Pentium N3530 vs Core i5-10400F
Pentium N3530
Core i5-10400F
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. The Pentium N3530 is positioned at rank #1156 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N3530
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-10400F
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium N3530 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($102) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Comet Lake (2020−2025) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium N3530 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+120%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($20) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($102) |
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 N3530 and Core i5-10400F
Pentium N3530
The Pentium N3530 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.58 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,159 points. Launch price was $69.
Core i5-10400F
The Core i5-10400F is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 April 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,029 points. Launch price was $155.
Processing Power
The Pentium N3530 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-10400F offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-10400F has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.58 GHz on the Pentium N3530 versus 4.3 GHz on the Core i5-10400F — a 50% clock advantage for the Core i5-10400F (base: 2.16 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Pentium N3530 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i5-10400F uses Comet Lake (2020−2025) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3530 scores 1,159 against the Core i5-10400F's 13,029 — a 167.3% lead for the Core i5-10400F. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium N3530 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-10400F.
| Feature | Pentium N3530 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 6 / 12+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.58 GHz | 4.3 GHz+67% |
| Base Clock | 2.16 GHz | 2.9 GHz+34% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 12 MB (total)+500% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm | 14 nm-36% |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) | Comet Lake (2020−2025) |
| PassMark | 1,159 | 13,029+1024% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 8,191 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,454 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 5,783 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium N3530 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-10400F uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium N3530 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | LGA1200 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-2666 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium N3530) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-10400F). Primary use case: Core i5-10400F targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Core i5-10400F rivals Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Pentium N3530 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
Value Analysis
The Pentium N3530 launched at $161 MSRP, while the Core i5-10400F debuted at $160. At current prices ($20 vs $102), the Pentium N3530 is $82 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium N3530 delivers 58.0 pts/$ vs 127.7 pts/$ for the Core i5-10400F — making the Core i5-10400F the 75.2% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium N3530 | Core i5-10400F |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $161 | $160 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20-80% | $102 |
| Performance per Dollar | 58.0 | 127.7+120% |
| Release Date | 2014 | 2020 |
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