Core i5-7300U vs Pentium G4600
Core i5-7300U
Pentium G4600
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 i5-7300U is positioned at rank 611 and the Pentium G4600 is on rank 466, so the Pentium G4600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-7300U
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G4600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-7300U | Pentium G4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($116) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-7300U | Pentium G4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($116) |
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 i5-7300U and Pentium G4600
Core i5-7300U
The Core i5-7300U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,631 points. Launch price was $281.
Pentium G4600
The Pentium G4600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,629 points. Launch price was $87.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-7300U and Pentium G4600 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-7300U versus 3.6 GHz on the Pentium G4600 — a 2.8% clock advantage for the Pentium G4600 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). Both are built on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture using a 14 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-7300U scores 3,631 against the Pentium G4600's 3,629 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-7300U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i5-7300U vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G4600.
| Feature | Core i5-7300U | Pentium G4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.6 GHz+3% |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz+38% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 3,631 | 3,629 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-7300U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G4600 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-7300U | Pentium G4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7300U) / not specified (Pentium G4600). The Core i5-7300U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 620), while the Pentium G4600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7300U targets Mobile.
| Feature | Core i5-7300U | Pentium G4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 620 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Mobile | — |
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