Core i5-7300U vs Pentium G4600

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 i5-7300U vs Pentium G4600 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 i5-7300U vs Pentium G4600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-7300U

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 51W, a 36W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 620, while Pentium G4600 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium G4600 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Pentium G4600

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.6% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,629 vs 3,631).
❌Launch MSRP is still $82 MSRP, while Core i5-7300U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌240% higher power demand at 51W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7300U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-7300U better than Pentium G4600?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G4600 is ahead with a 5.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-7300U pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-7300U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-7300U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i5-7300U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $82 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. Pentium G4600 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2017 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (44.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Core i5-7300U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 2 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 i5-7300U vs Pentium G4600 Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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

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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	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

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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.