Core i5-3437U vs Core m3-6Y30

Core i5-3437U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2013

Core m3-6Y30

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-3437U

2 / 4

2,166

0.0%

2,180

+0.6%

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 i5-3437U is positioned at rank 164 and the Core m3-6Y30 is on rank 1136, so the Core i5-3437U 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 i5-3437U

#152

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

339%

#153

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

334%

#154

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

306%

#155

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

305%

#156

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

302%

#158

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

292%

#159

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

280%

#160

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

279%

#161

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

272%

#164

Core i5-3437U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Celeron N3060

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

97%

#176

Core 2 Duo T9300

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core m3-6Y30

#1124

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3781%

#1125

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3726%

#1126

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3420%

#1127

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3405%

#1128

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3373%

#1130

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3258%

#1131

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3124%

#1132

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3119%

#1133

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3035%

#1136

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

100%

#1137

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

100%

#1138

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

99%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1141

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

98%

#1142

Pentium B950

MSRP: $134|Avg: $35

98%

#1143

Celeron 220

MSRP: $42|Avg: $42

98%

#1144

Pentium B960

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

98%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

98%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

97%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

97%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

96%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-3437U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core m3-6Y30 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-3437U	Core m3-6Y30
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($281)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Skylake-Y (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-3437U	Core m3-6Y30
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ 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 i5-3437U Benchmark Check

Core m3-6Y30 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-3437U and Core m3-6Y30

Core i5-3437U

The Core i5-3437U 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 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,166 points. Launch price was $69.

Core m3-6Y30

The Core m3-6Y30 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-Y (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 0.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,180 points. Launch price was $281.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core i5-3437U and Core m3-6Y30 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-3437U versus 2.2 GHz on the Core m3-6Y30 — a 27.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-3437U (base: 1.9 GHz vs 0.9 GHz). The Core i5-3437U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core m3-6Y30 uses Skylake-Y (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3437U scores 2,166 against the Core m3-6Y30's 2,180 — a 0.6% lead for the Core m3-6Y30. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3437U vs 4 MB (total) on the Core m3-6Y30.

Feature	Core i5-3437U	Core m3-6Y30
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz+32%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz+111%	0.9 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256 kB (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Skylake-Y (2015)
PassMark	2,166	2,180
Geekbench 6 Single	440	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,080	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-3437U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core m3-6Y30 uses FCBGA1515 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-3437U	Core m3-6Y30
Socket	BGA1023	FCBGA1515
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 i5-3437U) / not specified (Core m3-6Y30). The Core i5-3437U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core m3-6Y30 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3437U targets Business Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Core i5-3437U rivals AMD A8-4555M.