
Pentium G2130 vs Atom C3538

Pentium G2130

Atom C3538
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 G2130 is positioned at rank 675 and the Atom C3538 is on rank 389, so the Atom C3538 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G2130
Performance Per Dollar Atom C3538
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G2130 | Atom C3538 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($8) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Goldmont (2016−2017) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G2130 | Atom C3538 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($8) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium G2130 and Atom C3538

Pentium G2130
The Pentium G2130 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,915 points. Launch price was $90.

Atom C3538
The Atom C3538 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 August 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Goldmont (2016−2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 8 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1310. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4: 2133. Passmark benchmark score: 1,910 points. Launch price was $75.
Processing Power
The Pentium G2130 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Atom C3538 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom C3538 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G2130 versus 2.1 GHz on the Atom C3538 — a 41.5% clock advantage for the Pentium G2130 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Pentium G2130 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Atom C3538 uses Goldmont (2016−2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G2130 scores 1,915 against the Atom C3538's 1,910 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium G2130. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total) on the Pentium G2130 vs 8 MB on the Atom C3538.
| Feature | Pentium G2130 | Atom C3538 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+52% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+52% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3072 kB (total) | 8 MB+167% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 8 MB+3100% |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) | Goldmont (2016−2017) |
| PassMark | 1,915 | 1,910 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G2130 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Atom C3538 uses FCBGA1310 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G2130 | Atom C3538 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | FCBGA1310 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 256 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 12 |
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