 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 i5-3320M

#14

Ryzen 5 PRO 230

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

99%

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

94%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

90%

#53

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

221%

#54

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

217%

#55

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

200%

#56

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

199%

#57

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

197%

#59

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

190%

#60

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

182%

#61

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

182%

#62

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

177%

#65

Core i5-3320M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#66

Core i7-4510U

MSRP: $393|Avg: N/A

99%

#69

Core 2 Quad Q9100

MSRP: $14|Avg: $14

97%

#75

Core i3-4030U

MSRP: $281|Avg: N/A

94%

#79

Atom D2500

MSRP: $42|Avg: N/A

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-6100U

#760

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1115%

#761

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1099%

#762

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1009%

#763

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1004%

#764

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

995%

#766

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

961%

#767

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

921%

#768

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

920%

#769

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

895%

#772

Core i3-6100U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#773

Core i7-9750HF

MSRP: $395|Avg: $395

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-3320M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-6100U in both compute-intensive tasks (1.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-3320M	Core i3-6100U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-3320M	Core i3-6100U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ 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 i5-3320M Benchmark Check

Core i3-6100U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-3320M and Core i3-6100U

Core i5-3320M

The Core i5-3320M 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 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,660 points. Launch price was $225.

Core i3-6100U

The Core i3-6100U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,631 points. Launch price was $281.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-3320M and Core i3-6100U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-3320M versus 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-6100U — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-3320M (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core i5-3320M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i3-6100U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3320M scores 2,660 against the Core i3-6100U's 2,631 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i5-3320M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3320M vs 3 MB on the Core i3-6100U.

Feature	Core i5-3320M	Core i3-6100U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz+43%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+13%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	3 MB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,660+1%	2,631

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-3320M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-6100U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-3320M	Core i3-6100U
Socket	PGA988	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-3320M) / not specified (Core i3-6100U). The Core i5-3320M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core i3-6100U requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-3320M rivals AMD A10-4600M.