Core i5-480M vs Pentium Gold 6405U
Core i5-480M
Pentium Gold 6405U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 i5-480M is positioned at rank 6 and the Pentium Gold 6405U is on rank 770, so the Core i5-480M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-480M
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 6405U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-480M | Pentium Gold 6405U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($77) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-480M | Pentium Gold 6405U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($77) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-480M and Pentium Gold 6405U
Core i5-480M
The Core i5-480M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,327 points. Launch price was $81.
Pentium Gold 6405U
The Pentium Gold 6405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,320 points. Launch price was $161.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-480M and Pentium Gold 6405U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Core i5-480M versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 6405U — a 19.9% clock advantage for the Core i5-480M (base: 2.66 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i5-480M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold 6405U uses Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-480M scores 1,327 against the Pentium Gold 6405U's 1,320 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-480M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-480M vs 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 6405U.
| Feature | Core i5-480M | Pentium Gold 6405U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.93 GHz+22% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz+11% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total)+50% | 2 MB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Arrandale (2010−2011) | Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 1,327 | 1,320 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-480M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold 6405U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-480M | Pentium Gold 6405U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | FCBGA1528 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Core i5-480M) / not specified (Pentium Gold 6405U). The Core i5-480M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake)), while the Pentium Gold 6405U requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-480M rivals AMD Turion II M620.
| Feature | Core i5-480M | Pentium Gold 6405U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake) | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
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