
Turion II M500 vs Core i3-4030U

Turion II M500

Core i3-4030U
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 Turion II M500 is positioned at rank 322 and the Core i3-4030U is on rank 75, so the Core i3-4030U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Turion II M500
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4030U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Turion II M500 | Core i3-4030U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($281) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Turion II M500 | Core i3-4030U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($281) |
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 Turion II M500 and Core i3-4030U

Turion II M500
The Turion II M500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,865 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i3-4030U
The Core i3-4030U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
The Turion II M500 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-4030U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Turion II M500 versus 1.9 GHz on the Core i3-4030U — a 14.6% clock advantage for the Turion II M500. The Turion II M500 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4030U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Turion II M500 scores 1,865 against the Core i3-4030U's 1,876 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i3-4030U.
| Feature | Turion II M500 | Core i3-4030U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz+16% | 1.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Caspian (2009) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,865 | 1,876 |
Memory & Platform
The Turion II M500 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4030U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Turion II M500 | Core i3-4030U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g3 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
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