Core i5-8350U vs Core i5-10210U

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 i5-8350U vs Core i5-10210U 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 i5-8350U vs Core i5-10210U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i5-8350U

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 25W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i5-10210U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i5-10210U

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,071 vs 6,102).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 25W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-8350U better than Core i5-10210U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-10210U is ahead with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8350U pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-8350U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

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

Core i5-8350U still makes the most sense overall. Core i5-8350U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark.

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

Core i5-10210U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core i5-8350U vs Core i5-10210U Technical Specifications

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

Core i5-8350U

The Core i5-8350U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,102 points. Launch price was $297.

Core i5-10210U

The Core i5-10210U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 August 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,071 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Core i5-8350U and Core i5-10210U share an identical 4-core/8-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-8350U versus 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-10210U — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core i5-10210U (base: 1.7 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Core i5-8350U uses the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-10210U uses Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8350U scores 6,102 against the Core i5-10210U's 6,071 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-8350U. Both processors carry 6 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i5-8350U	Core i5-10210U
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz	4.2 GHz+17%
Base Clock	1.7 GHz+6%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019)	Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,102	6,071

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8350U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-10210U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.