Core i5-4278U vs Pentium G4500

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.

Core i5-4278U vs Pentium G4500 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i5-4278U vs Pentium G4500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i5-4278U

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Graphics 5100, while Pentium G4500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium G4500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌903.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 51W.

Pentium G4500

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Draws 51W instead of 512W, a 461W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,800 vs 2,826).
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Core i5-4278U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-4278U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G4500 better than Core i5-4278U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G4500 is ahead with a 5.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-4278U pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Pentium G4500 also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-4278U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium G4500 is the better buy right now. Pentium G4500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i5-4278U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.9% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (37.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium G4500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2014) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i5-4278U vs Pentium G4500 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i5-4278U

The Core i5-4278U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,826 points. Launch price was $315.

Pentium G4500

The Pentium G4500 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 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,800 points. Launch price was $82.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-4278U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium G4500's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-4278U versus 3.5 GHz on the Pentium G4500 — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G4500 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-4278U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium G4500 uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4278U scores 2,826 against the Pentium G4500's 2,800 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i5-4278U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4278U vs 4 MB (total) on the Pentium G4500.

Feature	Core i5-4278U	Pentium G4500
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.5 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.5 GHz+35%
L3 Cache	3 MB	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,826	2,800
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,688	—
Geekbench 6 Single	889	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,860	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4278U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G4500 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-4278U	Pentium G4500
Socket	FCBGA1168	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-4278U) / not specified (Pentium G4500). The Core i5-4278U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Graphics 5100), while the Pentium G4500 requires a dedicated GPU.