Core m3-7Y30 vs Pentium Silver N5000

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 m3-7Y30 vs Pentium Silver N5000 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 m3-7Y30 vs Pentium Silver N5000: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core m3-7Y30

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 5W instead of 6W, a 2W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (10 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 615, while Pentium Silver N5000 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,418 vs 2,442).
❌Launch MSRP is still $281 MSRP, while Pentium Silver N5000 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium Silver N5000

2017

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌33.3% higher power demand at 6W vs 4.5W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core m3-7Y30 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Silver N5000 better than Core m3-7Y30?

Yes. Pentium Silver N5000 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium Silver N5000 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Silver N5000 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Silver N5000 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Pentium Silver N5000 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $281 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core m3-7Y30 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 2.7% in the shared gaming data.

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

Pentium Silver N5000 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 4 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 m3-7Y30 vs Pentium Silver N5000 Technical Specifications

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

Core m3-7Y30

The Core m3-7Y30 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,418 points. Launch price was $281.

Pentium Silver N5000

The Pentium Silver N5000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2017 (7 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont Plus (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,442 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The Core m3-7Y30 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Silver N5000 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium Silver N5000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Core m3-7Y30 versus 2.7 GHz on the Pentium Silver N5000 — a 3.8% clock advantage for the Pentium Silver N5000 (base: 1 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Core m3-7Y30 uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium Silver N5000 uses Goldmont Plus (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core m3-7Y30 scores 2,418 against the Pentium Silver N5000's 2,442 — a 1% lead for the Pentium Silver N5000. Both processors carry 4 MB of L3 cache.

Feature	Core m3-7Y30	Pentium Silver N5000
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz	2.7 GHz+4%
Base Clock	1 GHz	1.1 GHz+10%
L3 Cache	4 MB	4 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB	4 MB (total)+700%
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Goldmont Plus (2017)
PassMark	2,418	2,442
Cinebench R23 Multi	645	—
Geekbench 6 Single	768	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,481	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core m3-7Y30 uses the FCBGA1515 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Silver N5000 uses FCBGA1090 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core m3-7Y30	Pentium Silver N5000
Socket	FCBGA1515	FCBGA1090
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	LPDDR3-1866 / DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	10	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core m3-7Y30) / not specified (Pentium Silver N5000). The Core m3-7Y30 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 615), while the Pentium Silver N5000 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core m3-7Y30 targets Ultra-portable.