Core i5-4308U vs Pentium Silver N6000

Intel

Core i5-4308U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2014
Similar parts
·······
VS
Intel

Pentium Silver N6000

4 Cores4 Thrd6 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2021
Similar parts
·······

Core i5-4308U vs Pentium Silver N6000 Performance Spectrum

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.

Core i5-4308U vs Pentium Silver N6000 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 i5-4308U vs Pentium Silver N6000: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-4308U

2014

Why buy it

  • 50% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,978 vs 2,989).
  • Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
  • 8433.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 6W.

Pentium Silver N6000

2021

Why buy it

  • +0.4% higher PassMark.
  • +33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
  • Draws 6W instead of 512W, a 506W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Silver N6000 better than Core i5-4308U?
Yes. Pentium Silver N6000 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
For gaming, this matchup is basically a tie in the data we have.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Silver N6000 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Pentium Silver N6000 still makes the most sense overall. Pentium Silver N6000 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Pentium Silver N6000 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2014), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i5-4308U vs Pentium Silver N6000 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Core i5-4308U

The Core i5-4308U 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 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 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: 2,978 points. Launch price was $315.

Intel

Pentium Silver N6000

The Pentium Silver N6000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Jasper Lake (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.5 MB (total). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1338. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,989 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Core i5-4308U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Silver N6000 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Silver N6000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-4308U versus 3.3 GHz on the Pentium Silver N6000 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core i5-4308U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium Silver N6000 uses Jasper Lake (2021) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4308U scores 2,978 against the Pentium Silver N6000's 2,989 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium Silver N6000. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-4308U vs 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Silver N6000.

FeatureCore i5-4308UPentium Silver N6000
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
3.3 GHz
3.3 GHz
Base Clock
2.8 GHz+155%
1.1 GHz
L3 Cache
3 MB
4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache
512 kB
1.5 MB (total)+200%
Process
22 nm
10 nm-55%
Architecture
Haswell (2013−2015)
Jasper Lake (2021)
PassMark
2,978
2,989
Cinebench R23 Multi
1,911
Geekbench 6 Single
473
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,090
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4308U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Silver N6000 uses BGA1338 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3L-1600 on the Core i5-4308U versus DDR4-2933 on the Pentium Silver N6000 — the Pentium Silver N6000 supports 83.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i5-4308U) vs 8 (Pentium Silver N6000) — the Core i5-4308U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureCore i5-4308UPentium Silver N6000
Socket
FCBGA1168
BGA1338
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3L-1600
DDR4-2933+83%
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
No
PCIe Lanes
12+50%
8
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4308U) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium Silver N6000). Both include integrated graphics Iris Graphics 5100 (Core i5-4308U) and UHD Graphics (32 EU) (Pentium Silver N6000) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4308U targets Mobile, Pentium Silver N6000 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Pentium Silver N6000 rivals Celeron N5105.

FeatureCore i5-4308UPentium Silver N6000
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Iris Graphics 5100
UHD Graphics (32 EU)
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Mobile
Budget