Ryzen 3 5400U vs Core i5-1230U
Ryzen 3 5400U
Core i5-1230U
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 Ryzen 3 5400U is positioned at rank 387 and the Core i5-1230U is on rank 620, so the Ryzen 3 5400U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 3 5400U
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-1230U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Ryzen 3 5400U | Core i5-1230U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) / 7 nm) | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Ryzen 3 5400U | Core i5-1230U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Ryzen 3 5400U and Core i5-1230U
Ryzen 3 5400U
The Ryzen 3 5400U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 January 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: FP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 11,002 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i5-1230U
The Core i5-1230U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 February 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 10 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9.5 MB + 12 MB. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 10,995 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Ryzen 3 5400U packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i5-1230U offers 10 cores / 12 threads — the Core i5-1230U has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 5400U versus 4.4 GHz on the Core i5-1230U — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-1230U (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1 GHz). The Ryzen 3 5400U uses the Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) architecture (7 nm), while the Core i5-1230U uses Alder Lake-U (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 3 5400U scores 11,002 against the Core i5-1230U's 10,995 — a 0.1% lead for the Ryzen 3 5400U. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 3 5400U vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i5-1230U.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 5400U | Core i5-1230U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 10 / 12+150% |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz | 4.4 GHz+10% |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+160% | 1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | 12 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core)+150% |
| Process | 7 nm | Intel 7 nm |
| Architecture | Cezanne-U (Zen 3) (2021) | Alder Lake-U (2022) |
| PassMark | 11,002 | 10,995 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,625 |
Memory & Platform
The Ryzen 3 5400U uses the FP6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-1230U uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 5400U | Core i5-1230U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP6 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0 | PCIe 5.0+25% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | LPDDR5-5200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 14 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Ryzen 3 5400U) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1230U). The Core i5-1230U includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 80EU), while the Ryzen 3 5400U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1230U targets Thin & Light Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-1230U rivals Ryzen 5 5600U.
| Feature | Ryzen 3 5400U | Core i5-1230U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Iris Xe Graphics 80EU |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Thin & Light Laptop |
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