Core i5-520M vs A10-7300

CPU

GPU

Core i5-520M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2010

A10-7300

4 Cores4 Thrd4 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-520M

2 / 4

1,727

0.0%

1,736

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 i5-520M is positioned at rank 1139 and the A10-7300 is on rank 1042, so the A10-7300 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 i5-520M

#1127

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3820%

#1128

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3764%

#1129

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3456%

#1130

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3440%

#1131

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3409%

#1133

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3292%

#1134

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3156%

#1135

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3151%

#1136

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3066%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1141

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

99%

#1142

Pentium B950

MSRP: $134|Avg: $35

99%

#1143

Celeron 220

MSRP: $42|Avg: $42

99%

#1144

Pentium B960

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

99%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

99%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

98%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

98%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

97%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

96%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

96%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

95%

#1154

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A10-7300

#1030

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2536%

#1031

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2499%

#1032

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2294%

#1033

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2283%

#1034

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2263%

#1036

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2185%

#1037

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2095%

#1038

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2092%

#1039

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2035%

#1042

A10-7300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

100%

#1043

Core i7-3612QE

MSRP: $426|Avg: $50

100%

#1044

Pentium Dual Core T4200

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1045

A6 Micro-6500T

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

99%

#1046

Pentium N3520

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1047

E2-3800

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

98%

#1048

Athlon X2 QL-66

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

98%

#1049

Athlon II Neo K145

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

#1050

Celeron P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1051

Core 2 Duo U7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1052

Pentium 987

MSRP: $134|Avg: $20

96%

#1053

Core i7-4910MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $570

96%

#1054

Pentium T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

95%

#1056

Athlon X2 QL-65

MSRP: $150|Avg: $22

94%

#1057

Pentium J2850

MSRP: $94|Avg: $94

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The A10-7300 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i5-520M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-520M	A10-7300
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($50)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Kaveri (2014−2015) / 28 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the A10-7300 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 78% cheaper ($50 vs $225) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-520M	A10-7300
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+352%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)	✅ More affordable ($50)

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 i5-520M Benchmark Check

A10-7300 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-520M and A10-7300

Core i5-520M

The Core i5-520M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,727 points. Launch price was $225.

A10-7300

The A10-7300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4096 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP3. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,736 points. Launch price was $130.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-520M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the A10-7300 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A10-7300 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Core i5-520M versus 3.2 GHz on the A10-7300 — a 8.8% clock advantage for the A10-7300 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Core i5-520M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the A10-7300 uses Kaveri (2014−2015) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-520M scores 1,727 against the A10-7300's 1,736 — a 0.5% lead for the A10-7300.

Feature	Core i5-520M	A10-7300
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.93 GHz	3.2 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+26%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB	4096 kB+700%
Process	32 nm	28 nm-13%
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Kaveri (2014−2015)
PassMark	1,727	1,736
Geekbench 6 Single	360	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	695	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-520M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A10-7300 uses FP3 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Core i5-520M versus DDR3-1600 on the A10-7300 — the Core i5-520M supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A10-7300 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM55,HM57,QM57 (Core i5-520M) and FP3 (A10-7300).

Feature	Core i5-520M	A10-7300
Socket	PGA988	FP3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1066+35433%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	8	16 GB+209715100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Core i5-520M) vs AMD-V (A10-7300). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake) (Core i5-520M) and Radeon R6 (A10-7300) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A10-7300 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-520M rivals AMD Turion II Ultra M660; A10-7300 rivals Core i3-4010U.