Pentium G2120T vs Core i5-2557M

Pentium G2120T

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WW2013

Core i5-2557M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium G2120T

2 / 2

1,613

0.0%

1,618

+0.3%

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 G2120T is positioned at rank 824 and the Core i5-2557M is on rank 36, so the Core i5-2557M 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 G2120T

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

16813%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

15887%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

11535%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

3475%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2753%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

2408%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1379%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1361%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1239%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1239%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1225%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1192%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1176%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1171%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1160%

#295

Core i9-7940X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $275

98%

#824

Pentium G2120T

MSRP: $87|Avg: $10

100%

#825

Athlon II X2 270

MSRP: $72|Avg: $15

100%

#827

Core i7-6850K

MSRP: $617|Avg: $80

99%

#828

Core i5-2500K

MSRP: $225|Avg: $35

99%

#829

Pentium G3430

MSRP: $116|Avg: $30

99%

#830

Pentium E5400

MSRP: $55|Avg: $49

99%

#831

Core i5-4570R

MSRP: $250|Avg: $20

99%

#832

A6-3650

MSRP: $115|Avg: $20

98%

#833

Core i7-4770R

MSRP: $360|Avg: $89

98%

#835

Core i7-2600

MSRP: $294|Avg: $50

98%

#836

Pentium G870

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#837

Athlon II X2 210e

MSRP: $60|Avg: $28

98%

#838

Pentium G645

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2557M

#10

Ryzen 7 260

MSRP: $199|Avg: $70

88%

#24

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

181%

#25

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

179%

#26

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

164%

#27

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

163%

#28

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

162%

#30

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

156%

#31

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

150%

#32

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

150%

#33

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

146%

#36

Core i5-2557M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#38

Core 2 Duo T8100

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

96%

#39

Atom 330

MSRP: $43|Avg: $30

95%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

92%

#51

Celeron N2807

MSRP: $107|Avg: $60

86%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-2557M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Pentium G2120T in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Pentium G2120T	Core i5-2557M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Legacy / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Pentium G2120T	Core i5-2557M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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 G2120T Benchmark Check

Core i5-2557M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium G2120T and Core i5-2557M

Pentium G2120T

The Pentium G2120T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency: 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,613 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i5-2557M

The Core i5-2557M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,618 points. Launch price was $250.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium G2120T packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-2557M's 2 cores. The Core i5-2557M is built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium G2120T scores 1,613 against the Core i5-2557M's 1,618 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-2557M. L3 cache: 3 MB Intel® Smart Cache on the Pentium G2120T vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2557M.

Feature	Pentium G2120T	Core i5-2557M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	—	2.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+59%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB Intel® Smart Cache	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	—	256K (per core)
Process	22 nm-31%	32 nm
Architecture	—	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,613	1,618
Geekbench 6 Single	—	521
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	882

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium G2120T uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-2557M uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium G2120T	Core i5-2557M
Socket	LGA1155	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	8 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G2120T) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-2557M). The Core i5-2557M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium G2120T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2557M targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-2557M rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.