Pentium 2117U vs Core i3-3229Y

Pentium 2117U

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2012

Core i3-3229Y

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.4 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium 2117U

2 / 2

1,009

0.0%

1,014

+0.5%

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 Pentium 2117U is positioned at rank 117 and the Core i3-3229Y is on rank 437, so the Pentium 2117U 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 Pentium 2117U

#105

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

291%

#106

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

287%

#107

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

263%

#108

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

262%

#109

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

259%

#111

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

251%

#112

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

240%

#113

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

240%

#114

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

233%

#117

Pentium 2117U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#126

Celeron N4000

MSRP: $107|Avg: $30

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-3229Y

#425

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

579%

#426

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

570%

#427

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

523%

#428

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

521%

#429

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

516%

#431

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

499%

#432

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

478%

#433

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

477%

#434

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

464%

#437

Core i3-3229Y

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium 2117U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-3229Y is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Pentium 2117U	Core i3-3229Y
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge-Y (2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Pentium 2117U	Core i3-3229Y
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Pentium 2117U Benchmark Check

Core i3-3229Y Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 2117U and Core i3-3229Y

Pentium 2117U

The Pentium 2117U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,009 points. Launch price was $134.

Core i3-3229Y

The Core i3-3229Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge-Y (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,014 points. Launch price was $250.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium 2117U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-3229Y's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 2117U versus 1.4 GHz on the Core i3-3229Y — a 25% clock advantage for the Pentium 2117U (base: 1.8 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Pentium 2117U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i3-3229Y uses Ivy Bridge-Y (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 2117U scores 1,009 against the Core i3-3229Y's 1,014 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-3229Y. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2117U vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-3229Y.

Feature	Pentium 2117U	Core i3-3229Y
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz+29%	1.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.8 GHz+29%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm	22 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Ivy Bridge-Y (2013)
PassMark	1,009	1,014
Geekbench 6 Single	—	350
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	657

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the BGA1023 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	Pentium 2117U	Core i3-3229Y
Socket	BGA1023	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 2117U) / VT-x, EPT (Core i3-3229Y). The Core i3-3229Y includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Pentium 2117U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-3229Y targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i3-3229Y rivals Athlon Silver 3050GE.