
Pentium Silver A1030 vs Core i3-3217UE

Pentium Silver A1030

Core i3-3217UE
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 Silver A1030 is positioned at rank 1140 and the Core i3-3217UE is on rank 1187, so the Pentium Silver A1030 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Silver A1030
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-3217UE
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Silver A1030 | Core i3-3217UE |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Legacy / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Silver A1030 | Core i3-3217UE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
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 Silver A1030 and Core i3-3217UE

Pentium Silver A1030
The Pentium Silver A1030 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: upto-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 1,380 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i3-3217UE
The Core i3-3217UE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 August 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 1,362 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Pentium Silver A1030 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-3217UE's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Pentium Silver A1030 versus 1.6 GHz on the Core i3-3217UE — a 51.2% clock advantage for the Pentium Silver A1030. The Core i3-3217UE is built on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Pentium Silver A1030 scores 1,380 against the Core i3-3217UE's 1,362 — a 1.3% lead for the Pentium Silver A1030. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Pentium Silver A1030 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-3217UE.
| Feature | Pentium Silver A1030 | Core i3-3217UE |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz+69% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB+33% | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | — | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | — | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,380+1% | 1,362 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 353 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 790 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Silver A1030 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-3217UE uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Silver A1030 | Core i3-3217UE |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1090 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Silver A1030) / Yes (Core i3-3217UE). The Core i3-3217UE includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Pentium Silver A1030 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-3217UE targets Embedded.
| Feature | Pentium Silver A1030 | Core i3-3217UE |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 4000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
| Target Use | — | Embedded |
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